The whole purpose of this trip had been to visit a close friend who was working in the region…since we seem to always be his only visitors on these sorts of trips. Somehow, I’m not sure he believed we’d show up in Djibouti…but after Kuwait he also shouldn’t have been surprised! After a great night of showing us around, we had a relatively early morning ahead of us. But first, a shot from the beginning of the last night in Djibouti:
So…Djibouti immigration. Turns out 99% of our fellow passengers were in transit to the Daallo Airlines flight to Dubai (I suspect on another plane, since I don’t think the IL-18 has that kind of range) so they were shunted off, and maybe 10 of us went into the immigration queue. Where they took our passports, told us to have a seat, and we waited…for 30 minutes or so.
Eventually, we were ushered into a small office, where for a charge of $60 each, we got a collection of stamps, stickers, and glue in the passports that passed for an official “visa” to enter Djibouti. We had heard $55 in advance, but with exchange rate changes were not about to argue over such a small amount. Before the trip, for some reason, I suspected Djibouti Airport would be much much bigger. It’s not. it’s essentially one giant room with a few different areas…this place is tiny!
Got outside, and the Sheraton shuttle was of course not there as we’d asked for. Taxi was cheap, and soon we were off to the Sheraton…where they had absolutely no record of our points reservation, and were completely clueless how to deal with it. Check-in took nearly two hours, when you count the time to figure out what to do, get us to a room, get us a stocked minibar, and have everything sorted. Oh, yes, about the minibar. Due to local “sensibilities” they leave it empty. However, for platinum guests, they are happy to deliver a more-than-adequate FREE minibar:
I’ll start with a bit of background. I’m not sure anybody in their right mind goes to Somalia these days. Mogadishu hasn’t had a real government going on 15 years now, and the country is probably the largest breeding ground of terrorists outside of Iraq…or was that Afghanistan Nope, it’s Somalia. Anyways…back in “the day” Somalia was two countries – British Somaliland and Italian Somaliland. They were merged, and an independent Somalia was born…which didn’t last long. About 12 years ago, the western part (former British Somaliland) left Somalia, and has been relatively quiet, peaceful, and stable ever since. Their own government, currency (as you saw in my previous post), border guards, and all. Unfortunately, however, the international community isn’t buying it…and still considers it part of Somalia. For someone trying to visit Somalia, what better way to go!
I’ve already posted about our hotel…but when we got there, they informed us that all rooms had only one bed, and thus we needed, of course…two rooms. Fortunately, we got two across the hall and solved that problem. They were decent, functional, and since it was almost noon….we decided to grab some lunch in the hotel restaurant while the hotel sorted out the day trip we’d requested. So first, lunch! There were two things on the menu in Somaliland we hadn’t had yet…and we were determined to have them! The first was camel (which we had as a steak at dinner…and was pretty awesome!) and the other was goat. Soon our goat stew arrived, and it was actually really tasty and one of the best meals I remember from the trip!
As I mentioned earlier, booking tickets to Somalia isn’t easy. The airlines don’t operate frequently, there is next to no information about them online, not to mention anything about how to book. Thanks to a very helpful person I talked to on Flyertalk I learned about an airline called East African Safari Express who supposedly was the most reliable (i.e. the flights actually do go when they say they are going to) option. Took about 5 or 6 e-mails until they responded, but once we’d traded emails I found a date and time that worked and voila…it was booked. Of course, they only take payment in cash, and could you kindly show up in our office in Nairobi to do that?
Since we had barely 36 hours in Nairobi this was going to be tricky, but they agreed we could pay the day before. What they forgot to advise us was that the day before was a holiday in Kenya…and they were closed! Fortunately, immediately upon arrival we’d spotted their office, walked in, dropped several C-Notes with a shady looking guy in a back office…and had carbon copy tickets that were handwritten…things crossed out, changed, etc. Fortunately, all went well!
Arrival and check-in was quite quick and efficient, and there’s not too much to say. They insisted we check our bags, but other than that…it was just like a “normal” flight. Through security, and into a very unfabulous lounge thanks to Priority Pass, and then it was down to the gate….where we saw the first glimpse of our plane!
