As Akos (waving) likes to say -- the worse the better. What a story. Despite a hefty bribe, we were not able to get seats on the Sao Tome flight. So Akos had to set to work to find an alternative for Sharon, Sanya, Mark and me. He borrowed a phone from a local and set to making calls.
He worked in Cameroon, so he called his friend who is doing a safari there to see if arrangements could be made for us to go there. That was no problem -- but we needed a visa to Cameroon. The police said they would write us a note saying we had been stranded -- so please let us in. Of course that was a gamble as we would likely have been on the flight back to Libreville!
Looked at other options -- a ferry -- well more of an open boat for 5 hours -- (too dangerous). Or going on to one of the parks (too boring). I had looked up visa requirements to Senegal -- but the schedule did not work and Akos said there was "not much to see". So Akos started working on a charter flight. Mark had Nicholas' (the vet from day 1) business card. So Akos called him -- and he had some girl call him. There were no planes to be had and after much running around (and checking to see if Shell Oil would give us a plane) we were told that Air Services -- the airline that had bumped us -- was probably the only one who could get us a charter flight. More running around and some negotiating (the starting price was over 7,000 Euros) got us a plane for 4,500 Euros. Which they sub chartered from someone else.
Air Services then asked Akos if we could take some luggage that was left behind from the previous flight -- so they knocked down 500 Euros. They also said we could try to find some passengers and charge 150 Euros each to defray the cost (other people were bumped). Oh, and we had to get our tickets from Sao Tome issued as being stuck there would be REALLY hard. We also had to pull our money as Akos did not have enough cash on hand (we donated 350 Euros -- which we just got back).
We finally get taken to the back (sans our passports, which some woman has). So we check in one at a time -- very slowly. (By the way Mark's bag is down to 11.7 kg). Half way through someone comes by looking for Sharon (behind me) -- saying he needed to check her bag. I stay behind filling out forms, and the others go back. Mark and Sanya (in blue) return quickly -- saying only Sharon's bag was there. A while later Akos and Sharon come back. They had accused her of carrying drugs (AKA her medicine and some shampoo). They asked Akos for some money -- and he lost it and yelled at them how Air Services had stranded us. So they say, OK, get us a woman. A British woman. Akos told him that Sanya -- our Australian who also has a British passport -- would give him a beating he did not want (she would!). So in the end he gave them 7 Euros (apparently the price of a British woman :-)). What a corrupt system -- everyone has their hand out (even the bathroom attendant -- who extracted the equivalent of a quarter from me).
Past security -- into an empty room. Finally someone came and got us ... and took us to the plane with 3 locals. The Air Services manager promised Akos that he will meet our flight from Sao Tome and give him 450 Euros. As Mark said -- let's give him the benefit of the doubt .....
We got into the plane (an 18 seater -- very old). Took off in the dark -- praying VERY hard. Uneventful flight. Very quickly through customs. Then found out that some of the bags we transported belonged to our group. There were some cars there (a true miracle) and we got to the hotel. Pretty basic -- but no bugs that I can see. Nice dinner -- albeit very slow (the pace of Sao Tome). Shared pasta with Jessica. Akos told the story -- and we found out Spyros had no visa but he managed to leave his passport with the police and hopefully it will all work out. He owns a pharmacy in Greece. He has a partner and the each work 6 months -- so he is off travelling. How fun!
Mark stayed up drinking with Spyros and Bjarne -- and I had to stay to watch him as he was
drinking 86 proof local booze. Mercifully we can skip all the hiking and markets etc. tomorrow and have free time till 11:30. Our transfer to the resort is via boat so God willing that will go smooth. Akos will go broke otherwise -- so much bribing.
Two things amazed me about this experience. One is that I was calm throughout. The other is that "the worse the better" is one of the wisest philosophies I have heard! Plan to use it a lot :-)
He worked in Cameroon, so he called his friend who is doing a safari there to see if arrangements could be made for us to go there. That was no problem -- but we needed a visa to Cameroon. The police said they would write us a note saying we had been stranded -- so please let us in. Of course that was a gamble as we would likely have been on the flight back to Libreville!
Looked at other options -- a ferry -- well more of an open boat for 5 hours -- (too dangerous). Or going on to one of the parks (too boring). I had looked up visa requirements to Senegal -- but the schedule did not work and Akos said there was "not much to see". So Akos started working on a charter flight. Mark had Nicholas' (the vet from day 1) business card. So Akos called him -- and he had some girl call him. There were no planes to be had and after much running around (and checking to see if Shell Oil would give us a plane) we were told that Air Services -- the airline that had bumped us -- was probably the only one who could get us a charter flight. More running around and some negotiating (the starting price was over 7,000 Euros) got us a plane for 4,500 Euros. Which they sub chartered from someone else.
Air Services then asked Akos if we could take some luggage that was left behind from the previous flight -- so they knocked down 500 Euros. They also said we could try to find some passengers and charge 150 Euros each to defray the cost (other people were bumped). Oh, and we had to get our tickets from Sao Tome issued as being stuck there would be REALLY hard. We also had to pull our money as Akos did not have enough cash on hand (we donated 350 Euros -- which we just got back).
We finally get taken to the back (sans our passports, which some woman has). So we check in one at a time -- very slowly. (By the way Mark's bag is down to 11.7 kg). Half way through someone comes by looking for Sharon (behind me) -- saying he needed to check her bag. I stay behind filling out forms, and the others go back. Mark and Sanya (in blue) return quickly -- saying only Sharon's bag was there. A while later Akos and Sharon come back. They had accused her of carrying drugs (AKA her medicine and some shampoo). They asked Akos for some money -- and he lost it and yelled at them how Air Services had stranded us. So they say, OK, get us a woman. A British woman. Akos told him that Sanya -- our Australian who also has a British passport -- would give him a beating he did not want (she would!). So in the end he gave them 7 Euros (apparently the price of a British woman :-)). What a corrupt system -- everyone has their hand out (even the bathroom attendant -- who extracted the equivalent of a quarter from me).
Past security -- into an empty room. Finally someone came and got us ... and took us to the plane with 3 locals. The Air Services manager promised Akos that he will meet our flight from Sao Tome and give him 450 Euros. As Mark said -- let's give him the benefit of the doubt .....
We got into the plane (an 18 seater -- very old). Took off in the dark -- praying VERY hard. Uneventful flight. Very quickly through customs. Then found out that some of the bags we transported belonged to our group. There were some cars there (a true miracle) and we got to the hotel. Pretty basic -- but no bugs that I can see. Nice dinner -- albeit very slow (the pace of Sao Tome). Shared pasta with Jessica. Akos told the story -- and we found out Spyros had no visa but he managed to leave his passport with the police and hopefully it will all work out. He owns a pharmacy in Greece. He has a partner and the each work 6 months -- so he is off travelling. How fun!
Mark stayed up drinking with Spyros and Bjarne -- and I had to stay to watch him as he was
drinking 86 proof local booze. Mercifully we can skip all the hiking and markets etc. tomorrow and have free time till 11:30. Our transfer to the resort is via boat so God willing that will go smooth. Akos will go broke otherwise -- so much bribing.
Two things amazed me about this experience. One is that I was calm throughout. The other is that "the worse the better" is one of the wisest philosophies I have heard! Plan to use it a lot :-)
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