The Start of the Great Africa Trip 2024

Heathrow

On arrival at the pre-check for the check-in counter, as soon as I mention “Special Assistance”, we are taken to a new lane with no-one waiting. From there we walk to the Special Assistance area, which to me is a ridiculous system – it should be the first thing you encounter as you enter the airport, not something you can only access after you’ve checked in. Having said that, there are telephones in the car park where you can call for someone to come and collect you in a wheelchair – providing it is after 05:00 (you cannot be disabled outside the office hours).

The porter, a delightful Indian girl, is happy to oblige when I ask if we can stop at the Duty Free. As David wanders around trying to find some suitable alcohol, a very attractive young assistant approaches me to ask if she can help me, so I ask if they stock Tia Maria or Baileys. She confirms that, unfortunately, they don’t have Tia Maria, but they do stock Baileys. Imagine my surprise when David returns, having purchased Morgan’s Spiced and a bottle of Tia Maria.

From the airside Special Assistance Holding Area, a buggy takes us to the gate. Unlike the buggy driver who collected me at Heathrow when we landed back last time, this chap is very charming and helpful, even taking photos of us before we set off to the gate.

Ethiopian Airlines ET 701 from London Heathrow to Addis Ababa

A few weeks ago, I placed a bid to purchase what they call a Neighbour-Free Seat on this flight, ie making sure the seat next to me is kept unoccupied. A couple of days ago we received an email to say my bid was successful.

As the flight is almost full, it is nice to be able to spread out over the three seats for the two of us.

Before we have even taken off, a chorus of crying children (I can hear at least five of them) begin their cacophony. As soon as one starts, it sets the others off. At one stage, one of them shrieks like a banshee – the most ear-piercing high-pitched noise I have ever heard. How can such a penetrating sound emanate from such a small thing?

In-Flight Meal

The choice is between chicken or beef, and I choose beef while David has the chicken.

Mine is served as a pie with the beef in a rich sauce, pastry topping, and mash alongside. Apart from the fact that the green beans are overcooked, the meal is really quite pleasant.

To start we have a salad which is refreshing, and my dessert is a fruit salad, whereas David gets a cake to finish after his chicken.

After some red wine to accompany the meal, I feel sleepy, and even though I have a numb bum and the fact that the flight is unbearably hot, I manage to doze off to sleep.

Approaching Addis Ababa

Addis Ababa

Ethiopia’s capital airport is huge, and the Special Assistance system works in mysterious ways. From the plane, I am pushed to a holding area in a corridor and left there.

Later, another porter arrives and takes me through a long, long corridor and down a lift, to what looks like a storage area in the basement, where I am held for another 20 minutes or so. The area is in absolute chaos, with assistance passengers trying to negotiate a security screening while passengers arriving from flights via a bus scramble past and up an escalator. Many are confused about where to go, and try to enter the security area.

When I am finally beckoned through, everything has to come off: shoes, money belt, watch. The other side of the passenger scanner offers three seats, all of which are taken, so I end up standing around waiting for the wheelchair to be given security clearance. From here, it is back up in the lift, and through the very busy terminal to another holding area.

As the departure time gets closer and closer, a fellow passenger starts to panic, worrying that we are going to get left behind. I know it happens (recently at Bristol Airport, six Special Assistance passengers were forgotten when the plane took off). Finally, around 15 minutes before the published departure time, we are taken down onto the tarmac and into the special lift truck to enter the plane.

Ethiopian Airlines Flight ET 881 from Addis Ababa to Blantyre

Yet again we were successful with the upgrade to the No-Neighbour Seat, so we can spread out.

In-Flight Meal

David chooses fish, while I have the chicken – which proves to be impossible to cut – the plastic knives provided just bend as I press them into the meat – so I just eat the bread roll and cheese plus the custardy dessert.

Blantyre

The Special Assistance here is very efficient, bypassing the passport control (the porter takes my passport and hands it in, getting it back almost immediately), and he also picks up our luggage while we wait for David to come through.

Jim, our guide for the Malawi and Zambia portion of this trip, is waiting just outside the customs area and whisks us to the waiting vehicle.

Jim with the Welcome sign

Meanwhile, David pops back into the terminal again to change some money into the local currency. At around 2,500 Kwacha to the British Pound, we end up with a huge wad of money.

The Leslie

With a distinctly colonial feel, our first hotel in Malawi is more than adequate. The receptionist is concerned when she sees my stick, as our room is up a small flight of steps. She needn’t have worried, I am more than capable of climbing up, and it is worth it when we get to our cozy room.

The courtyard and reception

The room is on two levels, with a deceptively steep step between the bedroom part and the kitchen area.

There is an enclosed outside patio area with a couple of chairs and a table.

After dumping our bags and quickly freshening up, we meet Jim in the bar for a briefing. The lounge is incredibly hot, with the AC set at 30 °C.

Having gone through the itinerary, and discussed the various options along the way, Jim leaves us to go back to our room with a couple of Diet Cokes to go with our Duty Free rum on the terrace.

Dinner

Red wine by the glass comes chilled (!) in individual 250ml carafes.

My beefburger with cheese sauce

David's beef lasagne

And so it is back to the room for an early bed, having travelled all through the night to get here.

Thank you to Undiscovered Destinations for arranging this incredible private bespoke trip.