East African Safari Express flight 1823
Nairobi, Kenya to Hargeisa, Somalia
Departure 8:00, Arrival 10:00, Flight Time: 2 hours
Aircraft: Fokker F-28, Registration 5Y-EEE, Manufactured (approximately) 1985
Seat 12E
Now, I say approximately, because I really can’t find a production list for F28s online. I found this aircraft has been passed around Africa for over 10 years now, after doing previous duty in the US with Allegheny, Piedmont, and eventually US Air!
All the checked baggage was laid out next to the plane, and before boarding you had to point yours out before they would load it. That was reassuring…at least you knew it was on board! That said, the flight itself was quite uneventful. I’d say it was 75% Somali diaspora and maybe 25% foreign aid worker looking types. They even served a “meal” on board…you’d never see THAT in the US!
Before this trip, nearly everything I’d read about Nairobi was negative. Get out as soon as possible. It’s an urban jungle full of crime. Nothing worth seeing, etc etc etc. I’m so glad we gave it a chance for a full day. Even though it was forced by flight schedules, our day there was amazing.
Although I’m sure it was moderately overpriced, we arranged for the Hilton Safari vehicle to take us on a tour of the Nairobi National Park. The cool thing was there was never a concern about how long the trip was – we could stay out as long as we wanted. Since we’d booked another afternoon urban safari, however, we kept it semi short from 7am to 1pm. Still, we saw a ton. Having just been on safari in Botswana four months prior we’d set our expectations low, but we ended up more than surprised. We saw another lion stalking a kill (though it didn’t happen) and finally saw the one thing we missed in Botswana: Zebras!
When I booked this trip, I really tried to find a way to go to Rwanda, Burundi, and end up in Kenya, with two one-way flights. It wasn’t to be. Lots of flights between them all, but also lots at 2am, 3am, etc. Since these are pretty much hour-long flights…and I have a really strong aversion to redeyes, it’s how we ended up in this situation. Flying into Rwanda from Europe was easy, so that was the jumping off point. Rwanda to Kenya or Burundi was easy….but to get out of the region you have to be in Kenya….so Rwanda-Burundi-Kenya was the logical order. Unfortunately, the only Bujumbura to Nairobi nonstop is at some awful hour in the morning, so we took the one-stop back via Rwanda again. Little did we know it would be such an adventure!
Check-in in Bujumbura was a non-event, seats assigned, and off to passport/security in this very very small airport. I’ve been fascinated with Bujumbura ever since my undergraduate days when I had a good friend from Burundi….looking back, I never would have imagined back then just how “small” this airport is. We saw a security lane marked “VIP” and decided to try it with Delta Platinum cards since we were flying Kenyan….no dice. They gave us blank stares. Flash of the correct passport and we were whisked through, and straight into the “VIP Waiting Room.” Not quite sure why it was needed when the whole airport is one gate and there’s no WiFi, but it was entertaining nonetheless.
Kenya Airlines Flight 442
Bujumbura, Burundi (BJM) to Kigali, Rwanda (KGL) to Nairobi, Kenya (NBO)
Depart Bujumbura 12:15, Arrive Kigali 12:55
Depart Kigali 13:40, Arrive Nairobi 16:10 (1 hour time change)
ERJ-170, Registration 5Y-KYL, Manufactured 2006
So, perhaps the strangest part of this trip was the timing! We boarded in Burjumbura around 11:15, and by 11:30 we were in the air! Yes…we departed a full 45 minutes early! Not sure if everyone had checked in or what, but yup that’s what happened. Same thing in Kigali…arrived way early, and departed nearly 30 minutes early! I guess Kenyan has a major “thing” for being on-time? Anyways, the flights were totally uneventful, and we arrived Nairobi about 20 minutes early. Visa on arrival was quite easy, except for the very very unusual question: “You no working in Nairobi right? Only transit? No making money?” Um, no.
Our next segment out of Nairobi was on a strange small airline that only takes cash, and we were VERY lucky to spot their office after leaving immigration. We were due to go ticket the next day (which I had confirmed via e-mail) but turns out the next day was a holiday in Kenya, and they would not have been open! VERY fortunate. We headed to the East African Safari Express office, confirmed our tickets, got the first carbon-copy tickets I’ve seen in years, and were all set for the big adventure ahead.
