02 November 2008

Pick A Baggy

Johannesburg International Airport is getting renowned for its picky bagging. And, again something got stolen from my luggage this week. It is pretty amazing, as my hardshell suitcase was locked and arrived locked. But a relative small external computer DVD-drive was taken out of it. That one was in the locked suit case, and in a box in an other computer box in the suitcase. The box was neatly closed again, as was the suitcase. And nothing else was missing! A pretty sophisticated theft, which would need initial X-ray equipment as to know what was in the suitcase.

It is not the first time my stuff goes missing at Johannesburg International airport. Early this year two duffel bags with building materials, one from my father and one from my uncle, coming to help in Macha, went completely off the radar, never to be seen in Lusaka nor back at its origin Amsterdam. Or specific electronic equipment - mini DV video and or photo equipment - or even watches have been removed from suitcases from family and friends flying through O R Tambo International Airport.

But the huge, wonderful gift from friends in the USA - a full size and large Yamaha electronic piano keyboard - went through uncatched. Maybe too big? Yes, ok, it got delayed for three days, completely off the radar in the baggage system, but thanks God it showed up at lost luggage Lusaka on Friday. Flying Mission picked it up and flew it to Macha, and now Merel, Elmo and the friends do not talk about anything else then 'the piano'. An other miracle, a full size electronic piano at Van Stam's residence. Merel is scheduled to receive piano lessons from friends in the USA via Skype..