The flight from Vienna on 22nd was fine - Austrian to Frankfurt, Lufthansa to Johannesburg and then South African to Lilongwe. The LH flight was full and as usual the transfer at Frankfurt was the usual tale of long walks, a train ride, poor signposting and then the longest queues, slowest, rudest and laziest security checks before just making it onto the plane. It is a shame that so much of my travelg oes through such an awful place.
JNB was a faster place to get through as a transit passenger and the new lounge has finally opened and it is pretty good; the floor in front of the bar feels like it is suspended on foam rubber under the parquet but it does look good.
Lilongwe was little changed from my last visit in November apart from some traffic problems caused by new road works. We were checked into the Sunbird Lilongwe Hotel which I have stayed at before. This is one of the odst hotels in town and treally needs a bit of a serious facelift and upgrade. The power kept going off which did not help my colleague and I as we tried to lecture!The menu is a bit limited and much of the structure is tired and tatty; in my bathroom the shaving light fitting was falling apart and did not work and I had to try 3 rooms before I found one where the balcony doors would close properly (important to keep mossies and thieves out!).
After four and a half days of lectures we have driven by bus out to Mzuzu, 5 hours to the north on our way to visist the mine at Kayelekerra. We are staying in another Sunbird Hotel but this is a rip off joint - a beer costs three times what it does in the same company's hotel bar in Lilongwe!!
The drive is OK with a good chance to see the rolling countryside with impressive rock outcrops, a great series of forestry plantations with small road side sawmills and a beautiful rainbow. Tomorrow we will drive out to the mine paqssing by lake Malawi on the way, and then back here before an early morning dash to the Lilongwe airport on Sunday morning to get the lunchtime flight home.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
22 May: On the road again -- Malawi (again)
A few days at home in Vienna are over and I am off again. This time it is Saturday night, as usual, I am at Vienna Airport, as usual; and getting on an Austrian Airlines flight - as is often the case.
This time it is to Frankfurt to catch a Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg and thence by South African Airways to Lilongwe, Malawi. I will be in Malawi for a week or so running a training course on mineral exploration for delegates from all over Africa. Later in the week we will be visiting one of the world's newest uranium mines at the northern end of Lake Malawi - an Australian operation.
This time it is to Frankfurt to catch a Lufthansa flight to Johannesburg and thence by South African Airways to Lilongwe, Malawi. I will be in Malawi for a week or so running a training course on mineral exploration for delegates from all over Africa. Later in the week we will be visiting one of the world's newest uranium mines at the northern end of Lake Malawi - an Australian operation.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
15 May: A day at the races
No, not another Marx Brother's film but a day out at Fontana, a major development about 25 km south of Vienna.
I came back from Namibia just in time to be in Vienna to greet Clare when she arrived for another weekend in Vienna. But before she arrived we had a disappointment as the impending BA strike had led BA to re-book Clare home on the Monday evening flight rather than the Tuesday flight she had planned to use.
Anyway we had been invited out to Fontana for ther races on Saturday with friends Elizabeth (who tried to teach me German when I first arrived here) and her husband James who is an architect who works with Magna Corporation the conglomerate who own, amongst other operations, the race course at Fontana - it is called the Magna Racino!
On Saturday the weather was grey and threatening but not actually raining. We drove out to Fontana in James's car and were seated in the prime table in the restaurant actually overlooking the finish line.
I came back from Namibia just in time to be in Vienna to greet Clare when she arrived for another weekend in Vienna. But before she arrived we had a disappointment as the impending BA strike had led BA to re-book Clare home on the Monday evening flight rather than the Tuesday flight she had planned to use.
Anyway we had been invited out to Fontana for ther races on Saturday with friends Elizabeth (who tried to teach me German when I first arrived here) and her husband James who is an architect who works with Magna Corporation the conglomerate who own, amongst other operations, the race course at Fontana - it is called the Magna Racino!