Fortunately, the Hilton shuttle waited for us this whole time, and soon we were off to the hotel. We were given a nice junior suite as an upgrade, and everything worked perfectly. A bit of internet time, planning for our one full day in Nairobi the next day, and soon it was off to dinner at a recommended place by some colleagues called “Havana” which was promised as Tex-Mex.
Unfortunately, the food and drink were pretty disappointing, but the amusement of having Tex-Mex in Kenya was pretty high…plus, at least the drinks menu was entertaining if not good! Next up, I’ll update on our full day in Nairobi, which was 100x more fun and interesting than people had led me to believe was possible!
When I started planning this trip, my goal was to complete the trifecta of three years with New Years Eve in unusual places. After Iraq and Afghanistan, Somalia was the logical choice. No matter how much I played with the flight schedules, however, it just wasn’t going to work. So, I had to settle on Somalia being part of the trip and then building some fun stuff around it. That’s how we ended up in Bujumbura for New Years Eve.
Talking to a few friends and colleagues who had spent lots of time in Buj, it was quickly apparent there wasn’t too much to do. But, with just over 24 hours, we were going to make the most of it. We found a good driver online, hired him, and it turned out to be a great idea. Quite on the expensive side, but the amount of sightseeing we crammed into just over six hours was insanely impressive.
We got to our hotel quickly thanks to the hotel’s complimentary airport pick-up, the “Hotel Club du Lac Tanganyika.” We got offered an upgrade to a “junior suite” for very little, and took it for the awesome view onto the beach plus the bigger room:
First off a very fair warning: This post will likely be a bit depressing, but as a famous quote says those who forget history are doomed to repeat it.
Who goes to Rwanda on vacation? After a massive genocide that left somewhere around 1 million dead (nearly 10% of the country’s population) Rwanda wasn’t exactly on most peoples’ tourist map. Recently, the government changed the official language from French to English and has been on a major campaign of investment promotion, anti-corrpution, and doing “all the right things” to become a full member of the international community. From what I saw, this is clearly a country that is going places, and if I had capital to invest it would certainly be high on my list.
That said, the ghosts of 1994 still haunt Rwanda, although it amazed me just how much people have moved on. How can you see your neighbors, family, friends, etc butchered in such a brutal fashion, and just move on? I’m not sure I’d be as brave as these people, and I have to admit I kind of fell in love with Rwanda.
Those of you who have seen the movie Hotel Rwanda will remember the Hotel des Milles Collines which was featured in the film. After that movie, we couldn’t help but stay there. I wasn’t in Rwanda when it happened, and to me this movie was the best impression I had of what 1994 meant in Rwanda. Honestly, based on the hotel, you’d never have a clue what happened there. I highly recommend the movie – we watched it again after the trip, and it really hit home. The historical accuracy probably isn’t perfect, but I could feel it when I watched it, knowing I’d been there – it was a really cool experience unlike anything else!
We decided to hire a driver for our one full day there to really take us on the highlights, since they were a bit spread out. It turned out to be the same hotel driver who’d picked us up from the airport the night before – and I honestly give high recommendations to the Milles Collines staff – they really arranged a top notch tour for our very short time there!
The first stop we made was the church at Ntarama. I’m going to get the numbers terribly wrong, but at this church some thousands of people were massacred. The idea was that once the genocide started, people fled to the church, feeling the church would protect them from the Interahamwe militias. This didn’t happen, and thousands were murdered in the most horrific ways: machetes, long wooden poles shoved into women from underneath until they went out the body/head, babies swung around in circles with heads smashed into stone walls, etc. It was horrible, gruesome, and the bones are still piled in the church as a reminder. It was honestly the most disturbing thing I think I’ve ever seen – but at the same time perfect. It helped to give just a little glimpse into what had happened. A few shots from the outside – to preserve the dignity of the victims filming inside the church was not allowed:
I chose to spend the night in Panama instead of a 7 hour redeye down to Buenos Aires on a 737 – and it was definitely the right call. For some reason, my life seems to be revolving around Panamá in late 2011. Went there in September as part of the giant around the world trip, and was my first visit. Just over a month later, I went there on a milage run. Now, I was overnighting there in order to save the company lots of cash. Funny how these things work out.
