Flight Plan

To get to Johannesburg, we got a ride to catch a bus to catch a cab to catch a plane to catch another plane. We left D.C. on the ninth but by some trick of space and time the 10th has been entirely lost in transit. We're consoled by the knowledge that the magic of time zones will be in our favor on our return trip three months from now and we anticipate that that crazy day we be the longest we've yet experienced. This stretching out of time will make up for that which was lost, thereby restoring balance to the cosmos.

It is now about 8 p.m. in South Africa. (Though the country is twice the size of Texas, there's only one time zone.) That's around 1 p.m. U.S. East Coast time and, let me tell you, that seven-hour difference felt much more pronounced at 9:30 this morning when our connecting flight from Dubai landed.

Depending upon your point of view and possibly your age, today has either been (a.) wasted away or (b.) profitably spent in the comfortable and friendly Shoestring Africa Airport Lodge. Tomorrow we depart on a much anticipated five-day safari in Kruger National Park. In the mean time our strategy for recovering from 31+ hours in transit (four hours bus + 13 hours plane + six hours layover + eight hours plane + ? hrs delays) has been as follows: (1.) lounge around dorm napping, (2.) take desperately needed showers so as to not ruin the reputation of American hygiene abroad, and then (3.) more lounging. So far, we have found that sleeping horizontally, stretching out in spaces with ample leg room, and especially bathing are restorative and worth while activities.

Not that our experience on Emirate Airlines was unpleasant. On the contrary, we were quite pleased with the on-board entertainment system that gave each passenger in economy class their own TV equipped with scores of new and classic films, plenty of sitcom episodes and music videos, games that could become competitive across screens, and -- coolest of all -- views of the skies outside and the land below provided by cameras attached to the plane's belly and cockpit. Upon reflection, perhaps the 500 channels were simply too entertaining and we just didn't get enough sleep as a result. I watched four episodes of "The Office," three of "Scrubs," three rock band-biographies, and three movies, leaving little time for rest. If modern airlines are attempting to render us too exhausted by over-stimulation to become crazed by our cramped economy-class transatlantic flight experience, it's working.

Even our they-can't-be-serious, in-the-middle-of-the-night six-hour layover in Dubai, couldn't have been spent in a more vibrant terminal. It was relatively quiet upon our arrival at 9:10 p.m. local time, but there was plenty to explore and room to stretch our legs as we walked past the many mysterious first class lounges and through the extensive duty-free mall. Between the hours of 1 and 3 a.m. the joint really started jumping, as a sea of heterogeneous humanity passed through gates, customs, and metal detectors. Dozens of languages were spoken and the variety of ethnic and western fashions on display was something out of a "I'd like to make the world sing in perfect harmony" commercial. Since the shops never closed, buying behavior was also exhibited. All in all it painted an interesting sociological picture -- a lady in a saffron sari with a basket of Tang standing behind a western man clutching bottles of discount Bicardi standing behind a veiled woman paying for M&Ms and dates. And why not? Somehow it just seems more special out in the middle of the desert. Most of the shops were what you'd expect, but there were a couple of surprises. We didn't realize, for example, that Cinnabon had penetrated the Middle Eastern market and though the presence of a McDonald's wasn't unexpected in itself, finding the McArabia
Meal on the menu was kind of exciting.

By Meredith Bragg |  January 11, 2006; 5:27 PM ET  | Category:  Tales From The Road/Skies
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