OK the airport isn't that bad. I just hate the weigh in desk at the entrance.

Mike,

unfortunately SAA and QANTAS have a deal where you buy in Australia a QANTAS ticket and you may end up flying SAA or QANTAS depending on your luck or otherwsie.

SAA is OK and actually had back of seats TV monitors so you could choose your own movie. Being a movie nut I usually watch movies the whole there and back rather than sleep which is really stupid. SAA had a good system of starting the video on takeoff but not "broadcasting" it to the seats until they have finished their safety song and dance routine, then you get to watch the movie maybe 20 minutes into it.

. You get to watch the beginning 8 hours later though if you are lucky.

They did try to hit me for excess baggage in Vic Falls (to Jo'burg) too but the PH was standing a few metres away and argued with the check in dude and convinced him not to charge anything.

It can be really hard to carry about 20 kg of stuff only (usually you can push it to 26-27 kgs for checked in luggage and get away with it) if you are carrying a rifle, ammo, bicoculars, SLR camera, long lens (my camera stuff porbably weights about 7 kgs alone), boots, gun case, rucksack etc. Especially if you carry too much stuff like me. I usually only finish packing around 4am the morning before the flight at 7 or 8 am. Really well organised too.

Next time I want to take a double plus the .375 so weight will be a real issue, the rifles, ammo and gun case will probably be around 14 kgs alone. I'll have to be like "BigFive" and wear only shorts to cut down on weight. But all those thorns. Ouch!

Another way to get to Africa is via Singapore or India if you want to add 10 (or more!) hours to the flight. I though definitely avoid Singapre, Hong Kong even Bangkok if you are travelling with firearms as I have heard too many nasty stories even if all the right documentation was organised.

A funny story.

I was flying back from Harare (QANTAS) in 1994 through Jo'burg (stop-off only to pickup more passengers) and we had this really 'gay' Australian steward ponching around in our area.

Lucked out on that flight as the other stewardess was a 'mother hen' clucking around. Oh for those beautiful graceful ladies of Malaysian, Thai or Cathay Pacific flights.

In Jo'burg the Aussie Rugby team got on board to fly home from playing in South Africa and there were a few sitting around us including one sitting right beside the 'gay' steward (for take off and landing and during 'rest' parts of the flight).

With the team on board the steward's voice dropped several octaves, and became quite deep, he stopped swinging his hips and his wrists straigthened up.

It was quite funny, but still not believable.