- Maradi airport, departure gate :) -In Niger and some other countries UNHAS (Humanitarian Air Service) is providing regular flights between the main cities of the country for the humanitarian community. Late October after 2 months in Niamey I finally planned a field visit. I flew from Niamey to Maradi. Then I was supposed to fly from Maradi to Zinder on the next day and then back to Niamey.
- THE plane I waited for 3 days!!! finally -It never worked as planned... and the return was epic!!!
At 6am the driver picks me up and drives through an empty and sleepy city. I reach Maradi without trouble 2-3 hours later. The pilots are south-african guys I had met at a pool party at their place the very same Saturday...
- Pilot briefing/debriefing after landing and before departure -I spend the day and the night in Maradi. But because I would like to attend a blanket feeding distribution and that Zinder is only 2h30 away by road, we decide to reach Zinder by car and stop along the way at Aguié for a distribution. We finally arrive in Zinder at 5:30pm, it's a bit late for the driver to drive back but he wants to do it the same. I'm supposed to leave the next day (Saturday) around noon back by air for Niamey. Unfortunately the weather conditions deteriorate so I get to the office but the plane will never come. Sunday there are no usually no flights planned and it is an election day. Movements are restricted. After negotiations, they will do a rotation but the visibility is still too low for the pilots to risk a landing in Zinder... That night I sleep fully dressed under a mosquito net with holes and there is no water at the guesthouse... It's my last week-end in Niger and I missed the opportunity to say goodbye in church :(
- Baggage drop off at the airplane -Monday... I wake up with a call from the aviation officer asking me to get ready. False alarm. No plane will land this day either. Travelling by road would take 11 hours and it would be difficult to get a security clearance to do so. I am supposed to wait another day. But finally just before the sunset a car with colleagues from Diffa comes to pick me up. The first 1/2h I'm really tense about the idea of driving by night with a guy that has already 6 hours drive without stop on his shoulders. Praise God, we arrive safe in Maradi. I never enjoyed so much a good bed and a clean room!
- Folks along the airstrip watching us -I'm the only one having a seat booked on the next day flight to Niamey and hope that the plane will land because I don't feel like driving back to Niamey, in addition by the time we know if the plane is cancelled the car for Niamey will be half way.... But they did it!!! The plane lands in Maradi and takes us back to Niamey (however they again refuse to land in Zinder, security first!). So happy to be back home!!!!
- In case something happens... the fire brigade is ready! -
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