On Saturday the weather was grey and threatening but not actually raining. We drove out to Fontana in James's car and were seated in the prime table in the restaurant actually overlooking the finish line.
L-R: Peter, Clare, Elizabeth and James at THE table
The racing is alternately flat racing and trotting on concentric tracks, quite unusual for me to see as in Australia these are always separate activities at different venues. The meal was really good buffet witha superb range of dishes and we were able to graze all the aftrnoon between races ( and bets).
The start of the trots
The close finish of a trotting race
We bet on most events and despite some remarkable ups and downs the day ended more or less even. A really "grand day out" as Wallace would have said!
May 10 to 14: Windhoek, Namiibia
Well, as Jes and Grethe headed off to their flight home to Copenhagen I was t the other end of Vienna airport on a flight to Frankfurt and thence to Windhoek, capital of Namibia. My mission was to do some briefings for senior officials on uranium mining and associated activities.
Sadly when I arrived at Frankfurt I was told that Air Namibia's Airbus 340 was broken and I was booked into the airport Sheraton Hotel and the flight would take off at 0830. So I was going to be 12 hours late for the meetings! Still that is life.
Air Namibia was OK but not a great airline I have to say, even in business class. Still we arrived Ok and I was met by people from the Ministry ans taken to my Guest house - the Pension Alexander. Clean and well run but basically justa B&B. Nice helpful people and a good breakfast - all that you need really.
After the meeting was over we had a day off to wait for the flight home. It was a public holiday and all the shops and offices were shut so we went out to see the Heroes Acre - a giant memorial to those who ahve fought in the various indepence wars in Namibia as the local people fought for freedom from first the Germans in the early part of the 20th century and then the South Africans more recently. The site was built and paid for by the Government of North Korea.
After lunch on site we headed off to see one of te giant meat market barbecue places wher the meat is cut, cooked and sold on site and there is also a wood market too for the firewood to do the cooking.
The flight home was uneventful with Air Namibia overnight to Frankfurt and then back to Vienna with Austrian
Sadly when I arrived at Frankfurt I was told that Air Namibia's Airbus 340 was broken and I was booked into the airport Sheraton Hotel and the flight would take off at 0830. So I was going to be 12 hours late for the meetings! Still that is life.
Air Namibia was OK but not a great airline I have to say, even in business class. Still we arrived Ok and I was met by people from the Ministry ans taken to my Guest house - the Pension Alexander. Clean and well run but basically justa B&B. Nice helpful people and a good breakfast - all that you need really.
After the meeting was over we had a day off to wait for the flight home. It was a public holiday and all the shops and offices were shut so we went out to see the Heroes Acre - a giant memorial to those who ahve fought in the various indepence wars in Namibia as the local people fought for freedom from first the Germans in the early part of the 20th century and then the South Africans more recently. The site was built and paid for by the Government of North Korea.
After lunch on site we headed off to see one of te giant meat market barbecue places wher the meat is cut, cooked and sold on site and there is also a wood market too for the firewood to do the cooking.
Heroes Acre
The mission team at the Heroes Acre
Team at the giant open air barbecue market in Windhoek
May 9th: A night at the opera
No, not the old Marx brothers' movie but a real night out!
This weekend was great as I was visited by some old and dear friends from Denmark I had not seen for many years. I met Jes when I was working in Swaziland in about 1976, just at the end of that tour for me he was joined by Grethe who is now his wife. Jes is a civil engineer specialising in water resources and supply and Grethe is now a doctor. We have kept in touch over rhe years but visits have been few and far between. Anyway Jes and Grethe decided to viist Vienna to see "Carmen" in a new production at the Statsoper - they stayed with me and we all got seats for the second night.It was a splendid evening out and a super way to finish a great weekend
This weekend was great as I was visited by some old and dear friends from Denmark I had not seen for many years. I met Jes when I was working in Swaziland in about 1976, just at the end of that tour for me he was joined by Grethe who is now his wife. Jes is a civil engineer specialising in water resources and supply and Grethe is now a doctor. We have kept in touch over rhe years but visits have been few and far between. Anyway Jes and Grethe decided to viist Vienna to see "Carmen" in a new production at the Statsoper - they stayed with me and we all got seats for the second night.It was a splendid evening out and a super way to finish a great weekend
Us in our finery in the bar at the interval
The inside of the Statsoper Vienna from the gallery
The rest of the weekend we did some sightseeing out in the Wachau as well as around Vienna.
