With the bikes boxed up and bags packed, we were ready for the off. Fatih kindly gave us a lift to Khartoum airport, thanks again! We knew we were very early, but what we hadn't anticipated was that we wouldn't be allowed into the terminal building until 3 hours before our flight...this meant we had a 5 hour wait outside the building in the heat! The time finally passed and we made our way inside. We found our contact at BMI, who the agent had been dealing with and he started to sort out our bikes' paperwork. He said they had to be wrapped in plastic, but there was only enough plastic for one of the bikes! While this was happening, the BMI contact said he just had to work out how much the bikes will cost....eh?...we were told many times by him over the phone that they would be £30 each, so what is there to calculate? He returned, calculation in hand, asking for over $900!! I told him in no uncertain terms to go and check his figures! After a long wait, much discussion and phone calls, he returned and we paid our agreed £30 per bike, result!
The BMI flight from Khartoum to London, with a touchdown in Beirut, went quickly and we were soon making our descent into Heathrow. The bikes arrived in baggage claim before our luggage and were thankfully undamaged. Another long wait at the airport ensued as we couldn't be collected until much later. A pub was swiftly found and we celebrated our return with beers and delicious pub grub; the things you miss when you can't have them! Paul kindly picked us up we made our way to Norfolk on the final leg of a long journey home. About 24 hours after we left the Blue Nile Sailing Club, we were home, exhausted and ready for a break.
Spent a lovely first weekend catching up with family and friends, while celebrating Matt's 39th birthday. It is great to be home!
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