Africa Trip 2024 -- The Adventure Begins

[This is post #2 of what will be multiple posts about our 2024 trip to Africa. To go to the first post in the series CLICK HERE.]

Our epic adventure to Africa officially began with our trip to DFW airport on Sunday afternoon, September 8, to catch Qatar Airways flight 730.  It was scheduled to depart at 6:55 pm and to arrive in Doha, Qatar, a little more than 14 hours later.  With the eight hour time difference, that made the arrival time in Doha approximately 5:20 pm Monday night.  

Flight path for Qatar 730, DFW to Doha, September 8-9, 2024, 13h 55m.

We then had an 8+ hour layover until our flight, Qatar Airways 1499, was scheduled to leave at 1:55 am Tuesday.  That five plus hour flight would get us to our final destination, Kilimanjaro International Airport outside of Arusha, Tanzania, at approximately 7:30 am Tuesday morning,.

Flight path for Qatar 1499, Doha to Kilimanjaro, September 10, 2024, 5h 15m.

The city of Arusha is the jumping off point for almost all safaris on the northern Tanzania safari circuit.  We would stay two nights in Arusha, then fly by small plane to the northern part of Serengeti National Park.  There we would meet up with our guide/driver who would be with us for the remainder of the trip as we worked our way back to Arusha in the safari vehicle.

 

Super stringent baggage allowances.  It was a relief for the adventure to finally begin after more than a year of sorting out all of the many many details. There had been countless issues to work through, but the biggest one, the one that faces almost everyone taking photography equipment on safari, is what to take and how to get it there given the severe weight and size restrictions for luggage.  

 

We strongly hoped to avoid checking any bags to ensure we arrived in Africa with everything. Even if we checked bags, we definitely did not want to check any of the camera equipment.  The trip would be essentially ruined if the camera gear did not make it on time or arrived damaged.

 

For business class, Qatar allows two carry-on bags, but with a maximum size each of only 20"x15"x10".  The maximum total weight of the two bags is 33 pounds.  We did not know how strict they would be, but we had read numerous online accounts of Qatar personnel checking size and weight of carry-ons at either the check-in counter or the gate. 

 

Even if we totally abandoned the goal of all carry-on, there was still an issue with the small plane from Arusha to Serengeti National Park.  Luggage on the small plane was limited to two soft sided bags per person, i.e. one carry-on (presumably a back-pack) and one small duffel to stow in the cargo hold.  Maximum total weight of the two was limited to 33 pounds.

 

What do we take and what do we leave behind?  For months we weighed everything, looked at various possibilities by entering the items in a spreadsheet, and generally agonized over what to take.

 

Cutting back to the minimum had to be balanced with the realization that there would be no possibility to buy anything while on safari and probably not even in Arusha.  Redundancy was critical on items such as cameras and battery chargers, again since there would be absolutely no chance for replacement or repair.  We also needed plug adapters, cords, and  a power strip to recharge our large number of electronic devices.

 

We needed sunscreen (we would be on the equator), bug repellent (we didn't want to get bitten by tsetse flies or to contract malaria even though we were taking the anti-malaria drug malarone), basic first aid supplies including multiple remedies for potential travelers' diarrhea (we knew to only drink bottled water, but the variety of food in remote locations likely would be a challenge),  our usual medications, and of course some clothes and wide-brimmed hats.

 

We early on abandoned any idea of taking heavier electronics such as laptops or iPads. 

 

Clothes were the next most expendable, but even there we needed some layering since mornings and nights, especially at the higher elevation around Ngorongoro Crater and especially in an open vehicle, were expected to be cold.  We finally settled on three pairs of hiking pants and four long-sleeved "fishing" shirts each, including what we were wearing, and one pair of hiking shoes (Turkey) or hiking boots (Frog) that we wore everywhere including the plane.  We might have gotten by with one set of clothes less, but this worked well to get laundry done at locations where we were staying two nights.  We also each had a fleece, a vest, and a backpacking rain jacket.  We certainly had no "dress up" clothes.

Finally we were ready.  Everything was finally pared down to a total of five bags (two backpacks and three small duffels) plus a small crossbody bag for each of us.  Total weight for the Frog's two carry-ons was 31.6 pounds, i.e. less than the maximum 33 pounds.  However if they added in the weight of the crossbody bag it would be a bit more than 33 pounds.  What counted as "carry-on weight" was ambiguous.

