To say that the team avoided an early start for the first time in days is probably a little disingenuous, as we technically didn\u2019t stop from the day before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Leaving the previous night\u2019s reception late in the evening, the team immediately hit the road for a 3-odd hour drive to Nairobi airport, again escorted by the Kenyan police who helped with transportation of kit and in smoothing our progress wherever possible. The near-compulsory delays at check-in when carrying rifles and kit bags inevitably occurred but the team made it onto the plane, albeit with seconds to spare, even with one team member employing distraction tactics on the gate staff as the adjutant, ambushed with a last-minute demand for excess baggage payment, came jogging (waddling?) up with trouser belt still in hand, post-security check.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Doors closed and wheels up, within no time we were over Tanzania and being treated to a view of Mount Kilimanjaro from altitude, followed by the remainder of the otherwise uneventful 4-ish hour flight to Johannesburg. Highlight of the flight was undoubtably Tom Shaw demonstrating expert service industry skills as he briefly moonlighted as stewardess, distributing headphones as his paid \u201ccolleague\u201d dealt with another flyer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On arrival at Jo\u2019burg, progress through the airport was unusually easy. Passport control was a few seconds per person, baggage reclaim easy (once an armourer\u2019s box was located) and even customs checks with rifles were efficient. The slowest bit of the process was getting hold of the hire cars, though it\u2019s hard to criticise a nation for a pragmatic approach to enabling target shooting whilst also treating unproven motorists with your vehicles with a degree of suspicion! However, once the requisite period of waiting around (and finding credit cards that worked for vehicle deposits), the only thing keeping the team from Bloemfontein was the small matter of a 3-ish hour drive through open South African countryside, surrounded by striking sunsets, and via a halfway comfort break and Steers burger stop that will be familiar to many fellow tourists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
On arrival, most other matters became a tomorrow problem. Rifles, ammunition and team kit were stowed in the most convenient secure rooms possible, reassembly and repatriation being something to deal with in a good 12 hours\u2019 time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After a final, social and brief catch-up, fuelled mostly by the euphoria of exhaustion and a nightcap, all retired for their first horizontal sleep in over 42 hours, Day one of Phase 2 to commence at least 8 hours later, or ideally longer.<\/p>\n\n\n