The Long Haul Down: FRA-JNB-CPT

         The Lufthansa Airbus A-380 "Tokio" waits for me to board.  I've waited at FRA for 11.5 hours and am dreading a 12+ hour flight from Frankfurt to Johannesburg.  Shuffling into my seat, I notice the sheer size of this thing, which looks like it's never going to leave the ground.  Take-off is quick and smooth and, even though I'm sitting behind the engines, the sound is muted.  Being a Boeing fan my whole life, I am impressed by the latest edition to the Airbus fleet.
             
         The food is typical airline fare, zapped beyond recognition in a galley microwave, and I try to watch a movie while having dinner.  After dinner, I look at the map and we're still over Italy.  I'm tired and close my eyes to get some rest.  The next thing I know, we're flying over Zimbabwe. I've slept for most of the flight!!

Almost there!!

Are we there yet! :-)

        All these exotic places, whose names I've heard pronounced with flair by NPR's Ofeibia Quist-Arcton, flit by on the map at 500 miles per hour-Bulawayo, Gaborone, Maputo.

       I soon feel the gentle tug of "Tokio" descending into Johannesburg and, within minutes, am standing in the immigration line at OR Tambo International Airport.  The immigration officer says asks me how long I'm staying in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) and I tell him I'll be there a week.  Feigning insult and smiling he says "a week is not enough to see my beautiful country." I agree and tell him I'm an overworked American who can only get a week off from work this time around. :-) "Bring your family next time" he says cheerfully, as he stamps my entry into the RSA.  One more stamp for the passport!  I make a dash for to the domestic part of the terminal for my connecting flight to Cape Town and as I get to the gate, they begin boarding. Whew, made it.!