Day 16

Day 16  - Homeward Bound (Sat. 23 Nov.)

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Today is the day we have to leave South Africa. We really would have liked to have stayed longer as Mrs. K. and I both love it here, but needs must. The flight home is booked and soon this will all be just a memory, but certainly something great to look back on for many years to come.
The flight out of Cape Town International isn't until the evening, scheduled to depart at 20:45 and Jörg has arranged for us all to be picked up, with our luggage, at 3 pm, which seems a bit early to me, but it's Hobson's choice I'm afraid.
Normally check out time is 10.00 but I manage to get an extension to check out 12 noon, for no charge. Thanks Portswood. This does make it a bit less of a rush after breakfast. Now we have time for a lst visit to the V & A Waterfront and do some final souvenir buying. For lunch we take an unusual step and visit the V& A Golden Arches, out of interest, and to compare with their UK restaurants. I have their special Mexican burger. It IS HOT. Lovely.
Soon enough we're back at t'Portswood and loading our bags onto the mini bus. Farewell Portswood. Farewell Cape Town.
No traffic problems getting to the airport so we're there before long and in the departure hall, but we are quite early, and there is problems at the check-in/bag drop desk. It's chaos. Passengers on some other BA flight, delayed from YESTERDAY is checking in, or trying to, but now the 'system' has 'gone down'. Meaning nobody can check in. We stand waiting in line. The delayed flight is nearing departure time and as massive queue of it's passengers are waiting to check in.
Eventually the systems working again but the woeful local BA check in staff are rather unorgainised and put on a good demonstration of how NOT to deal with such a situation, and an ever increasing crowd disgruntled passengers, many of whom have by now been on their feet and queuing now for over 2 hours. Poor show BA Cape Town - and to think that we did our check in on-line and printed our boarding pass last night. All we should have had to do was drop our hold bag off. Somehow, eventually, we're all checked in and move swiftly on to pass through Security, X-Ray, and passport control , where we each receive the 'EXIT R.S.A.' stamp in our passports.
The International departure lounge is adequate. It's comfortable and not too busy. There's only one food/drink outlet but it's OK and Mrs. K and I have a coffee there. There's a good selection of duty free and gift/souvenir shops here too. I decide to use up the last of my currency, so I won't have to worry about changing it back when I get home. I'm pleased to spot a bottle of Banes in a presentation tin for a good price (see Day 13 and Volkkombuis restaurant) so I get that as well. I'll think of South Africa as I enjoy this back home.
Thankfully boarding is more or less on time and departure goes reasonably smoothly. I set my watch now back 2 hours and settle down for the 11-1/2 hour flight back to Heathrow.

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