October 23, 2008 - Flight from Cape Town

This is what I wrote in my journal on the flight from Cape Town to Durban. It is it's own story.

As I was listening to the guide at Mandela's prison cell on Robben Island (near Cape Town) I had a horrible thought come to me....My flight was at 14:00 hours, not 4:00pm as I had thought! My flight was leaving at 2:00pm!! I was on an island in the Atlantic Ocean without any way to get back to Cape Town until the tour boat took me there. The boat doesn't dock until 12:30pm and I didn't know how to get back to the hotel quickly since I had walked to the Waterfront. I started to get that panicky feeling but I realized I couldn't do an thing about it right then.

Once I calmed down I realized that heavenly Father must be looking out for me since I was convinced my flight was at 4:00pm..... I had told Ed I woudl be coming in at 6pm arriving at the hotel by 7:00pm...I had arranged for a car to pick me at the hotel at 2pm to get me to the airport in plenty of time....so why did that thougth enter into my head right at that time, and so clearly! It wasn't like a thought milling around in my head, "maybe I should check the light time...". No! It was very clear to me. I saw in my head the numbers 14:00 and 16:00 on my confirmation and it was very clear to me - as if I had (or someone else had) spoken the words out loud..."You confused 14:00 and 4:00pm. Your plane leave at 2:00pm!"

Fortunately, there was enough to keep my mind occupied and I was very calm until I was off the boat and then I began to get in high gear.

I sprinted up the steps from the boat dock and remembered as I was running that the Hop On-Hop Off bus I had been using had a stop very close the to place I was. As that thought came to me, I looked up and there was the bus moving toward me. Then it turned a corner. I still had about a dozen steps to navigate before getting to the top and at the corner where it turned. I couldnt' see the bus anymore, but I was praying very hard and as I rounded the corner there it was! I knew tha the next stop would be at the place closest to the hotel so I jumped on. (They had closed the doors, but they saw me coming and opened them up again)

As we went along the route I remembered that their was a tourism place across the street from the bus stop so I determined I would go there. Surely they would want to help a confused american tourist.

One I arrived there though, it was very clear they would not be able to help me. btu I remembered seeing a South African Airways office somewhere close by so I asked and they directed me there. It was right on my way to the hotel.

I went into the SA Airways office and it was more a business office to help local travelers book trips....I had to sign in and wait my turn. The guard at the sign in desk was not very sympathetic to my request...."I have a problem with a 2pm flight (it was then about 12:55pm) can someone help me?" He sort of grunted and looked around. I waited for a few minutes and realized, "This is not going to work". I thought I would get to the hotel and call from there and it would be much faster.

So I ran the rest of the way down St. Georges Mall amid all the street vendors and then up the stairs to the reception area of the hotel. Fortunately Genevieve(who had helped me earlier today) and one other worker was there but no guests! I said, "I've made a terrible mistake!" They quickly looked at the clock and said, "You can make it but you must leave now. There is a driver right here who can take you." They began processing my bill and told me to quickly get my luggage and bring it down. Wisely I had packed my bag this morning so all I had to do was zip the bag and leave.

I called for the elevator and the doors opened and I rushed in......the doors wouldn't close! The other man in the elevator had come from the 11th floor, but it got stuck at the 5th floor. "No!!!" I screamed in my head! This cannot be happening. Quickly I realized that at least I wasn't inside the elevator with the doors stuck closed, so I calmed down and we got off and tried to call another one. It came and I got back to reception.

There must have been 4 other guests at the desk now, all with urgent needs I'm sure. But Genevieve knew my plight and she was on the phone with the bank trying to sort out the charge to my Mastercard. The new charge for my complete bill, plus the credit for cancelling the initial charge when I checked in were two seperate transactions which would each need an authorization number. Overseas charged require the bank to call Mastercard, etc. and all this would take at least a half hour. She asked, "Do you trust me to follow through on this so you can leave? If you will sign here I will promise to make sure it all goes through properly today and you can be on your way." I paused for only a moment and said, "Yes".

In a country where therehas been a huge problem with stealing credit card numbers we had been warned by Shell to make sure that we never let our credit cards out of sight. We always require the card be swiped at the table or in front of us at a store. I am not sure how Ed will feel about me doing this but......it is my card and not his. I felt I could trust Genevieve who was working so hard to help me.

She looked at me (knowing, I'm sure, my thoughts) and said, "I know you will make the flight.
I said thank you many times and ran to the waiting car. It was now 1:12pm.

The driver was aware of the urgency. He drove very fast and had me at the airport by 1:30pm. In good traffic it should have taken 30-35 minutes. I dove from the car, grabbed my bag away from the guy at the curb who wanted to bring it in for me and ran across the traffic toward the terminal. My heart sank when I realized I had to walk all the way through the parking agarage to get to the departing terminal.

Now.....I was very aware that there are signs all over that say, "you must check in 30 min. in advance or your seat will be given away" and "Gates are closed 15 min. before flight time."

As I ran into the terminal I am remembering these statements. I turn the corner and I am met by a mass of hundres of people waiting in lines at the counters. My heart fell immediately and I thought, "No way....I am sunk. I am not getting out of here tonight!" But, I looked it over and saw a cute little man who worked for the airlines controlling the line for First Class. I knew that I had purchased a "Saver" fare which meant I didn't get a seat assignment until checking in at the airport, but I made my way to him and said, in my very best American accent, "I am supposed to be on a 2:00 flight to Durban, can you help me?" He looked around for a second and then motioned for me to follow him. We wnet in front and long the many busy counters until he found the Durban line and put me in it. I was at the end, but they knew I was there. Also, i was just behind a woman with a dog who was on the same flight. I felt safe.....

The line moved quickly. I got to the counter and handed over my passport. He said, "Nora?" I nodded . He checked my bag, gave me my ticket and passport and that was that! I was on my way through security at 1:52pm.

As I handed my ticket to the security guy I was surprised to find that I had been put in a First Class seat! Ah Ha! There was a blessing to being late....there were no other seats left on the plane! After making it through security I started walking and feeling normal. I was relieved. I had made it. Then I heard the airport announcer over the din of the people, "Passenger Moulder, please reort immediately to Gate 3!" In Cape Town, South Africa my name is heard..... I've never had an announcement over an airport speaker system before.

As in many airports, Cape Town airline passengers are loaded onto a bus to be taken out to the plane which is parked on the tarmac. I could see it now.... I'd be the only one on the bus and the last one on the plane which was now going to be late departing. (I did remember seeing the dog lady behind me still so I wondered why I was being singled out)

I reached the gate and saw that there were many people on the bus. I was fine. In fact, there were a number of passengers who came onto the bus after me, including the dog lady, so i really don't know why my name was called.

I got onto the plane and ended up in an aisle seat in First Class with no one next to me. It was a glorious flight. What an adventure! What a blessing! I was watched over and cared for in so many ways. I left Cape Town for perhaps the only time in my life in very rushed circumstances with the aid of several people who I may never see again in this life. I am very grateful.