Africa07

Diary for Friday 13 July 2007

Throughout the last few hectic weeks, my friends have been telling me that once we set off for the airport all my worries will disappear and my stress level would go right back down – everything that needed doing would have been done, and I would be able to sit back and enjoy the three weeks. How wrong could they be – today was one nightmare after another. I am not superstitious, but Friday 13th. certainly did not disappoint. After being stuck in a traffic jam for hours on the A1 up to the airport, with serious visions of us missing the flight and two years work being wasted, my legendary patience and good humour was tested to the utmost – early retirement certainly seemed like a good option again.

However, we did arrive on time, but then our flight was delayed by over an hour, and the knock-on effects of this at Brussels were horrendous. By the time we got through customs, the airport shuttle bus had gone to bed, the Brussels Airlines desk was shut, and basically we were stranded at the airport with no way of getting to the hotel. I managed to telephone the hotel who tried their best to get hold of the airline to help us out, but no luck. Eventually, I persuaded security to let me back through customs, and I was able to speak to the only desk open – Brussels Airlines lost luggage. However, ‘lost luggage’ did not seem to include lost schoolchildren, and I was now starting to lose my temper, (doesn’t happen often). The final solution was to insist on us getting to the airport by a series of taxis, and the airline would have to foot the bill – and more! After spending a very uncomfortable three hours in the airport, we eventually got to the hotel at 1.30 in the morning, and squeezed in five hours sleep before breakfast.

Tomorrow is Saturday 14th. – but I think you will find that our luck did not get any better.

Peter

Sarah Dodgson:

Hey Dave, Mam, Dad and Matt!
Just a message to say I’m fine, the flight was good but after that it turned into a night mare. With no transport to the hotel we were left sitting on a cold concrete airport floor for ages!…we got through it though and went in taxis but we ended up at the hotel really late…so I’m already REALLY tired!...Today I started off quite upset with the thought of being away from home and you for so long and I was also quite nervous of the plane journey but that soon wore off and I’m getting excited!!! Though I have started missing you all already!

Anyway ill message tomorrow
Love you and miss you all!!!
Love Sarah xxxxx <3

Laura Harrison:

Hiyar to everyone at home! Especially Rob, Mum, Lucy, Adam and Ste!
Just a little message to say I’m fine J the flight wasn’t too bad, I was really nervous before getting on the plane though. Not too keen on flying, Danielle and Liz were looking after me thoughJ. Danielle has adopted me as her temporary sister for the next three weeks ha-ha, so no need to worry about me I have Danielle. J My ears were really hurting on the plane though, my left ear popped and it felt like I had water in my ear. It wasn’t niceL. We got stuck in Brussels pick up car park for over an hour because we had no transport to the hotel, so we ended up paying for about 4 taxi’s to the hotel. (By the way foreigners are crazy drivers, they drive talking on their mobiles. You’d get pulled up for that in England, I was very shockedJ).
We didn’t get to the hotel till about 1ish, I was REALLLY tired!!
I’m really nervous about flying tomorrow; I hope it will be okay though.
I hope you’re actually checking the website. Mum, remind Rob for me, I don’t think he has the websiteJ.

Love Laura
xxxxx.

When we left Middlesbrough it was really emotional everybody was crying and we all hated saying bye to our parents. When we got to Newcastle after getting stuck in all the traffic our plane was delayed for ages we didn’t get on the plane till nine o’clock in the end, and because the plane was late we missed the last bus to the hotel so we had to wait for ages and in the end we all had to get in different taxis to get to the hotel. We were all really tired and needed to go to bed. When we got to our room I went straight to sleep the beds were really comfy and the hotel was really nice.
Gemma Davies

Jambo! Well, Friday the 13th lived up to its name. First the traffic as we drove into Newcastle was practically at a standstill. It made for a very boring 2 hours! Then the plane from Newcastle-Brussels was delayed for about an hour. Finally, when we got to Brussels, there was no bus! This meant we had to wait while Peter tried to sort it out. In the end we all had to go in separate taxis! (They drive mental in Brussels!) When we got to the hotel, it was past 2:30am (Brussels time) then we had to be up early for breakfast. I can tell these 3 weeks are going to be challenging especially due to the lack of sleep so far!
Natalie Dowson

