MY SOUTH AFRICAN HOLIDAY
TOILET BREAK ON SAFARI...DRINK LOTS SAID THE GUIDE..... HOW LONG UNTIL THE NEXT TOILET I ASKED .....2 HOURS WAS THE ANSWER I RECEIVED. OUR GUIDES INSTRUCTIONS, WITH HIS GUN OVER HIS SHOULDER, AS I AM ABOUT TO CROUCH BEHIND A ROCK IN THICK BUSH .....HE HAD LOOKED AROUND FIRST. .....
IF A LION COMES, DON'T RUN, HE WILL CHASE YOU. DON'T LIE DOWN AND PLAY DEAD OR HE WILL EAT YOU FASTER AS HE THINKS YOU ARE INJURED. YES, I DID TAKE THE RISK.
IF A LION COMES, DON'T RUN, HE WILL CHASE YOU. DON'T LIE DOWN AND PLAY DEAD OR HE WILL EAT YOU FASTER AS HE THINKS YOU ARE INJURED. YES, I DID TAKE THE RISK.
MANGWA VALLEY GAME LODGE - IN THE HEART OF THE DINOKENG RESERVE
After a non stop flight of 14 hours from Sydney Australia to Johannesburg, meeting the rest of our friends (7 of us) who had arrived from different parts of the world at the Airport on that day, our friend Joshua, who organised our trip, had arrived a few days earlier, he sent us a photo of the airport waiting area with an arrow of where he would be standing waiting for us!!!
At this stage we didn't know that the day before, a group of tourists had been been followed from Johannesburg airport and then hijacked when they arrived at their accommodation.
All safe we travelled the next day to Mangwa Valley Game Lodge in the heart of the Dinokeng Big 5 Game Reserve about 30minutes north of Pretoria.
At this stage we didn't know that the day before, a group of tourists had been been followed from Johannesburg airport and then hijacked when they arrived at their accommodation.
All safe we travelled the next day to Mangwa Valley Game Lodge in the heart of the Dinokeng Big 5 Game Reserve about 30minutes north of Pretoria.
MANGWA VALLEY, OUR FIRST ADVENTURE. CANVAS WALLS, THATCHED ROOF.
MANGWA VALLEY.
LIGHT FITTING MADE OUT OF QUILLS AND HORNS.
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MANGWA VALLEY. A GUIDE TOOK US AROUND THE PARK FOR AN HOUR WHILE WE OBSERVED ALL OF THE ANIMALS. AN AMAZING EXPERIENCE.
BUFFALO. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS ANIMALS WE WERE TOLD AT MANGWA VALLEY.
THE AMAZING ORGANISER OF OUR TRIP, ON ANIMAL WATCH, LOOKING FOR FOOTPRINTS IN THE DIRT, SEEING WHICH ANIMAL HAS HEADED IN WHICH DIRECTION. KEEPING US ALL SAFE.
VERY HEARTWARMING TO WITNESS A BABY ELEPHANT PLAYING IN THE LONG GRASS.
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SO UNUSUAL TO SEE ZEBRA NEAR BUILDINGS.
WINE AND NIBBLES, IN A SAFE SPOT, (WE HOPE)
MANGWA VALLEY
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African's always have a happy smile, all the time, always giggling, they stroll, don't hurry. Everyone tries to sell things everywhere you go to get a little bit of money, out on the highway if there are roadworks in the middle of nowhere, there they are, lots of people selling anything from hats, bags, bottles of water, fruit, I was told these people are trying to earn a little money where other Africans hijack for their easy money.
EVERY DAY IS LIKE A GARAGE SALE ON THE STREETS OF AFRICA
EVERY DAY IS LIKE A GARAGE SALE ON THE STREETS OF AFRICA, IN FRONT OF THE SHOPS ON THE FOOTPATH.
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TRYING TO EARN A LITTLE MONEY
SHOES, SHOES AND MORE SHOES
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THERE WERE ABOUT 15 PEOPLE SELLING DIFFERENT THINGS AT THIS ROADWORKS.
SHOES WERE THE MOST POPULAR ITEM TO SELL. NOTE THE CAGES OVER THE WINDOWS.
