Frequent Traveler? How to travel with Kenya Airways and NOT be miserable

It has been a long time  that I have not flown on Kenya Airways. That is, until this month, when I had to do two back-to-back trips on the airline.  My last two trips before those were on Ethiopian and Emirates.  Yes, Emirates.  That far. Abidjan-Dubai, Dubai-Nairobi.  And for my next trips, it will most probably be Emirates.  The question will be: "Why do that long distance?" And the answer will be: "Because I dont want to be miserable".

For many a Frequent Traveler (allow me to use initial capitals, in respect for those who do miles and miles in the air) what you want is to arrive and face the business for which you traveled. 

Anyway, here are pieces from my experience:

1. Dont buy a business class ticket
2. Buy travel insurance, if you can 
3. Leave 4-5 hours of transit time in your booking
4. Bring your own blanket 
5. As much as you can, do not check in luggage
6. If you are checking in anything, keep a day's provision of clothes in your carry-on
7. Please set yourself in "Patience, perseverance and no-worry" mode for the whole of the trip
8. Check in online
9. Arrive at the airport early, earlier than usual
10. Choose a seat up front, if you want to have a choice in the meal/drink service
11. Keep 1 kilo short of the allowed baggage 
12. Insist on getting receipts for all payments made
13. Please print "Final Destination [Airport Code]" for both legs of your trip
14. Wrap your bag, taking care to have the "Final Destination" tag visible
15. If on transit, insist they put the yellow  "TRANSFER" tag on the bag
16. Once checked in,  go and verify the boarding gate printed on the boarding pass/on the screen (especially if in NBO)
17. Ask AGAIN, at the gate, when they will open or start boarding and keep an eye.
18. Do not expect announcements in any other language other than English and Kiswahili
19. Make mental  time for  a one-hour delay in take off.
20. Do not expect the crew to be friendly, mind your business
21. Keep a credit {not debit} card or cash if you plan to buy something
22. Try as much as possible not to request  the attention of the crew
23. If on transit, and you need to ease yourself in NBO, make ample time, you may need to queue
24. If for any reason you miss your flight due to late arrival, insist that  the new booking be printed, especially if it is on a partner/another airline
25. Keep cash/cards handy. 

I have no plans to explain stuff I have written here.  You may still have  a great flight with KQ without doing any of the above..

Bon voyage!

Travel by phone: how ICT adds zest to my life!

Yesterday I did a different kind of travel.  I traveled through the greater Accra, the Central, the Eastern and finally the Western regions of Ghana.  All the time, seated in front of my computer, doing research,  and drafting a paper for an African-Union related institution.

Where did I go?  I took off from Accra, to a place called Kade in the Eastern region.  There is a research facility in a tiny village off Kade and there was a meetup scheduled there.  The initial journey was okay.. and the business of the day was done.

But the journey back was the THE one.  "I" was no longer coming back to Accra but going to Takoradi, in the Western region.  So the challenge was to come from Kade to somewhere in the Central region, either to a place called Mankessim  or to Winneba junction.  I needed to go from Kade to Swedru and onwards.

It was raining.. and we were looking for a  nice restaurant too!  Then hopefully, short cut, to link Swedru to Mankessim.  We passed through the villages, all named "Agona" something, then finally to Swedru itself. I have always thought that Swedru was a big place.. but well.  When we stopped by to ask "How far is Swedru from here"?  The answer was  "This is Swedru you are in".. Ah okay..

Then that question, can we go directly to Mankesssim from Swedru or do we need to come back to Winneba junction before going on..  we asked three different groups on the way.  Two of them said you must go down to Winneba junction, one said maybe you can find a way. So we decided to go down to Winneba junction.

The rain let up a bit after Winneba junction, finally caught launch: fufu and bushmeat at a restaurant a bit before Apam junction.  Then hit the road again.  The rain came back.. by the time we passed by Mankessim, it was 5:30 PM but was a dark ast 7:30 PM.  The decision needed to be taken.  Do we continue to go all the way to Takoradi or stop in Cape Coast for the night?  By 7PM, we pulled into a nice little hotel in Cape Coast, not far from the STC bus station and checked in there..

Then the attendant looked and said: "Oh, Master, your tyre is flat"! Well, get some rest, the gas station is opposite.. we will fix all of that in the morning! And will be in Takoradi before 10 AM!

Nice trip huh?  Well, dont forget I said I did all of that on phone!  I was just speaking with the person inside the car..while they drove.. all of that distance..

Oh yeah! Phone call rates are getting cheaper..if you have a "preferred" number.. you can talk all day, talk all night.. and travel... on phone!