Introduction: An Illuminating Trip To Kenya And South Africa

Welcome to my next trip report, a recount of my journey at the end of last year to Kenya and South Africa.

Kenya And South Africa – An Illuminating Trip.

My trip was church-related and going forward I plan at least two trips to Africa per year for missions-related work. Over time, I hope to include my family on these trips, but for now my travel is with pastors who have made a life-long commitment to the people of Africa, particularly on the southern half of the continent (I spoke a bit more about the nature of my work in my prior report to South Africa).

This trip began in Mombassa, Kenya and then continued on a farm in the Mpumalanga Province of South Africa outside of Middelburg. In addition to church-related activities, I went golfing and hunting for the first time in my life, which I will not write about further, but were both quite interesting (and probably not something I will do again for many years).

I’m going to tell you what this trip taught me: how incredibly spoiled I am. To see what young pastors are doing in Kenya with virtually zero resources is humbling beyond words. These young men work full time jobs to support their families, lead large church bodies, and do so without some of the very basic resources we take for granted, like the internet. Think about how instrumental the internet is in just about any research we perform. In Mombassa, many have mobile phones, but most of the pastors we met could not afford data plans for their phones, rendering these devices useless in terms of being able aid in research and preparation for sermons. The result is a lot of theological gaps, yet an absolute noble intention to get it right. How eye-opening that was for me.

Their churches, many in open-air venues or in crudely-built structures with dirt floors represent the gathering of believers in what seems to me to be a purer expression of faith and community than in the opulent churches that so often lack the shared commitment to one another that is a hallmark of the Christian faith.

In this trip report, you can expect the following review segments:

• A Beautiful 77-Mile Flight On United Express
• United Polaris Lounge San Francisco (SFO)
• Lufthansa A350-900 Business Class San Francisco – Munich
• Lufthansa Senator Café Munich (MUC)
• Lufthansa Senator Lounge Munich (MUC)
• Lufthansa A320neo Economy Class Munich – Frankfurt
• Lufthansa Bistro Lounge Frankfurt (FRA)
• Eurowings Discover A330-200 Premium Economy Frankfurt – Mombassa
• How To Obtain A Visa On Arrival To Kenya
• Border Bribes And My “Invalid” Visa In Kenya
• Mida Creek – Mombasa, Kenya
• Great Coffee In Mombasa, Kenya
• Seven Seas Lodge – Mombasa, Kenya
• Mombasa Old Town
• Photo Essay: Mombasa, Kenya
• Safari Lounge Mombasa (MBA)
• Kenya Airways Embraer-190 Economy Class Mombassa – Nairobi
• Turkish Airlines Lounge Nairobi (NBO)
• Kenya Airways Simba Lounge Nairobi (NBO)
• Kenya Airways 787-8 Economy Class Nairobi – Johannesburg
• Helicopter Ride Over South Africa
• Steak Lunch At Rustique In Middelberg, South Africa
• Breakfast At Ivory Manner Boutique Hotel, Pretoria
• My First Time At Ocean Basket
• Shammah Game Lodge
• Great Coffee in Bedfordview, South Africa
• The Tragic Squatter Camps Of South Africa
• Marble Restaurant, Johannesburg
• United Airlines 787-9 Business Class Johannesburg – Newark
• Who Is That Passenger Giggling Like A Child In Seat 7L? Me…
• United Club Fly Lounge Denver (DEN)
• Sweetwater Taphouse Denver (DEN) – Priority Pass Restaurant
• United Club “Pop Up” Lounge Denver (DEN – B59)
• Vegan Lunch In United Airlines First Class
• Polaris Lounge Nightcap At LAX

I paid $2700 for my ticket, issued on United -016 stock, which included premium economy from San Francisco to Mombasa via Munich and Frankfurt (plus a Monterey – San Francisco segment). I upgraded the Lufthansa longhaul flight to Munich using United PlusPoints (40) and would have upgraded the Eurowings flight, except that United does not allow upgrades on Eurowings segments. My return was booked directly into business class.

My Kenya Airways flights were booked with Flying Blue miles (22.5K miles and about $43 in taxes versus nearly $600 for a paid ticket).

Thanks for reading!