LEFT AT THE VILLAGE !
As appears to be normal for KAA, this time the non-arrival of booked transport was the problem ! With the first of two KAA groups ready to leave as arranged at 11.30 pm. yesterday, and with visions of Air Pacific leaving four of our party behind in Fiji on the outward journey, we were getting worried when the bus booked for 11.30 pm. did not show ! It is hard to get large taxis and impossible to get public buses at that time of night that far from the main town Apia. So we were stuck - again !
RESCUE !
The situation was rescued by a combination of urgent phone calls, fast driving on a quiet, dry main road, and express treatment at the check-in in Apia, just before it closed ! One advantage (to set against the extra grey hairs) was that it meant we missed waiting somewhere at the back of a very long queue at the Apia check-in ! We caught up with the groups which had left the Village three hours earlier !!!
RE-CONFIRMING.
So, having grabbed five hours sleep at the Mercure Inn in Nadi, Kellogs and hotcakes at McDonald's set me up to bus it to the airport to re-confirm everyone (15) on the Air Pacific service to Tarawa tomorrow, departing at 0800. This was done very quickly and with no hassle or problem. So we can at least be optimistic that the final piece of the OAA Samoa jig-saw puzzle will fit neatly into place tomorrow morning ! We will see !
BUT THIS IS A SAGA ! (Up-date 22/12/06.)
Now you might have thought, as we did, that when we met up with the rest of the team, fresh in from Apia, at Nadi yesterday (Thursday) morning, checked in OK, boarded the plane OK, took off OK, flying OK, that nothing else could extend the saga !!! You would (as we were) be mistaken !!
ONLY 15 MINUTES FROM HOME !
At about 1045 am., when we were about 70 miles from Tarawa and home, the flight Captain came on the PA to announce "The airport is closed !" So we had to divert to Majuro. There we lost a few passengers who were ticketed to Majuro the next day (so had an extra day at home !) We had to sit in the plane while our fate was decided, mainly by the Air Pacific office in Nadi, Fiji. Eventually, at about 2.00 pm. we were told we all had to fly back to Nadi ! At the time, this seemed to be the wrong move for us - it would be better to stay in Majuro and get home from there. But we were powerless to negotiate or make any outside contacts.
EXTRA TIME IN FIJI !
And so, at about 6.00 pm. last evening we were back at Nadi ! Fortunately we had a communicative Captain who kept us informed and apparently did his best. In due course we were bussed to West's Motor Inn, just a little further from the airport than the Mercure where we had stayed last week. Air Pacific have so far covered the costs of supper, bed and breakfast last night (for up to 65 passengers), plus lunch today and rooms for tonight. All the time, we know that there have been contacts and discussions "behind the scenes", partly involving one of the passengers who is also a Cabinet Minister in Kiribati !!
RESCUED AGAIN !
Nevertheless, as happened a year ago in Majuro when Air Nauru had its aircraft confiscated/impounded, rescue was possible. At about 3.00 pm. this afternoon (Friday) we received a message from Air Pacific that "our flight has been confirmed for 0930 am. tomorrow morning" ! So we might still be home for Christmas ! We must assume that some Kiribati workers have done some patching of the Bonriki runway to bring it up to standard. But will any lessons be learned by certain I-Kiribati decision-makers ? Maybe ! Next year !
Last Modified on 22/12/2006 16:05