Getting into Angola is not easy. The visa process was a mess (and still is) and I waited almost 6 months from the time I accepted the job offer to actually set foot in Luanda. I spent those months twiddling my thumbs and waited for news on the application. However it was other news, of monumental proportions, which came first. At precisely 03:58 on New Years eve morning 2009 Lucy woke me up and informed me that she was pregnant! Gulp!
Not long after New Year news finally came on my visa and I set off in early February, leaving my now pregnant wife (minimal bump) alone in our house in Harpenden. We had a tough couple of months ahead of us as I was to do 10 weeks in Angola for my first hitch, and Luce was still teaching in North London and living alone in our house in Hertfordshire. Not an ideal situation I know, but between Luce's family and our cat 'Cupcake', she was being well looked after.
The day finally came for me to leave and Luce drove me to Heathrow where we said our goodbyes. Since leaving the Navy in 2007 I hadnt been away from Luce and I knew it was going to suck. And it did. I felt really bad leaving her, pregnant, alone and miles from all her friends and family. The only consolation was that we knew it was only going to be for a few months.
I left London on a cold February evening and arrived in Luanda in the early hours of morning. The flight itself was uneventful, the passengers were in the main made up of Scottish off shore workers, a few yanks and a splattering of Angolan Nationals. It was good to see so many Brits on board, and it was amusing to see that most were well 'lubricated' before they boarded, using the bar at Heathrow to make light of their next eight and a half hours in the air. The Off Shore guys can't drink out on their platforms so they do their best to make up for this on the flights into and out of Luanda. On that first flight I didn't drink, preferring to watch a couple of films or read, mainly to stop myself thinking about being away from home again. I was pretty miserable and didn't want to compound my misery by drinking alone. (That has now changed and I could easily pass for a Scottish off-shore worker these days!).
Upon landing we collected our baggage and I saw for the first time the mentality of Angolan people. Before I continue it is worth noting that I don't have the same opinion of all Angolan people, I have met some very fine and respectable individuals, however the majority of those I have met are, how shall I word this........opportunists? I suppose I could just call them robbing little bastards but I don't want to offend! If they see something that can be of benefit to them, be it food, money or something they can sell, they will take it.
Anyway, they obviously saw an opportunity with my baggage as it had been ripped open at one end and all my 10 week supply of toiletries had been stolen. Terrific. Welcome to Angola!
Feeling very annoyed, tired and dirty I made my way past the suspiciously nice smelling, minty breathed attendants and security personnel and went to meet my lift to head office.........
Not long after New Year news finally came on my visa and I set off in early February, leaving my now pregnant wife (minimal bump) alone in our house in Harpenden. We had a tough couple of months ahead of us as I was to do 10 weeks in Angola for my first hitch, and Luce was still teaching in North London and living alone in our house in Hertfordshire. Not an ideal situation I know, but between Luce's family and our cat 'Cupcake', she was being well looked after.
The day finally came for me to leave and Luce drove me to Heathrow where we said our goodbyes. Since leaving the Navy in 2007 I hadnt been away from Luce and I knew it was going to suck. And it did. I felt really bad leaving her, pregnant, alone and miles from all her friends and family. The only consolation was that we knew it was only going to be for a few months.
I left London on a cold February evening and arrived in Luanda in the early hours of morning. The flight itself was uneventful, the passengers were in the main made up of Scottish off shore workers, a few yanks and a splattering of Angolan Nationals. It was good to see so many Brits on board, and it was amusing to see that most were well 'lubricated' before they boarded, using the bar at Heathrow to make light of their next eight and a half hours in the air. The Off Shore guys can't drink out on their platforms so they do their best to make up for this on the flights into and out of Luanda. On that first flight I didn't drink, preferring to watch a couple of films or read, mainly to stop myself thinking about being away from home again. I was pretty miserable and didn't want to compound my misery by drinking alone. (That has now changed and I could easily pass for a Scottish off-shore worker these days!).
Upon landing we collected our baggage and I saw for the first time the mentality of Angolan people. Before I continue it is worth noting that I don't have the same opinion of all Angolan people, I have met some very fine and respectable individuals, however the majority of those I have met are, how shall I word this........opportunists? I suppose I could just call them robbing little bastards but I don't want to offend! If they see something that can be of benefit to them, be it food, money or something they can sell, they will take it.
Anyway, they obviously saw an opportunity with my baggage as it had been ripped open at one end and all my 10 week supply of toiletries had been stolen. Terrific. Welcome to Angola!
Feeling very annoyed, tired and dirty I made my way past the suspiciously nice smelling, minty breathed attendants and security personnel and went to meet my lift to head office.........