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CHOBE NATIONAL PARK - BOTSWANA - 11,700km sq MUCHENJE LODGE
Chobe National Park isn't fenced all the way around but the animals know not to stray outside as they are killed if they do. Established in 1967. The elephant population has built up since 1990 from a few thousand to 50,000
As a group we stayed at Muchenje Lodge. This is a small lodge just out of Chobe National Park, only catering for abut 25 people. Chobe National Park is 11700 square kilometres. We were given a talk by the manager, Toff, who told us we all had a PANIC BUTTON in our room just in case we had problems with animals. Also we were to be escorted to and from our room after 6pm to 6am by 2 guards who sat all night waiting. These guards were armed with shanghais and stones to scare off the animals that happened to wander through the Lodge. You could see where all the grass was trampled beside our room. Elephant would come and drink out of the swimming pool that was beside our room! Bedrooms were sprayed for mosquitoes and a net pulled down around the bed every night.
Muchenje Lodge looks out across the plains where all different animals wander along.
We were fortunate to be able to celebrate Botswana's Independence Day Celebrations at Muchenji. We were driven to an open area about one minute from the Lodge and in the process passed a herd of buffalo. We were treated to amazing food, dancing and singing by the African staff.
Chobe National Park isn't fenced all the way around but the animals know not to stray outside as they are killed if they do. Established in 1967. The elephant population has built up since 1990 from a few thousand to 50,000
As a group we stayed at Muchenje Lodge. This is a small lodge just out of Chobe National Park, only catering for abut 25 people. Chobe National Park is 11700 square kilometres. We were given a talk by the manager, Toff, who told us we all had a PANIC BUTTON in our room just in case we had problems with animals. Also we were to be escorted to and from our room after 6pm to 6am by 2 guards who sat all night waiting. These guards were armed with shanghais and stones to scare off the animals that happened to wander through the Lodge. You could see where all the grass was trampled beside our room. Elephant would come and drink out of the swimming pool that was beside our room! Bedrooms were sprayed for mosquitoes and a net pulled down around the bed every night.
Muchenje Lodge looks out across the plains where all different animals wander along.
We were fortunate to be able to celebrate Botswana's Independence Day Celebrations at Muchenji. We were driven to an open area about one minute from the Lodge and in the process passed a herd of buffalo. We were treated to amazing food, dancing and singing by the African staff.
THIS LION WAS NOT FAR FROM OUR ACCOMMODATION AND SITTING IN OUR VEHICLE WE COULD HEAR IT CRUNCHING ON THE BONES OF THE BUFFALO. STAFF HAD HEARD IT CALLING DURING THE NIGHT SO KNEW THERE WAS A LION IN THE AREA. VERY FRIGHTENING SITTING IN AN OPEN VEHICLE.
IMPALA ON THE RUN, THERE WERE DOGS CHASING HUNDREDS OF DIFFERENT ANIMALS ACROSS THE PLANE. MUCHENJE LODGE
OUR GROUP RELAXING IN THE LOUNGE AT MUCHENJE LODGE.
THE LONGEST LIVING ELEPHANT RECORDED WAS 86 BUT MOSTLY THEY LIVE FOR 60 YEARS. THESE GOOD MOTHERS WERE PROTECTING THEIR BABIES FROM US.
HELPING HIMSELF TO OUR BREAKFAST.
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SO CLOSE, WE HAD TO WHISPER OUR ASTONISHMENT OF WHAT WE WERE SEEING. THE LION COULD HAVE JUMPED INTO OUR OPEN VEHICLE IN A SECOND.
ON SAFARI AT MUCHENJE SAFARI LODGE
SITTING LOOKING AT US IN OUR OPEN VEHICLE, SO CLOSE, TOO CLOSE.
ONE BABOON WAS UP IN A TREE PICKING AND THROWING DOWN BERRIES TO OTHERS WAITING BELOW.
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LOOKING STRAIGHT AT US IN OUR OPEN LITTLE TIN BOAT. THEY CAN CHARGE AND ATTACK AND CAPSIZE BOATS. THEIR DIET IS ALMOST ENTIRELY GRASS.
THIS MAGNIFICENT BAOBAB TREE IS 500 YEARS OLD OUR GUIDE TOLD US, MEASURED BY THE NUMBER OF MEN THAT CAN STAND AR0UND THE TREE HE SAID. THE OLDEST BAOBAB TREE FOUND WAS 1275 YEARS OLD. (MEASURED BY RINGS AROUND THE TREE)
VIEW FROM OUR ACCOMMODATION LOOKING OVER THE PLAINS WITH ANIMALS ROAMING.
