São Tomé and Príncipe > Arrival in São Tomé

My alarm is set for 3:15 a.m., but I wake up at 3:00 a.m. anyway. Fortunately, I packed my luggage the night before, as I have no desire to do that in the middle of the night. A neighbour drives me to Schiphol Airport because no trains are running at this hour. Even so early in the morning, the airport is already busy. Many other travellers are clearly being dropped off by car as well. Inside, the crowds are even larger. A long queue stretches in front of the check-in desks. I estimate it to be at least one hundred metres long and five or six people wide. I am glad I left home well ahead of time. The queue moves slowly. After almost fifty minutes, it is finally my turn. I attach a baggage tag to my travel bag and check it in at the self-service kiosk. While waiting, I spot one of my fellow travellers. Together, we head to the security checkpoint. Afterwards, we still have plenty of time for a drink, so I order a coffee. At Gate C6, we meet most of the other members of our group, as well as our tour leader, Constantine. My first impression is very positive. It seems like an excellent group with whom to explore São Tomé and Príncipe over the next two weeks.

São Tomé and Príncipe - Long queues at Schiphol Airport as early as 4:00 am

During the first flight to Lisbon, I chat with a Dutch traveller who is on his way to celebrate an international birthday party in the Azores. We talk about previous journeys and various travel destinations. After a three-hour flight, we arrive in the Portuguese capital. Buses transfer us from the aircraft to the terminal building. The airport feels rather chaotic, mainly because of the large number of passengers packed into the relatively small terminal on Pier N. Queues are everywhere—for check-in, for the toilets, and even for coffee. There is little choice but to join one of them if you want something to drink. Meanwhile, the departure screens announce that our onward flight will leave from Gate 47. There, I meet the rest of the group again. I wonder whether I have now met everyone. I have the feeling that one or two fellow travellers are still missing, but I am sure we will meet them once we arrive on São Tomé. The next flight lasts more than six hours. We fly over Algeria, Niger, and Nigeria. Looking out of the window, I mainly see the endless sands of the Sahara Desert. As we approach São Tomé, the cloud cover increases, gradually obscuring the view. At 5:15 p.m. local time—two hours behind the Netherlands—we land on the island in the Gulf of Guinea. São Tomé and Príncipe, located on the Equator off the west coast of Africa, consists of several islands, of which São Tomé is by far the largest. Even so, the island is only about twice the size of Texel. Outside the terminal building, another queue awaits us. Everyone must first walk across a disinfectant mat, have their temperature checked, and wash their hands. Afterwards comes the first passport inspection to determine whether travellers have recently visited countries where yellow fever is present. The official flips through my passport so quickly that it seems impossible for him to check every stamp. At the next desk, I receive my entry stamp. The immigration officer glances at my hotel itinerary and, with a broad smile, remarks, "Good hotels.

São Tomé and Príncipe - Upon arrival in São Tome everyone must wash their hands first

" Outside the terminal, our group gathers once more. Here, I finally meet the last two travellers whom I had not encountered before. We are also welcomed by Martin and Mustafa, our local guide and driver. The bus ride to the hotel is remarkably short—less than five hundred metres. In the darkness, the hotel looks rather plain. Tonight, I have a room to myself. Three of the male travellers booked shared accommodation, and we will rotate the use of the single room during the trip. My room is spacious, and by African standards everything looks perfectly tidy and comfortable, although there is a slight smell of dampness. A buffet dinner has been prepared in the restaurant. I order a beer to go with my meal. Afterwards, Constantine gives us a short briefing about the journey ahead. He wisely keeps it brief. Everyone is tired after the early start and the long day of travel—including me. At around 9:30 p.m., I switch off the light. With the thought that I have finally arrived in São Tomé and Príncipe, I drift off to sleep.