In case...

Posted @ 12.50pm by: a sleep deprived Nitaki

I'm writing this as I am halfway across the country making my way to good ol' Johannesburg with its crazy taxi drivers and smoggy horizon. A small price to pay if it's a stepping stone to that tropical island near the equator.

But I am so so tired from a long Friday night of in case packing. And by this I am not merely referring to the challenge of fitting all my holiday essentials in a suit-case. No no no. Packing - for the average South African - has become a high-level risk management and decision-making process. Being forced to think worst case scenario is never fun. But even less so is being stuck on a beach holiday with only one pair of undies and no swimsuit, sunblock or the all-important mosquito repellent (heaven forbid!) because of some baggage nightmare at Johannesburg...or rather Oliver Tambo...International airport. (It's so damn demanding trying to remain PC in this country!)

Speaking of which, in the light of the fact that Johannesburg's airport has become synonymous with theft and baggage pilfering, I believe Oliver Tambo would turn in his grave if he knew that festering crime pit now bears his name.

Anyway, in the interest of being prepared in case there is some or other lost or delayed baggage dilemma and my suitcase ends up at a different destination than the one on my holiday itinerary, I double packed an extra swimsuit, sunblock, hat, Peaceful Sleep and other essentials in my hand luggage.

Also - and more likely - just in case some bugger in baggage handling steals something from my suitcase, I have kept my camera equipment close by and they are stored safely above in the overhead baggage compartment as we speak. But that's just good sense. These days checking in anything of remote value could almost be considered insurance fraud. Packing electrical equipment in your luggage and expecting it to still be there at the other end is like lighting a fire on your living room floor before you go out on a Friday night and expecting your house to still be standing when you return.

Furthermore, in case double-packing also safeguards one against the possibility of someone deciding to confiscate any lotions and potions in one's hand luggage as part of "anti-terrorism" procedures. Ofcourse the chances of that happening are strictly dependent on whether or not the specific airport official involved needs to stock up on her nightcream supplies. We all know we don't have terrorists in South Africa (anymore). Violence, incompetent government officials and plenty of petty luggage pilferers yes! But even combining all the brain cells of all South African criminals could not add up to the intellectual capacity needed to blow up a plane with explosive shampoo.

But I digress.

For now I am merely concentrating on ignoring the overly touchy feely couple I had the great luck to be seated next to. I'd tell them to get a room but it's a plane so...yeah.

But it's all okay since I'm about to have my revenge by ripping open a packet of smelly cheese and onion potatoe chips because I had the good sense to buy myself some snacks in case I became hungry on the plane. So ha! Who's enjoying a naughty giggle now!?