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Our group was allocated a caring and delightful driver whose name was Lips. He looked after us when we were out and about for our whole stay, poor man, if we wanted to do an early morning drive, an all day drive and then a night drive he would have to do it all. His name came from having a long Christian name and Lips was in the middle of his christian name. Lips knew about everything, all the names, information, anything we asked he had been taught it all. Lips became part of our group and had meals with us also. The most surprising day though was when he took us to see the lions, firstly there was a lion kill with 3 lions and they were sitting either very full or still eating, not far from us, one of our group screamed because we were so close even though we were supposed to be silent, then on our way home Lips went a different way, we ended up beside a male lion, eating the remains of a buffalo, this lion was not far from us. 15 meters!!!! We could hear it crunching on the bones as it looked up at us while it ate. Very scary in an open vehicle and knowing that it was very close to our accommodation.
Our vehicles were open, we couldn't lean out or get out as the animals saw the vehicle as one object and if you stayed inside then it was apparently safe, but if someone was outside the vehicle then they would be seen as a separate item and could be attacked. It was freezing in the vehicles, driving around in the fresh air, sometimes required a blanket wrapped around, Sometimes around your face also so only your eyes were showing.
ANIMALS SO CLOSE THEY COULD JUMP INTO OUR VEHICLE.
These photos show how close we were to the animals. Each photo has part of a vehicle in it. If an elephant looked like it was about to charge at us, the guide would tell the elephant in an assertive voice to move along, or go away, the elephant always did as it was told. A female guide a week earlier had been pushed against a closed cabin door by a bull elephant with a tusk each side of the guide. She kept talking calmly to the elephant, and as he pushed harder she was forced through the door she was standing in front of that thankfully hadn't been locked.....The guide was having her first day back at work as we were on our safari and the other guides kept checking on her through the radio to make sure was alright.
CHOBE NATIONAL PARK
MALE LION CROSSING THE ROAD.
MANGWA VALLEY SAFARI LODGE
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KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
HYENA ON THE ROAD - KRUGER N.P.
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KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK
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VICTORIA FALLS - ZIMBABWE
As we came into the country, the staff on bag x-ray were preoccupied talking to another person on staff and didn't watch the bags going through.
There was no money in any of the ATM's.
Payment for work done in a job is put straight into the bank by rht employer. To receive a little of your pay you had to line up at the bank with lots of others and wait to go into the bank, one at a time, to be given a small portion of your pay.
Rooms were sprayed twice a day for mosquitoes at our accommodation.
There was no money in any of the ATM's.
Payment for work done in a job is put straight into the bank by rht employer. To receive a little of your pay you had to line up at the bank with lots of others and wait to go into the bank, one at a time, to be given a small portion of your pay.
Rooms were sprayed twice a day for mosquitoes at our accommodation.
VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE - ZIMBABWE
NOT MUCH WATER AT THE FALLS.
ON HIS KNEES EATING THE GRASS AROUND THE LODGE.
YES HE DID CHARGE AT US, OUR GUIDE JUST STAYED IN THE SAME SPOT AND TOLD THE ELEPHANT TO GO AWAY!!!!! IN A VERY STERN VOICE!!! AND IT DID!!!
OUR ROOM, THE DOOR IS ALWAYS LOCKED SO THE BABOONS DON'T COME IN.
BORDER GUARDS
GRASS ROOF AT VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE.
THIS PHOTO IS THE PICK OF THE LOT. Photo: Joshua Booyens.
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A VISITOR SHARING OUR BREAKFAST. I JUST HAPPENED TO SEE HIM AS I WAS GETTING FOOD.
THIS MAN WORKED A 12 HOUR SHIFT, WAVING TO EVERYONE AS THEY CAME AND WENT THROUGH THE GATE. ANIMAL WATCH ALSO I PRESUME.
MOTHER AND BABIES.
HIGH TEA IN ZIMBABWE. OUR FEARLESS LEADER ON THE RIGHT.
THE INSIDES WERE EATEN OUT OF THIS GIRAFFE
THE TOP OF VICTORIA FALLS. Photo:Joshua Booyens.
BREAKFAST VISITOR ON THE THATCHED ROOF.
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VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE- ZIMBABWE.
