Flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi. I played tetris, soduko, and solitaire (all the inflight entertainment system). I had a soda and nuts, then ate meal, then ate another meal, then ate another snack (I guess the Dutch really want to make sure their passengers not hungry when they get there). It was only a 7.5 hour flight.
Arriving in Nairobi was an experience. It was sort of like our 1st trip to Jamaica 11.5 years ago (but the airport wasn’t as nice or modern). Welcome to a movie from the 1950’s. Air-stairs, walk across the tarmac, enter the terminal building….. you get the idea. The most memorable thought I had at this airport was that it was HOT and STICKY. When we were called to board the flight on Ethiopian Air, and again had to walk across the tarmac, it was BEAUTIFUL outside…..I wish someone inside had had the foresight to open a window.
Arrived at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia ~ 12:00am. 6/7 We did have to go down and air-stair to the tarmac, but they had a bus waiting to take us to the terminal, The terminal building was nice enough, seemed much more modern, and was not unbearably hot. Going thru immigration, then getting an on-site VISA, then going through passport control, then getting our baggage, and finally going through customs was much more convoluted than entering The Netherlands. It reminded me more of visiting Jamaica or Aruba. The Hilton hotel in Addis has a 24hour manned desk at the airport. We did not have any trouble arranging transport for our one night at the Hilton.
This Hilton was nice enough, but the rooms haven’t been updated in a LONG time. The bed was comfortable, the room and bathroom were clean, the staff friendly and helpful and there was water and soda in the mini-bar (expensive of course) so we were happy enough.