Finally here we are! Today we have our flight that will take us to our beloved Africa!

We spent the morning preparing the last things and checking that we hadn't forgotten anything, it's one of my fears: forgetting something fundamental and that I can't buy on the spot.

After lunch we finally leave, we go to Malpensa by car, even if the parking will cost us a bit, it's always better than going by train, we have too much luggage: we have many things to take down to leave on our car, Dr. Livingstone.

We leave in time because on the Milan - Varese road you never know how the traffic situation is, better not to trust; obviously since we are in advance there was no traffic, but that's okay.

We are going to park in one of the parking lots that are near Malpensa and then by the shuttle we go to the airport.

We enter and finally this journey is about to really start, I haven't seen the time to go through this door for months and we are finally here; we experience an indescribable happiness!

We go immediately to the check-in desk so we get rid of the bags that weigh and are bulky; "See you in Johannesburg", hoping they will come, let's cross our fingers!

At the airport there are a lot of people also because in this period the Linate airport is closed, because they are doing some modernization and expansion works, so almost all the flights have been moved here to Malpensa; I personally like to see the airport so busy.

After passing the controls we have a little time, at first we go to the duty free to buy the Aperol, we cannot do without the Spritz at sunset in the savannah!

Then we go to relax at the lounge; we are not in my favorite, the Montale, but in that of the Lufthansa Group, but fortunately, they have redone it and now it is much more beautiful and welcoming; we are here until 10 minutes before to board, drinking something waiting to leave.

We go to the gate and climb on board and, shortly after, we take off; this first flight section, that will take us to Zurich, is short, not even an hour, but it is a very scenic route because it flies over our beautiful Alps that are wonderful seen from the window of a plane, both in winter, when they are covered with snow, and in summer when the snow melts and reveals the valleys and the sharp peaks of the mountains.

Time to have a drink and we are already landing at Zurich airport that, unlike Malpensa, is strangely deserted; perhaps at this time, 8.20pm, there are few flights.
 

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We have about 3 hours of transit so we immediately go to check the exit from the Schengen area, because Switzerland, even if it is not part of the European Union, is one of the 26 countries of the Schengen area.

After passing the passport control we go to the lounge, surely we will have dinner on board, but, given the time, we are a bit hungry, so we eat something, a sort of aperitif without ruining our appetite.

Here in Zurich there is a Business Lounge for each Terminal and this is very convenient because, wherever you are, you don't have to walk for kilometers to reach one, and you can linger until the last moment if you choose to stay in the lounge at your departure terminal.

When it is short before 11.00 pm the boarding to our flight starts, we are among the first to board and we are comfortable, the flight is long, about 11 hours and we travel at night so we hope to sleep; the seats of the business class are practically beds, so the conditions are there.

While they complete the boarding they offer us a glass of champagne and we take the usual photo and boomerang of the ritual, we have an infinite collection now.

We take off 20 minutes late, but never mind, they will recover it during the flight, and even if they fail it is not a problem, the only thing that interests us is to arrive at Johannesburg, and at our beloved Africa, tomorrow morning.

When we're up in the air they serve us dinner, we ordered the beef tenderloin; no one makes it as they do on board of Swiss Air so we take it whenever we fly with them.

While we have dinner we watch a movie and then we go to sleep, good night!

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Data di inserimento: 
Thursday, October 31, 2019