South Africa to Ocala

Gene was definitely antsy. He had been in South Africa since Nov. 18 and was longing for home. I lost track of how many times he packed, repacked, rearranged, etc, but it kept him busy. We had two small carry on suitcases, my canvas bag to sling over my shoulder, his Jansport backpack and a small plastic bag with snacks.

Louis drove us to the airport at 11:30 - plenty of time for our 2:30 flight. Our Kulula flight was delayed 30 minutes, but not a problem for connecting flight in Johannesburg. Gene paced, I bought "Faith Like Potatoes" and read.

The suitcases fit into the overhead bins, for which we breathed a sigh of relief. Our seatmate, Pam, enjoyed the pictures Gene had taken of Capetown and surrounding areas. She said it inspired her to make a trip there and reacquaint herself with the town.

At one point, the fluffy, white clouds looked like white islands on a sea of blue. They then changed to look like large mountains. It was like being in a fairy land.

We arrived in Johannesburg a few minutes after 5:00 and made our way to the Delta check in area. We were flying on "stand-by" basis, so waited to see if there would be seats for us. We had already heard from Penny that she & Emma had had difficulty getting home because of spring break. We later learned it took them 6 days and a circuitous route from Johannesburg to Amsterdam to Detroit to Washington DC (also Cherry Blossom Festival there) to Atlanta. We spoke with one group who had been coming to the airport since Tues. evening to wait for seats.
There is only one direct flight from Johannesburg to Atlanta daily. They also take on cargo, so if the weight limit has been reached, any more cargo & stand by passengers have to wait for the next flight. Only a couple of people made it onto the flight. The rest of us went to the ticket counter to get our stand by "tickets" for Saturday. Now, what do we do for 24 hours?

We saw a sign with arrow that said "hotel", so we followed the signs. Unknown to us at the time, a new hotel had been built on top of the parking garage and had opened only three weeks before. When we inquired about the rates, they told us there was a special that weekend. Instead of R1370 (approx $190) per night, it was only R1090 (approx. $150). Ok, my lightening fast mind calculated comfortable bed & shower vs trying to sleep on a bench in the airport and decided it was well worth the money. We settled in and Gene soon discovered the AC/heating unit would only give out cool air (we wanted warm). The door also had to be slammed to close properly. He went to the front desk to mention these items, and the night clerk returned with him to check it out. Although nothing could be fixed at that moment, the clerk said we would receive a complimentary breakfast the next morning "for our inconvenience". What a treat we had in store!

We had a great night's sleep. About 9:00am we sauntered to the restaurant where we had our "English" breakfast. A continental breakfast was fruit only. The "English", on the other hand, was eggs - cooked to one's specifications, bacon, sausage, ham, toast, a wide variety of fruits, nuts, seeds, coffee or tea, juice, yogurt, and cereals, if you desired. The atmosphere was serene and the servers were very attentive, clearing away used dishes and offering more coffee, etc. A most delightful experience.

Gene found an internet cafe where we could alert family to our delay. We decided to take advantage of the extended stay, paying a little extra to stay in the room until 6:00pm instead of checking out at 11:00am. I was able to relax and be in comfortable surroundings for the rest of the day.

We gathered our belongings, checked out and went back down to the Delta counter. Gene had been down earlier to check in with the "stand-by" clerk. What I didn't know was that he had told him if there was only one seat available, he wanted me to have it. He would wait for another flight. We saw some of the same folks we had spoken to the evening before. We were becoming a small family - listening to each others stories and reasons for going to the States. As several were given boarding passes, we would rejoice with them that they had made the flight. Then the young bearded man behind the counter called "Watson". I eagerly responded. There was only one seat. I knew I had to take it even though I didn't want to leave Gene. Gene wheeled the "trolley" down to security where he had to leave me. I got my suitcase, canvas bag, etc on the conveyor belt and passed through with no problem. This was not the time for a panic attack.
I repeated, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13) several times as I got into the queue to wait to present my passport for stamping. I was just about to the desk when the young bearded man came up to me and said "Your husband". I replied, "He didn't make this flight." He turned and pointed back to security and there was Gene coming through!!!!! I was estatic!!!! I jumped up and down several times (didn't know I could clear the ground like that) and said "Thank you" about a dozen times. He said, "We need to hurry." I thought to myself, "Hurry is not my best speed." He took my canvas bag and I started off pulling my little suitcase behind me. It wasn't long before he and Gene caught up with me. Gene took the canvas bag and the young man took my suitcase. I now was free to trot along behind them as fast as my little legs could go. I am sure the sight would have qualified for "America's Funniest Home Videos." It seemed like a very long way before we came to the next checkpoint.
The bags were checked quickly and then we went though the "pat down". I'm glad they check everyone thoroughly, but we were a bit pressed for time. The young man escorted us all the way to the last point where our boarding passes were taken. I again thanked him profusely and we boarded the plane. We took our seats (in business class) at 8:10pm. The plane was to leave at 8:20 - it lifted off at 8:30. We were both thanking Jesus that we were on the same plane.

It wasn't until later that Gene shared the "rest of the story". He went back to the ticket counter to get his next "stand by" ticket for Sunday. The young man had raced past him, gone behind the counter and was typing away at the computer while talking to someone on his cell phone. He looked up at Gene and said, "Go!" As they were racing down the corridor, he said, "The plane is full, but I'm going to try to get you on." And that he did! God bless him!

The flight was anticlimatic after the race through the airport. We landed in Atlanta at 7:05am on Sunday - Easter. We had set our watches back 6 hours, so it's actually a 15 - 16 hour flight. Once in Atlanta, we had more security & passport showing to go through, then to the next gate to catch our flight to Orlando. The gate number had changed from B5 on our ticket to B21. When I asked where it was changed to, the lady said "B21 - at the other end and they are boarding now." "Of course it is and of course they are", I said. Gene put the luggage in a wheelchair and headed towards B21. I came along at my own semi-fast pace. When everyone with tickets had boarded, we approached the desk and explained we were "stand-by". There were 2 seats up front and they assigned us to them. Praise the Lord!

The hour flight seemed to be over almost as soon as it began. We were almost home. At the Orlando airport we rented a car and made the last leg of our journey. We arrived at our home at 1:30pm. Glad to be back, weary, but happy.

It was an exciting and wonderful trip. I am so glad we had the opportunity to go. It has whet my appetite for more travel, but I think I want to stick with our Roadtrek camper van for awhile.

Thanks for reading along.

God's blessings to all.