PostPoems Be Artistic. Be Creative. Be Inspired!

This is the first entry of what will most likely be many to come. This one was written partly in a note-pad I pinched from "The Airport Grand - Hotel & Conference Centre" in Johannesburg, and the rest in the tiny note pad of my organiser.



SAT 9/11 2004 - Johannesburg



It begins... I have now been awake for a ridiculous amount of time, so a couple more hours won't make a difference. Things I forgot to pack: hair-ties, more than one pen, camera, writing pad... the items seem to flood your conscience shortly after take-off.

Of course I was booked in to the only seat on the plane whose food tray would never stay in its fold up position. Of course my travel agent fucked up the hotel booking, making me call my dad at 3am to pay for my room, so I wouldn't have to sleep at the airport. Don't think he's gonna be too happy when he sees the bill though... I had dinner, 2 Heinekens and a double scotch & coke on top of the room charge! ;o)



They have the same ads here... just different voices. My eyes are on the verge of involuntary eyelid fusion. Too tired to write anymoooooreeeeezzzzzzz.............



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08:54am Jo'burg time (12-09-04)



You'd think after being awake for forty odd hours I'd be able to sleep more than six! Woke up at 4am and haven't slept since...

More things that I forgot: to print out my Outlook contacts address book, my password list, Hendrix, Queen...

Might fuck off to the airport soon and see if I can find some hair-ties. Gotta be out of here by 10am anyways... I guess I'll write some more once I'm in Lagos.



13:09pm - Jo'burg Airport



Spent my last piece of monetary paper on half a litre of Castle Draught. Couldn't find any hair-ties, but I did find a litre of tequila for just forty-five Rand (less than AUD$10).

The shuttle bus to the airport drove us past the "South Rand" shopping centre. Lined up, three stores in a row, were "Liquor World", "Gun World" and a dry cleaner. I think this logical sequence speaks for itself. And to think I saw some interviewer this morning on TV, ask this sociology professor why South Africa had such a big problem with crime. The professor kept answering in Afrikaans, so I have no idea what his explanations were. Get pissed, go on a killing spree, and don't forget to drop off your blood-splattered clothes at the dry cleaners!



I still have two hours to kill, but only thirteen Rand, and twenty of whatever they call the next lower denominator, left in my pocket.

The cheapest beer is 14.90 Rand.

This is a relatively small airport, considering the amount of traffic that passes through it, so you can imagine the chaotic crowds that inhabit it. It was a major hassle to push my baggage trolley through them. But hey, when you arrive at an airport five hours early, long before they allow you to check in, you have to accept the burden of dragging your luggage around with you. Having said this, when I did check in, still three hours before take-off, all the window seats had been taken.



I wonder what I can buy with thirteen Rand and twenty cents? (we'll call them 'cents' since they do have the letter 'c' forged on them) I'm just glad I charged last night's dinner and drinks to my room charge, or else these last couple of hours would have been very boring indeed. Much like those long, long hours I spent at Frankfurt airport, after missing a connecting flight from Moscow, penniless and tired.



So far "Africa" hasn't really felt much different from home, the only exception being the large number of black people surrounding me. But then, it really doesn't matter what country you're in, if you're seeing it from airport terminals, hotels and aerial glimpses from a plane. I'm sure my Nigerian experience up in the central African jungles will make a much more lasting impression. Mr. Kurtz, here I come!



13:58pm Jo'burg Airport



Still have about another hour before I board the plane. Just spent 7.90 on a Fanta, which I took a few big swigs from, then topped it up with some of that cheap tequila I just bought. Wasn't sure if I was allowed to do that in public, so I performed the deed in the toilet. *takes a big swig* Goddamn that's added a kick to my Fanta!