Frog's carry-on duffel and camera backpack.  Total weight 31.6 pounds  For scale, the luggage tag is approximately 4.5" x 2.75"

 

My carry-ons totaled 29.4 pounds.  The duffel was a little longer than 20", but it was not packed tightly so could be smooshed if necessary to meet Qatar's requirements (I hoped).

 

Turkey's carry-on camera backpack and duffel  Total weight 29.4 pounds 

That still left a  checked bag that weighed an additional 18 pounds.  There was nothing in the two end sections, so hopefully that would give us some wiggle room on the return trip if needed.  We knew this additional bag put us over the maximum for the small plane to Serengeti, but Africa Dream Safaris worked with us in advance to get some extra baggage capacity.  Problem solved.  Thank you Africa Dream Safaris!

 

Checked bag.  Finally a use for this duffel that had been buried in the back of the closet.

As much stuff as we had and despite the fact we were taking the Hemingway Experience option of possible African Dream Safari itineraries, at least we had less than Ernest Hemingway had on a safari with his son and his wife in 1933.  As reported in the preface to Green Hills of Africa they had

 " twenty-one pieces of luggage: seven suitcases (three for Charles and four for Ernest and Pauline), five gun cases, one tackle box, one rod case, one gun-cleaning-rod case, one camera case, one trunk, one hatbox, one duffel bag, one shell box and one zipper bag."

DFW was crowded.  We arrived at DFW 3+ hours before departure, which was a good thing.  Terminal D, the international terminal, was packed.  We had pre-paid parking, but were initially afraid we would not be able to find a covered spot.  Fortunately luck was on our side.   We found one great empty spot near the walkway to the terminal that was even near the Qatar counter.

 

 

Bye, Snowy.  See you in two weeks. 

 

Check in with Qatar.  Next stop was the Qatar counter to check our bag and get our boarding passes.  There were lots of people everywhere, but the line for business class was short.  We were still a bit anxious about the carry-ons, but it turned out to be a non-issue.   After checking our passports, the agent gave us our boarding passes and put business class tags on each of our carry-ons.  She did not measure or weigh any of our bags.  In fact, she put the tag on my backpack while it was still on my back.  

TSA.  Next was getting through security.  Yes we had pre-check, but apparently so did just about everyone else on this very busy Sunday afternoon.  We got in the pre-check line, which extended down the hall for quite a distance.  I don't know how long it took, but the sign about the pre-check line said it was a 20 minute wait.  It was over 30 minutes for the "regular" line.

Despite the wait, we went through without any significant issues.  Once collecting all of our stuff we were off to find the American Airlines Flagship Lounge.

American Airlines Flagship Lounge.  Flying business class on Qatar gave us access to the American Airlines Flagship Lounge, their premier lounge.  I was actually looking forward to checking this out.  We finally found the sign and took the elevator up to the lounge entrance.  Maybe it was because it was so crowded or maybe we just did not wander around enough, but I was underwhelmed.  It did not seem particularly special.  They had all the self-serve alcoholic drinks you could want, but I couldn't find much to snack on.  There were huge windows overlooking the airplanes below, but the sun was so intense that most people were lowering the blinds.  We finally found a couple of seats and settled in to relax for a bit. 

I was probably being too picky about the lounge.  At least we got in and at least we found some seats.  Later on our way through the terminal to our gate, we saw long lines out of several other lounges.  It was so crowded people were having to wait to even get into those lounges.

Qatar flight--the adventure truly begins.  We made it to the gate and soon began boarding.  That is when the adventure, at least for me, really began.  The first leg would be in one of Qatar's Q-suites. We were in seats 7E and 7F, rear facing seats that Qatar refers to as a double suite.

 

Seating chart for business class on Qatar Airbus A 350-1000.  We were in seats 7E and 7F, rear facing seats that Qatar refers to as a double suite.

 

There was a low divider between us, but it was lowered after take off so we were sitting next to each other.  There was lots of room and with the doors closed on both sides, was very private.

Like an idiot I did not take many pictures. However Qatar airlines has an interactive view of the double suite.

Several stewardesses and stewards introduced themselves and offered us drinks when we first boarded.   I turned down the champagne (that annoying conflict with medication I am on), but did go for Qatar's signature lemon mint drink.  I had been wanting to try it and it was very good.  

