Suriname > Kilos of excess baggage

At 5 a.m., the Boeing 747-300 of Surinam Airlines lands at Johan Adolf Pengel Airport near Zanderij. Immediately upon arrival, the humid heat hits us. It’s drizzling lightly with large drops, but no one seems to mind. We walk a few hundred meters across the airport with all the passengers to the arrivals building.

Suriname - The nose of the Surinam Airlines plane

Checking in at Schiphol had taken quite some time. The 25-kilogram baggage limit often caused problems. Entire kilos of cheese, butter, and other food items had to be transferred to hand luggage on the spot to comply with the limit. The flight itself went smoothly, and the service on board was good. After three-quarters of an hour, we were checked in. Apart from an hour’s delay because the plane couldn’t take the usual route, the flight went well and the on-board service was excellent. At Suriname immigration, the air conditioning is on. It’s even cold in the arrivals hall. The customs officers are not yet ready for processing. It seems as if they are completely overwhelmed that such a large plane has just landed, even though flights from the Netherlands arrive three times a week. After a few minutes, four counters open, and we officially enter Suriname. At the baggage claim, we immediately meet the other travel companions. At first glance, it looks like a pleasant group. By bus, we are driven in just over an hour through the twilight to Paramaribo. At this time, the roads are fairly busy. It is already dark when we enter Paramaribo. At the currency exchange, we convert our euros into Surinamese dollars and finally arrive at our hotel. Hotel Edd’s Inn is located in the Maretraite neighborhood, just over two kilometers north of Paramaribo’s center. Edd’s Inn will serve as our base for the trip. We will return here several times after excursions. The room is simple but otherwise fine, though it is quite humid due to the heat. For refreshment, we take a cold shower. On the terrace, we order a Parbo beer and discuss the program for the coming days. At 10:30 p.m. local time, we go to sleep.