African Touring of Southern Africa
TAAG Angola 737-700 “sunshot”
Since I never fly in Africa, I decided to fly in Africa.
Flight Information
Route: Windhoek - Luanda (FYWH-FNLU)
Aircraft TAAG Angola Airlines 737-700
Cruise Altitude: 40,000 ft
Duration: 2 hours 13 minutes
Windhoek, Namibia
Takeoff from Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport
A look at Windhoek (The area around the lake is Windhoek)
Namibia
Namibia may be the second least population density (right after Mongolia) and the driest country in Africa, but it is home to many of nature’s beauty and many of the indigenous tribes of Africa. One of the fascinating places in Namibia is Skeleton Coast, where many shipwrecks are found on shore.
Windhoek
Located in the center of Namibia, Windhoek is the largest city and capital of Namibia. Windhoek was founded on a permanent hot spring known to the local shepherds. The city is considered the center of business and culture of Namibia.
Hosea Kutako International Airport
Hosea Kutako International Airport serves the largest city and capital of Namibia, Windhoek. Named after national hero Hosea Kutako, the airport until recently had limited destinations therefore making passengers fly to South African Airports first, adding inconvenience to passengers. Now, you can fly to cities like Addis Abba, Amsterdam, Doha, and Frankfurt.
Etosha National Park
Behind is Etosha National Park Etosha National Park includes over hundreds of different species of animals including some threatened endangered animals like the Black Rhinos. The Park also includes a 5,000 square kilometer salt flat (“A Salt-filled Lake”) (3/4 the size of Delaware).
Namib Desert
Slightly crossing the Namib Desert
The name “Namib” in Namib Desert means “Vast Place” in Khoekhoe language (A language that contains clicking sounds). It is the oldest desert in the world, and is where the country name “Namibia” can from. The desert covers more than 2,000km across the countries of Angola, Namibia and South Africa (About the distance from Miami to Chicago). The sand dunes in the desert are the second largest following the Badain Jaran Desert sans dunes in China. The desert is almost uninhabited with an exception of a few settlements. The best fact was saved for last: In 2019 am artist named Max Siedentopf installed a artwork with six solar powered speakers continuously playing the song “Africa” by Toto. The exact location is currently not released.
Luanda, Angola
Approaching Luanda
A view of Angola International Airport
A look of Luanda
Final approach to Luanda
Touchdown!!!
Angola
A previous Portugal colony, Angola is one of the most fastest growing economy in the world, due to it’s mineral and oil found in the country. Even through it’s troubling history from declaring independence from Portugal as a socialist state in 1975, to a major civil war lasting until 2002 and is known to be also a proxy war against the United States and Soviet Union.
Luanda
Luanda is the largest city and capital of Angola. The city is the culture, industrial, and urban center of Angola and a major sea port. The major exports in diamonds, iron, sugar, coffee, and cotton. However, even through all the glory, the poverty rate is 53%, and the luxury condo businesses are booming for the wealthy. Furthermore, the city is one of the most expensive cities in the world due to tariffs. A half-liter tub of vanilla ice cream cost about $31 in the USA.
Quatro de Fevereiro International Airport
Opened in 1954 by the Portuguese as Aeroporto Presidente Craveiro Lopes, it was later changed to Quatro de Fevereiro Airport after the national holiday in February 4th commemorating the start of of a conflict against the Portuguese. The airport has a history of serving white Portuguese-Angolans escaping from the Angolan civil war on evacuation flights. Today it serves European, Middle East, Latin America, and African destinations.
Angola International Airport
Construction started to construct an alternative airport for the Quatro de Fevereiro Airport. Funded by both the Chinese and Angolan government, the construction workers are almost all Chinese. This has caused many protests which were later calmed by Angolan Police and Military. The airport has been delayed from completing in 2015/2016 to 2022 due to government funding. The airport is to have two runways, and the airport itself is to cover 50 square km.
Hope you enjoyed it