Anyways, for the overnight I chose the same hotel I’d stayed at the past two trips, despite the fact it was in excess of our allowed travel budget. I decided I’d rather pay the difference out of the per diem and stay at a hotel I knew I liked and would be comfortable in rather than risk something new on a short over night. It was definitely a good call from my perspective.
Le Meridien, Panama City
The last two times here, we discovered the hotel car to the airport was only $3 more than the shady taxis at the airport, so we’d used that. This time, I decided to call ahead and see if the same rates applied from the airport. Yes they did, and they’d meet me in baggage claim. Sweet! Uneventful drive to the hotel in yet another Panamanian downpour. Driver was reasonably good, not reckless, spoke good English, and no complaints at all. Well worth the extra 10%.
Check-in was quick, and just like the last to trips was upgraded to a “Gold Suite” – actually to the exact same room I’d had the previous trip. No complaints there. When checking in, I made a point of asking the hours of the executive lounge, because I planned a couple glasses of wine before dinner. No problem, she told me the hours, etc.
Headed to the gym for a quick workout, and have to say it was quite disappointing. Bare minimum hotel gym with 3 or 4 cardio machines and just about as little in the way of weights. I managed to get in a (barely) adequate workout, but I guess I can’t complain too much. I just hoped a higher-end hotel like this would have a better gym. I’ll give it adequate at best.
Showered up, and went to the lounge…which was locked. Went to the front desk and…surprise…it’s closed today. Huh?! On a Monday? “You can drink at bar.” Ok…went to bar, had a glass of wine, then decided to make sure at the desk: “what is included at the bar?” “You have drink.” I decided this was getting nowhere, so I switched to my rather poor spanish and didn’t get much farther. “If you want drinks, you have drinks.” “Can I have food?” “Yes you can have food.” “Do I have to pay for food?” “Yes, you have to pay for food.”
Ok, this was productive, lol. Ended up sitting at the bar nearly two hours doing work on my laptop, and had three glasses of wine, and was never presented a bill…so I guess it’s whatever you want to drink? Never did figure that out, but never did get billed either. By this point the downpour still had not let up, so I decided it was a room service night.
Ordered a burger and ice cream from room service, which came with the incredibly low tab of around $15 and was tasty…no complaints. It was quick, good quality, and all-in-all great value for room service.
On the room, it was great with an absolutely huge bathroom. Based on my last two stays this was why I came back here, and as usual wasn’t disappointed.
The lounge was open again the next morning for a light breakfast, which was just enough to get moving. Despite being empty, however, like my previous stays service in the lounge was quite slow. I’m not sure how much is a factor of only one person working, and how much is a factor of them just being casual, but every time I’ve been in this lounge it’s been pretty empty yet service has still been incredibly slow.
Then…the checkout drama. I feel I need to explain. The last two stays, a couple days after checkout, my AmEx was hit for a charge of just over $2 for a room service Snickers I’d never touched. First time, fine, accident. Second time exact same thing? I got the feeling they were operating a scam. Not sure the reason (maybe because of my loud complaints the last two times) but this time…no Snickers charge so far. Whew. Overall, this will still be my #1 choice should I end up back in Panamá.
Park Tower, Buenos Aires
I was debating between this hotel and the hotel I’d stayed at my previous trip – the Sheraton Libertador. Actually the debate was if I should hotel hop every night to get a 500 point SPG platinum bonus. Then, SPG offered a triple points promo for longer stays, and my decision was made. Our local office advised against this hotel, saying it was in a boring area, somewhat dangerous, and there were just much nicer choices. Well, we’d see. A few thoughts…
The Room
Was informed that for a 10 night stay there were no suites available, but they’d upgraded me to an “executive corner deluxe” which was actually as big as the junior suites on the second to top floor. I have to say, if this wasn’t a suite, you sure could have fooled me. It was bigger than many junior suites I’ve seen in other hotels, and the layout was very perfect I have to give the room (and upgrade) a 9 out of 10 minimum…almost a 10. The only thing (as you can see below) are the extremely strange paintings in the sitting area! Lots of Luxury Collection hotels feel too “grandma/old lady” for me, but this one was actually quite a good balance.
