This year I decided to leave Tenerife for a two month sojourn in South Africa. A quick web search established that I did not require a visa and a quick trip to Tenerife Insurance Services in Las Chafiras gave me a flexible 90 day travel insurance so the next requirement was a trip to renew my travel concession document then onto the internet to find suitable flights. I advise using a desktop or a laptop, trying to complete the necessary on-line forms on my 'Tablet' proved slow and frustrating and I gave up in the end.
Would you believe it was cheaper to fly to South Africa from Madrid via London than from Heathrow direct. Off to Tenerife Airport North at 07:45 on the 29th March having stayed overnight with my good friends in Santa Cruz resulted in a speedy check-in and off to Madrid at 10:00 courtesy of AirEuropa. Landing at Terminal 2 at 13:20 hours (the mainland is 1 hour ahead of Tenerife) I was surprised that I had to claim my bags, catch a shuttle bus to terminal 4 (about 10-15 mins) then get on an underground shuttle to 4South. They advise on entering terminal 4 that it takes 18 minutes to get there. Good job I gave myself plenty of time between connections!!! Check in at the British Airways desk was easy and I was on my way to Heathrow (coffee and a warm ham and cheese sandwich on flat bread complements of BA) to change planes , I had 1 hour to complete this - hold baggage was routed through to Johannesburg but another security check is required before boarding. Dinner with a choice of wines plus full English breakfast this time and I was flying economy class - eat your heart out Ryanair. South Aftica is 2 hours ahead so we landed about 07:20 on the 29th.
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| A welcoming choir at Jburg (probably a coincidence) |
Again it was prudent that I had given myself plenty of time - although I had BA boarding cards through to Port Elizabeth, immigration and customs take place at the first point of entry. I purchased a pay-as-you-go SIM card with some airtime and data at Vodacom nearly falling through the floor when she asked for 400 Rand. I worked out later that this is about £20.00 so be warned - lots of noughts here. I chilled in the airport for a while realising I'm not as young as I used to be then took off for Port Elizabeth - more light refreshments on this 2 hour flight and I arrived at Port Elizabeth at about 17:30.
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| Arriving at Port Elizabeth |
36 hours travelling without a hitch then I sat around in the airport, my sister thought that I was arriving on Sunday! As Port Alfred in a 2 hour drive and the restaurant was busy it was decided that I should stay overnight at a hotel and a very pleasant one it was too, just outside the airport.
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| Hotel with pool |
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