 

The cabin crew made sure we had pillows, the super nice Qatar blanket/quilt, and our very own pajamas.  They also asked us when we wanted to eat.  We could choose to eat essentially any time during the flight.  Since we had not eaten, other than a little snacking, we opted for soon after take off.  Needless to say, it was not just pretzels and a drink.  

 

 

The appetizer

  

Main course -- seared chilean sea bass crusted with piquillo olives and pine nuts

The Frog went for prime beef tenderloin with bernaise sauce

Yes there was also dessert, but without a picture I have long since forgotten what it was.

 

We also both took in a movie.  There was Ocean's Eleven for me and one of the Dune movies for the Frog.  There were many many movie choices, but surprisingly few I had ever heard of.  That was probably the only slightly disappointing part of the flight.

I was still so excited I was not sure I would be able to sleep, but the cabin crew put a mattress pad type covering over the seats.  We changed into our pajamas and settled into the lay-flat seats.  I have no idea how long I slept, but I did sleep.

 

As we got nearer the end of the flight we ate again and got cleaned up for landing in Doha.

 

Hamad International Airport.   We landed at Hamad International Airport a little after 5 p.m., almost 15 minutes early.  The airport is only 10 years old, but it is obvious they must be expanding.  We disembarked down a flight of stairs then took a very long bus ride to the terminal around lots of construction.

The airport is almost a destination in itself with the largest number of high end shops I have ever seen in one place.  What made the airport especially nice for us was the Qatar business lounge.   Qatar actually has two business lounges in the airport.  Al Mourjan Business Lounge - South is larger and is considered a bit more elegant.   However, due to its proximity to our gates, we used Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden.  

 

Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden. Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden is only a little over a year old.  Although perhaps not as large as the other lounge, at nearly 80,000 square feet it is not small.  There is lots of seating, including next to an unusual but relaxing fountain/water feature.

Water feature through one section of the lounge

However the main attraction and the source of the name is the fact that the lounge overlooks the tropical gardens and water features of The Orchard below.

The Frog at Al Mourjan Business Loung - The Garden, with The Orchard in the background on the level below.  Although not evident since it was after dark, but the glass features allow natural light into the space.

In both of the pictures above the lounge was nearly empty.  That is because of how flights at the airport are scheduled  To minimize travel time for passengers and maximize aircraft utilization, a huge number of flights arrive and depart at roughly the same time.  One review indicates the airport is nearly deserted 18 hours per day, but is massively busy from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm, 11 pm to 1 am, and 5:30 am to 7:30 am.  I don't know about those exact tines, but that was our experience in the lounge.

 

With our more than eight hour layover, we had lots of time to kill.  We found some slightly private cubicles in the back designed for two people.  The chairs were not especially comfortable for sleeping, but we did sleep some.  I never could find the sleeping rooms that I thought were supposed to exist, but now see they were down a hall near the entrance.

 

Of course there were also several places in the lounge to eat either snacks or a meal.

 

Eating a light meal in Al Mourjan Business Lounge - The Garden

 

 I found it interesting how they handled the menu .

This was how we called up the menu with our phones

There were lots of other amenities in the lounge that we did not use such as showers, game room, gym, and spa.  This review covers those things and more with lots of pictures.  Even without using those things, I was most impressed with this lounge.  It has probably spoiled me with regards to use of any other airport lounge in the future. 

On to Africa.  It was finally time to head to our gate.  Boarding went smoothly once we found the gate, but the boarding was a bit odd.  Like our arriving flight, the plane was a significant distance from the terminal.  The odd part was they started boarding economy class first.  This continued for some time, with those folks moving into shuttle buses.  We were afraid we had not heard our boarding call, so the Frog asked the gate agent.  He quickly explained, "Not to worry.  We don't have approval to board yet.  As soon as we get approval, you can board the bus."  Sure enough, we were soon loaded on the business class shuttle bus--nicer bus with more room--and whisked away while the economy passengers were still being squeezed into their buses.

Although not Q-Suites, the flight was still very nice with lots of room in our individual cubicles.  I don't remember a lot, but we did squeeze in breakfast before landing.  We arrived at Kilimanjaro International Airport a little after 7:30 am Tuesday, September 10.  We were finally in Africa, just a little over 28 and a half hours since we had left DFW Airport.

The Africa Dream Safari representatives found us, ushered us through customs, then whisked us off to Arusha.  However that is the subject of the next post.