WOMEN CARRY HEAVY THINGS ON THEIR HEAD, THEY HAVE A SARONG, WRAPPED INTO A CIRCLE AS PADDING, PUT IT ON THEIR HEAD, THEN WHATEVER THEY ARE CARRYING ON TOP.
VULTURE AT VICTORIA FALLS SAFARI LODGE.
WE SAW THESE BUILDINGS AS WE APPROACHED OUR ACCOMMODATION, THEY LOOK LIKE THE OLD ACCOMMODATION.
FEEDING TIME FOR THE VULTURES.
DOOR MAN. GREETING AND HELPING.
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BOMA DINNER AND DRUM SHOW - ZIMBABWE
On arrival for dinner, we were given a sarong to put over our clothes, tied at our shoulder. At our table we were given a bowl to wash our hands individually, then poured a small African drink. Next an African man painted an animal on one cheek on our face. The food was smorgasbord accompanied by fabulous drumming, dancing and singing. Everyone in the room was given their own bongo drum and the room divided into 3 sections so we all competed against one another with drumming and singing. A fun fun night. They do this 7 nights a week!!
On arrival for dinner, we were given a sarong to put over our clothes, tied at our shoulder. At our table we were given a bowl to wash our hands individually, then poured a small African drink. Next an African man painted an animal on one cheek on our face. The food was smorgasbord accompanied by fabulous drumming, dancing and singing. Everyone in the room was given their own bongo drum and the room divided into 3 sections so we all competed against one another with drumming and singing. A fun fun night. They do this 7 nights a week!!
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CAPE TOWN
Cape Town, population 3,776,000, is in serious trouble with lack of water. They hadn't had their rainfall for the year (2017) and there were restrictions as the water was going to run out in a matter of months. This has now been revised until 2019 as the city is being more careful with water usage.
Security is high. In the unit we stayed we had a lock for the front gate, a lock on the front door, a lock on our room metal gate and a lock on the room door. I went to the bathroom in a pizza shop and the toilet cistern had metal bars around it like a cage.
We caught the hop on hop off Red Bus which took us all across Cape Town.
Cape Town, population 3,776,000, is in serious trouble with lack of water. They hadn't had their rainfall for the year (2017) and there were restrictions as the water was going to run out in a matter of months. This has now been revised until 2019 as the city is being more careful with water usage.
Security is high. In the unit we stayed we had a lock for the front gate, a lock on the front door, a lock on our room metal gate and a lock on the room door. I went to the bathroom in a pizza shop and the toilet cistern had metal bars around it like a cage.
We caught the hop on hop off Red Bus which took us all across Cape Town.
KALK BAY, ON THE WAY TO CAPE OF GOOD HOPE.
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CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
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SEASIDE DINING.
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TRYING TO KEEP SAFE IN DURBAN
Some African people told us while on our trip they would never go to Durban it is so unsafe. Every time we would go for a walk outside our accommodation we would have to ask where was safe for us to go. In Durban, we walked into the city from our accommodation (10 minutes) and went into a Department Store. An African lady came to help us and was asking where we were from. It is so unsafe she said. She can't take her wallet to work with her, she has to hide her ear rings and then put them on when she arrives at work as there are so many hijackings. She said "I want you both to go back to your accommodation and stay there and be safe". We didn't take this advice as we wanted to see as much as possible, it would take 20 minutes to walk to the beach, so we walked very fast, crossed the road every time we approached groups on the street. Came back before dark. Thankfully nothing ever happened. Durban has a 6 km beachfront very wide pathway along the edge of the beach. It is magnificent, people picnic, barbeque, cycle, run, walk, stroll, eat, we hired bicycles and rode to the end. Loved every second of it. We saw amazing street performers, avoided a protest, had a coffee. Loved to see the Africans in their groups, strolling and singing as they wandered along.
Some African people told us while on our trip they would never go to Durban it is so unsafe. Every time we would go for a walk outside our accommodation we would have to ask where was safe for us to go. In Durban, we walked into the city from our accommodation (10 minutes) and went into a Department Store. An African lady came to help us and was asking where we were from. It is so unsafe she said. She can't take her wallet to work with her, she has to hide her ear rings and then put them on when she arrives at work as there are so many hijackings. She said "I want you both to go back to your accommodation and stay there and be safe". We didn't take this advice as we wanted to see as much as possible, it would take 20 minutes to walk to the beach, so we walked very fast, crossed the road every time we approached groups on the street. Came back before dark. Thankfully nothing ever happened. Durban has a 6 km beachfront very wide pathway along the edge of the beach. It is magnificent, people picnic, barbeque, cycle, run, walk, stroll, eat, we hired bicycles and rode to the end. Loved every second of it. We saw amazing street performers, avoided a protest, had a coffee. Loved to see the Africans in their groups, strolling and singing as they wandered along.