Hi! Still in Europe so no Swahili yet ;) Leaving Middlesbrough and its rain behind was strange. The drive down to Newcastle seemed to take forever because of the traffic. Our flight to Brussels was slightly delayed but the fun really started when we arrived in Brussels Airport. For some reason the minibus that was supposed to be taking us all to the Holiday Inn didn’t exist so we ended up sitting in the car park for about 2 hours and finally getting separate taxis to the hotel! It was worth the wait though the Hotel was huge and really smart, double beds and everything ;) we all slept like babies AND the breakfast was fab (full English oh yes). I can’t imagine being in Africa it’s scary to think that we’ll be there in a day!
Claire Lancefield

Hello =] Well, maybe Friday the 13th wasn’t the best day to fly. The traffic getting to Newcastle was pretty hectic, then the delays at the airport weren’t so grand. The flight wasn’t too bad, sat playing card games. Then when we finally arrived in Brussels the mini bus that was supposed to be taking us to the hotel didn’t show up. We all ended up sat on a concrete floor for two hours before we eventually got separate taxis to take us. The hotel itself was very nice. Rooms of two, and a double bed!! There was no milk for our cup of tea in the hotel room though, so we had to find comfort in using “creamer” instead. By the time we got to bed it was about 2 in the morning. Needless to say I’m very tired now. Guess I might catch forty winks on the flight to Nairobi though =].
Sarah Carling

Well we’re finally on our flight to Nairobi. Feeling very tired after having about 5 hours but really excited to get to Africa. Found it very hard getting out of a comfy double bed this morning knowing that I will be sleeping on the ground for the next three weeks! I’m now looking forward to the events that are ahead.

Ruth

Hiyaaa! :]
Well just on our flight to Nairobi now, not far into so we still have a long way to go! (Got plenty of time to get my Swahili learnt so that Peter cannot dish out his threatened sanctions HA!) Can’t wait to get there though and see what it is like, to be honest I don’t actually have any ideas on what I think it will be like so I shall wait and see.
Very thankful of the double bed I had all to myself last night had a good nights sleep after waiting for quite a long time to get to the bed and the lovely warm soak I had this morning was just lush ha-ha! Won’t be having any luxuries of those kind for a little while :P
Check your e-mails I left you a nice message! Hope you had a good time in Flamingo Land Andy. Love you both and hope you’re not missing me too much! Give my love to everybody else too! J

Lots of Love Gem xXx <3

In about six hours time we’ll all be in Africa, how mad’s that!!? I can’t wait for my first view of it! The two years’ wait (almost) has actually flown by, me and Gemma made a countdown in our college planners at the beginning of the year, unfortunately our organisation went down the drain, those planners didn’t last long! I don’t really know what to expect of Africa, it’s hard to imagine what all the places I’ve read about in the itinerary, which mean nothing to me as of yet, are going to look like!
Last night was fun, even though our plane was delayed and we missed the bus to the hotel it was a good chance to talk to everyone, it’s surprising how many of the people here I’ve never spoken to before! (It’s surprising how long it’s taken me to write this as well!)
Anyway, if you’re reading this, I miss you Mum, Dad and Jen. You better be missing me too!
Suzanne.

I can’t believe that it’s finally here!! I have no idea of what it’s going to be like, so it’s rather scary. But whatever it is I will face it head on! 2 years graft and it’s here! J It only seems like yesterday I was sitting in the social area at college waiting for the phone call to see if I got on it. We are on our way, on the long and tedious flight to Nairobi and to make it worse my headphones don’t work so I can’t watch the film or listen to the music. I will make my own entertainment though!
Had the best sleep ever last night double bed all to myself. Made up for the flight being delayed and shuttle bus not turning up. Full English this morning as well, so yes I am eating fine mum.
Miss you all, see you all soon
Nicola
xxJxx