Jes and Grethe at Durnstein in the Wachau
Jes and Grethe in the gardens near the Vienna Palm House at the Hofburg
Friday, May 7, 2010
Sydney Armidale and Vienna
So it was back to Sydney and a chance to see the big city again. Also a chance for a very good evening out with good friends Kate and Jeremy Eccles. This time we sat al fresco (it was just possible) in a wine bar off Angel Place in the CBD. An interesting menu of light dishes and an incredible wine list made for a very pleasant evening out
Next day it was off to Armidale - as I was leaving for the airport Michael sent an SMS to say he had just left passengers in Sydney and was about to fly to Armidale - did I want a lift! Anyway we met up at the Armidale sirport- he straight from putting the Citation Jet in the hanger and me from the Qantas Dash 8 flight.
A quick tour of the town and a good look at the houseM is having built. Half the roof tiled and all the water pipes in place so he is well on the way. It will be a super place when it is finished.
Next day M was working so I was lent a Kia Sorrento demonstartion car by his co-pilot who is also the owner of the Ford and Kia dealerships in town. While they went to Brisbane I drove around the countryside in this very good SUV with a diesel engine and a 6 speed automatic gear box. I went out to Dengar Falls to try it on a gravel road but there was no water at the falls. The car was very good as I said and could be a possible when I return to Australia.
Saturday dawned and it was back to Sydney - this time in the front right seat of the CJ2 as I got a lift back to Sydney and my flight to London and Vienna. The weather was not too good at Sydney with low cloud etc so no views of the harbour or the bridge. Still, as always, it is fun to have your son fly you into an international airport in an executive jet .
After saying farewell to Micahel and his boss it was off to QANTAS and despite being the first to check in at the airport I was #210 in the list. No First Class upgrade for this trip but Business Class on the A380 is still very good and the trip went well. A very quick change at Heathrow and although I was home at 1100 my bag did not arrive until 2230 - it never got loaded at Sydney !
Another quick holiday was over and it is back to the office and preparing for Namibia on 10 May.
Next day it was off to Armidale - as I was leaving for the airport Michael sent an SMS to say he had just left passengers in Sydney and was about to fly to Armidale - did I want a lift! Anyway we met up at the Armidale sirport- he straight from putting the Citation Jet in the hanger and me from the Qantas Dash 8 flight.
A quick tour of the town and a good look at the houseM is having built. Half the roof tiled and all the water pipes in place so he is well on the way. It will be a super place when it is finished.
Next day M was working so I was lent a Kia Sorrento demonstartion car by his co-pilot who is also the owner of the Ford and Kia dealerships in town. While they went to Brisbane I drove around the countryside in this very good SUV with a diesel engine and a 6 speed automatic gear box. I went out to Dengar Falls to try it on a gravel road but there was no water at the falls. The car was very good as I said and could be a possible when I return to Australia.
Saturday dawned and it was back to Sydney - this time in the front right seat of the CJ2 as I got a lift back to Sydney and my flight to London and Vienna. The weather was not too good at Sydney with low cloud etc so no views of the harbour or the bridge. Still, as always, it is fun to have your son fly you into an international airport in an executive jet .
After saying farewell to Micahel and his boss it was off to QANTAS and despite being the first to check in at the airport I was #210 in the list. No First Class upgrade for this trip but Business Class on the A380 is still very good and the trip went well. A very quick change at Heathrow and although I was home at 1100 my bag did not arrive until 2230 - it never got loaded at Sydney !
Another quick holiday was over and it is back to the office and preparing for Namibia on 10 May.
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