Short Break at Protea Marriott Hotel at OR Tambo International Airport, Johannesburg.

We transferred from Soussosveil Namib Desert Resort by light aircraft. There were goodbyes a plenty to the wonderful staff then our guide shuttled us from the resort to the airstrip. As we made this short drive our light aircraft arrived at the strip.

Some 4 people were arriving and we and our guide (Mario) were departing. We then flew over the arid desert to Windhoek. It is an amazing flight from Soussosveilo to Windhoek over the many mountain ranges the parched desert river beds and prior to us coming into the flatter region of more workable land near Windhoek.

We took several photos and continue to be amazed by the petrified Forrest’s and the colours of the desert.

This has bee a once in a life time experience.

From Transfer from the small aircraft carrying 6 people max we pass through Namibian Immigration to transfer back into a waiting area for the Airlink flight to Johannesburg. We have a flight time of 6.10pm with a scheduled flight time of 2 hours but we are likely to make it in some 90 minutes.

It is a pleasant flight we are in 6C and 6D and we are served a light meal.

After arrival and processing through South African Immigration we collect our luggage and then try to get a cab to the Protea Hotel , but a porter suggests that the shuttle service is due on the half hour and is free. He offers to take us there and we tip him 100 Rand (Aus$10). The shuttle comes and we are ushered on board and then the bus takes about 10 minutes to reach the Protea. An excellent asnd efficient service.

The Hotel is a 4 star hotel with an airport and industrial theme of decoration featuring metals and aircraft type items.

The rooms are comfortable but of a different design.

We check in at 8.45pm and have a flight about 36 hours later. We decide that having visited Johannesburg on several occasions we will stay around the Hotel, eat dinner the next night and then depart ther following morning after a 5.30am wake up call.

The dinner is of good quality and the service excellent. We sleep well, and the time changes are creating a challenge.

We catch the shuttle at 6.15am for our 9.20am flight to Abu Dhabi with Etihad.

Unusually for us we sleep in on the first night and have an enjoyable relaxing day around the Hotel.

This concludes what has been an outstanding holiday over 4 weeks in Africa including, South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia as well as a short stop at Zambia. There have been many highlights.

Our planning through go 2 Africa has been excellent, everything has worked out well.

We now begin the next phase to Abu Dhabi and then on to Bangkok.

The Protea Marriott hotel has been very good and with the shuttle service it has met our needs very well.