Well, two years of fund raising, barn dancing and boxing day dipping and we’re ready to go! Quite honestly, the time has flown by! Saying good bye was really upsetting, I miss my parents and grandparents loads, and that’s only after a few hours! Me and Suze have teamed ourselves up as “travel buddies”. The plane to Brussels was really comfy, with some swish leather seats! When we got to the airport though, the bus wasn’t running anymore so we sat for ages waiting for a taxi – talk about Friday 13th! When we finally got to the hotel it was early morning, Sarah and I decided to make ourselves a cuppa but there was no milk – NIGHTMARE! We had to settle for creamer powder instead – pretty tasty! Heaven came at the end of the hellish day in the form of a double bed to myself, even if I only got to use it for about 4 hours. J
Looking forward to arriving in Nairobi as well, should be great.
Love you mum & Dad, have a great holiday and don’t worry about me too much!
Love you loads,
Elizabeth. M xoxo ♥♫♥

Hiyaaa!
Yesterday was a bit of a nightmare to be honest. Firstly it took us 2 hours to get to Newcastle airport because of all the traffic, and then our flight was delayed! When we arrived at Brussels we realised we had missed the last bus to the hotel we were staying in because of the delayed flight; in the end we all had to get separate taxis. By the time we got to the Holiday Inn I was absolutely shattered, as was everyone else. Our last chance to sleep in a comfy double bed for 3 weeks and I only managed to get about 4 hours sleep!
Anyway I still can’t believe (how good looking Will is) Ha-ha he told me to write that! I can’t believe that the wait is over and I still can’t imagine actually being there. After I got over the crying session I had saying bye the excitement started to kick in.
Mam if Foysty rings (Amy) tell her I read her letter and I said “You’re so silly!” Ha-ha she will know what I mean :P Also give her the website in case she wants to have a look herself (and everyone else for that matter)
Tell Joe I sprayed myself with 212 ha-ha!
Now that I’ve wrote my life story (as Will keeps telling me) I’m going leave it at that, until tomorrow of course.
Missing everyone already!
Lots of love and kisses
Elizabeth. S xx♥xx

Wow, Our first day of the trip!! Leaving behind the awful weather of England to go to Africa! I must say I was a bit nervous and scared at first but once we got to the school and I saw everyone else it melted away and I was really excited. The bus journey was fun, learning Kiswahili words and talking about what we going to do. Everyone was crying (except me and a few others) but I don’t think it quite sunk in yet even though we were actually on the way.

At the airport I got really nervous because the flight was delayed and it made me feel ill. I was fine when we got on the plane; well until I found out I was sat next to some random bloke. Was ok though as I just did puzzles!!

Looking forward to the rest of the trip,
Sarah. L.

Friday 13th
Day one of the Africa poem diaries:

After the teams and emotion from plenty,
we set off on the bus about 3:20.
We travelled so slowly along the A1,
the bus was to small, it was such a con!
We finally made it to Newcastle airport,
It was a massive success and relief…we thought.

We hauled bags and boxes out of the bus
And into the airport...gawd what a fuss!
We weighed our bags they were slightly too heavy
Was it the extra underwear?? Hmmm…maybe??
Boxes and bags including the whale
Were all on the plane ready to set sail

HOWEVER…
As the tanoy announced flying we were not,
All of our plans where put to pot.
Once we learnt our flight was delayed,
Thoughts of Africa began to fade.
Instead we went on a shopping spree,
For food and confectionary…what-is-more, duty free!

At last we all began to bored
Losing another hour we could not afford.
We all hopped on our spirts lifted,
And a set of cards we were girfted.
We settled into a game of jacks, 2s & 8s.
Sarah bell. The winner. One of the greats.

By this time we were safe and landed,
But on Brussles soil, we were stranded!
The bus had left for the holiday inn,
But good old peter took it on the chin.
It was a fleet of taxis that he orderd,
To get us home dry and sorted.

We were in our hotel for half past 1,
Our journey had most deffinatly begun.
Reflecting on our long hard day,
For travelling on Friday 13th we did pay.
However this was not all bad,
After all a trip to Africa is to be had!

By Katie Williams (Tate) & Sarah Bell (Dong-Dong)

Piczo