Flight to South Africa

June 18-19 Monday – Tuesday

James drove us to the airport before work. We flew United from Detroit to Dulles International Airport at Washington D.C. We hurried to our connection aboard South Africa Air to Johannesburg, then boarded another plane for Cape Town.

Last week, Trevor had wisely counseled not to rent a car at the airport after traveling over night for two days, then driving (manual transmission, which John can drive) on the left side of the road at night. We waited until the next day to pick up a car. Good idea!

Gavin, a new friend, sent by his friend Mark Stephenson of Salty Print (I still need to meet Mark) kindly drove us downtown to the Avis rental place and helped orient us to driving and landmarks like Devil’s Peak, Table Mountain, and Lion’s Head (in that order if you are looking at the classical view).

By the way, I was stunned that first morning (Wednesday) to step outside the hotel to the magnificent view of Table Mountain (which Gavin later explained did not match the picture in my mind because it was a side view). Our plane had arrived at 7:00 Tuesday night, a dark winter’s night here, so I had seen nothing.

Although it was dark and quiet for several hours on the plane, I had not slept much. (I did not get in as much reading on the plane as I had hoped either, because of the darkness.) I was so glad to have a place to sleep horizontally at the hotel! My body is still adjusting, or maybe just reacting. (The time is six hours later here than home. )