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Kenya and Tanzania July 2018
Anyone taking this tour? I am meeting friends Peggy Enlow and Mary Maloney there.
Peggy Parks
Atlanta
Peggy Parks
Atlanta
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Unless things have changed, be aware that on the return flight the plane stops in Dublin for fuel only. Not only don't you change planes, but the plane parks somewhere on the tarmac away from the terminal to take on fuel so you can't get off.
Our tour begins July 21, 2018. Guess we'll miss you by a week!
Have fun.
I forgot to mention in my earlier post that Addis Ababa's Bole Int'l airport is not bad but a bit 3rd world. It is ET's home base. The Cloud 9 passenger lounge and separate ShebaMiles Gold/Star Alliance Gold member lounge were redone in 2016. We used the bathrooms, Wifi had cokes, but did not try any of the food. We had an interesting experience however- first, when they announced boarding for the flight to JRO, there was a big line. There was a "Cloud 9" line sign, but no separate line and when we asked the 'line monitor', we were told to get in the back of the regular line. A alternate line to nearby area that would get us to the same place was just as bad- shorter but slower. We wouldn't have missed our flight, but we were a bit tired and have gotten used to the benefits of Business Class flying. As we were standing there, evidently looking a bit bewildered and trying to decide which poison to try, a nice ET employee came up to us and asked if we needed help. After we told her our situation she escorted us past the head of the line, right up the the entrance to the screening point/metal detector.
Everyone then made their way downstairs and waited in a small room to board a bus to the plane. When the bus arrived, we started to board, but were told "No, no, YOU are Cloud 9!" Another bus was summoned by radio and arrived almost immediately. We boarded the bus- we were the only people on it! The bus took us all of about 100 yds across the ramp to a waiting, brand new, Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. We also had a very new, very wide, covered boarding stairs all to ourselves. Unlike the IAD to ADD and ADD to IAD legs with full or nearly full Business Class cabins, there were only about 7 passengers in Business class on the flight to JRO! We had no problems on the return flight- we were experienced Addis Ababa travelers now! Bottom line, good service, good planes, good seats (terrible pillows :-) ), and as you already know, good price, reasonable layovers, and great departure and arrival times! No 'zero dark thirty' wake-up or after-dark arrivals.
But, again, let us know how things go for you. It is still a long way off, but have a great safari!
I'm on the Tanzania/Kenya classic safari departing July 18 2018, travelling solo; would like to connect with any others planning that trip.
Marla
Philadelphia