I finally managed to sleep last night. First decent sleep since Sunday. At last!
I walk back to the room, everyone is already very active. What happened?
Apparently the evacuation flight manifest for today were out last night at 11:30PM, but only got disseminated by email, though everyone knows how bad the internet has been since the hotel is full.
Philippe is really mad, and so are we. UNHAS ignored the updated lists that were sent out and only considered the very first one we had sent out. Comes a bit as a shock given the logistical work put to update the lists each time UNHAS came back to us. From our group, Femke, Arnold and myself are supposed to be extracted today...this morning. Time for a quick bite to eat, pack, and go. The army tanks will be up front momentarily and if we are not there we they call our names, we miss our chance. I would not have minded missing my chance but from an insurance perspective I am not sure how it would have played. So better not fool around and not take the risk.
We are all down and ready when they call out our names. We all line up by groups of 7 with our grab bags.
The tanks dont take to long to arrive. More adrenaline. What a scene!
Now I really regret not having bought a GoPro in Paris before I left. Bummer! I still try and film some with my compact camera. No wide angle though.
And off we go each group behind a few soldiers. We get to the huge tanks, we get instructed to pick up and put on bullet proof jackets and Kevlar helmet. Coooooool! If anything, the mission was worth it for this moment.
How often does one get to take part to a military maneuver with actual lethal risks around?! fun! We all gear up and jump or rather climb in the tank. John is hilarious as any respectful c=Congolese, he is wearing a fancy suit with a tie. Just imagine how unfitting of an outfit for a military evacuation. I suggest he should at least drop the tie. It is like a million degrees inside the tank! But no, he wont have it.
Before the tank ride starts, I discretely tell Arnold who is sitting next to me, that I secretly wish for the rebels to shot bullet or even better a grenade or a rocket at us while we ride. Just for kicks...and for the story to be spicier. Sadly, the tank has no windows and we cant even see what's going on outside. Bummer!
The ride goes well. Not even a pot hole on the rode. Come on guys!!! All these days of tension, and you let this one go by without anything?!
At the airport, no one but us...the evacuees. Strange to see n airport, though as tiny as this one, open only for us. The check in still takes a long time, we still have to go to security, and we still have to wait forever in the boarding room even though the planes are waiting right outside.
When we are finally allowed to walk to the plane, it is quite cool. You know those movies where Mafioso boarding a private jet are safe guarded by private body guards armed with AK47 and Ray Ban sunglasses, wearing running shoes, kaki pants, and a tshirt, sanding on the tarmac scouting away for any suspicious movement? Well it was the same thing.
It was fun. I caught myself scouting away as well, trying to observe what they were observing.
But nothing. We just boarded the plane like any regular commercial plane. The plane itself seemed just like a commercial plane. Aboard, a flight crew dressed like regular airline crew.
Come on!!! what a rip off of n evacuation! I expected to board a big army cargo plane, with the back of the pane opening up and letting us all walk in then sit on the floor, with soldiers and military gear all around. I swear I gotta stop watching so many movies.
And off to Yaounde, Cameroon, we were.
The flight went without a hick up.
Arriving in Yaounde was quite something.
Most European consulate representatives were there, with baskets of sandwiches and beverages for their citizens...all but the French. We did not even get a small bottle of water. Shame shame shame!
It then took about 5.5 hours for all evacuees, less than 60 people, to get our 3 day transit visa, even though there were 5 airport officers there for this and only dedicated to us. A pre-flavor of what to expect in Cameroon. hahaha!
We were all dead tired after such a long day, we all fell asleep in the ride to the new hotel.
Most CRS staff was there to welcome us, even Dorothy the country manager. How kind of them.
A nice shower, a quick bite to eat, and off to bed...at last!
I walk back to the room, everyone is already very active. What happened?
Apparently the evacuation flight manifest for today were out last night at 11:30PM, but only got disseminated by email, though everyone knows how bad the internet has been since the hotel is full.
Philippe is really mad, and so are we. UNHAS ignored the updated lists that were sent out and only considered the very first one we had sent out. Comes a bit as a shock given the logistical work put to update the lists each time UNHAS came back to us. From our group, Femke, Arnold and myself are supposed to be extracted today...this morning. Time for a quick bite to eat, pack, and go. The army tanks will be up front momentarily and if we are not there we they call our names, we miss our chance. I would not have minded missing my chance but from an insurance perspective I am not sure how it would have played. So better not fool around and not take the risk.
We are all down and ready when they call out our names. We all line up by groups of 7 with our grab bags.
The tanks dont take to long to arrive. More adrenaline. What a scene!
Now I really regret not having bought a GoPro in Paris before I left. Bummer! I still try and film some with my compact camera. No wide angle though.
And off we go each group behind a few soldiers. We get to the huge tanks, we get instructed to pick up and put on bullet proof jackets and Kevlar helmet. Coooooool! If anything, the mission was worth it for this moment.
How often does one get to take part to a military maneuver with actual lethal risks around?! fun! We all gear up and jump or rather climb in the tank. John is hilarious as any respectful c=Congolese, he is wearing a fancy suit with a tie. Just imagine how unfitting of an outfit for a military evacuation. I suggest he should at least drop the tie. It is like a million degrees inside the tank! But no, he wont have it.
Before the tank ride starts, I discretely tell Arnold who is sitting next to me, that I secretly wish for the rebels to shot bullet or even better a grenade or a rocket at us while we ride. Just for kicks...and for the story to be spicier. Sadly, the tank has no windows and we cant even see what's going on outside. Bummer!
The ride goes well. Not even a pot hole on the rode. Come on guys!!! All these days of tension, and you let this one go by without anything?!
At the airport, no one but us...the evacuees. Strange to see n airport, though as tiny as this one, open only for us. The check in still takes a long time, we still have to go to security, and we still have to wait forever in the boarding room even though the planes are waiting right outside.
When we are finally allowed to walk to the plane, it is quite cool. You know those movies where Mafioso boarding a private jet are safe guarded by private body guards armed with AK47 and Ray Ban sunglasses, wearing running shoes, kaki pants, and a tshirt, sanding on the tarmac scouting away for any suspicious movement? Well it was the same thing.
It was fun. I caught myself scouting away as well, trying to observe what they were observing.
But nothing. We just boarded the plane like any regular commercial plane. The plane itself seemed just like a commercial plane. Aboard, a flight crew dressed like regular airline crew.
Come on!!! what a rip off of n evacuation! I expected to board a big army cargo plane, with the back of the pane opening up and letting us all walk in then sit on the floor, with soldiers and military gear all around. I swear I gotta stop watching so many movies.
And off to Yaounde, Cameroon, we were.
The flight went without a hick up.
Arriving in Yaounde was quite something.
Most European consulate representatives were there, with baskets of sandwiches and beverages for their citizens...all but the French. We did not even get a small bottle of water. Shame shame shame!
It then took about 5.5 hours for all evacuees, less than 60 people, to get our 3 day transit visa, even though there were 5 airport officers there for this and only dedicated to us. A pre-flavor of what to expect in Cameroon. hahaha!
We were all dead tired after such a long day, we all fell asleep in the ride to the new hotel.
Most CRS staff was there to welcome us, even Dorothy the country manager. How kind of them.
A nice shower, a quick bite to eat, and off to bed...at last!
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