SAND MODELLING ON DURBAN'S 6K OF BEAUTIFUL BEACH SIDE WALKWAY
A VERY SAFE WAY TO SEE THE CITY.
LIFEGUARD.
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STREET PERFORMERS.
OUR HOME FOR A FEW NIGHTS, USED TO BE A GENTLEMAN'S CLUB. ACTUALLY THE (NOW OLD) GENTLEMAN STILL CAME AND MET THERE, ALL DRESSED UP IN THEIR SUITS, BUT MEET IN ONE SECTION OF THE BUILDING.
SAND MODELLLING AT THE BEACH IN DURBAN. EVERYONE TRIES TO MAKE MONEY.
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STREET PERFORMERS ON THE 6K PATH BESIDE THE OCEAN.
OUR HOME FOR A FEW NIGHTS INSIDE THE GENTLEMAN'S CLUB. IT WAS MAGNIFICENT.
SAND MODELLING LARGE ENOUGH TO SIT ON.
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It is illegal to swim outside the flagged area.
A helicopter flew over every 3 minutes on shark watch.
A lot of people swim in their clothing.
Lots of females wore shower caps to swim.
A helicopter flew over every 3 minutes on shark watch.
A lot of people swim in their clothing.
Lots of females wore shower caps to swim.
KRUGER NATIONAL PARK 19,485 kilometers
HYENA WITH BABIES FEEDING
A FAMILY OF PIGS.
HYENAS ORIGINATED 22 MILLION YEARS AGO IN THE JUNGLES OF EURASIA.
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THE DUNG BEETLES ROLLING THE DUNG DOWN THE ROAD. THERE IS A STORY FURTHER DOWN THE PAGE.
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ADVENTURES WITH A DUNG BEETLE
The amazing dung beetle. it rolls the dung up into a ball, then rolls it along, until the correct ground softness is found to place the dung ball into to hide. Sometimes there is a female and a male beetle, one dragging and one on the back pushing the ball along. The beetles maate, then lay the egg inside the ball. Other animals locate the ball by hearing the lave eating the dung under the ground in the ball. Some beetles stay nearby to protect their lave. We were on safari and I was sitting in the front of the vehicle with the guide. He stopped the car and said he had seen a dung beetle ball being rolled along, he got out of the truck to look at the ball, as I was on the other side of the vehicle I couldn't see, so without thinking, I got out of the truck and went around the back to look at the dung beetles, the guide yelled at me to get back into the truck. How easy it is to forget about lions.
The amazing dung beetle. it rolls the dung up into a ball, then rolls it along, until the correct ground softness is found to place the dung ball into to hide. Sometimes there is a female and a male beetle, one dragging and one on the back pushing the ball along. The beetles maate, then lay the egg inside the ball. Other animals locate the ball by hearing the lave eating the dung under the ground in the ball. Some beetles stay nearby to protect their lave. We were on safari and I was sitting in the front of the vehicle with the guide. He stopped the car and said he had seen a dung beetle ball being rolled along, he got out of the truck to look at the ball, as I was on the other side of the vehicle I couldn't see, so without thinking, I got out of the truck and went around the back to look at the dung beetles, the guide yelled at me to get back into the truck. How easy it is to forget about lions.
MOZAMBIQUE - MAPUTO
Arriving at Mozambique airport, (now on our own), it took 3 hours to get through customs. Lining up, filling out forms, everyone had their photo taken, everyone had to be finger printed! This process took so long, they had closed down the carousel, one person from each couple had to go, escorted, and get their luggage from the carousel.
A cab driver (sick of waiting) came in and asked if anyone would need a cab, so another couple and ourselves decided to share the cab.
We dropped the other couple to their accommodation and then headed another 6 klm down the road to our Chinese accommodation.
Pushing open a massive sliding timber door to the courtyard we were told, in very broken english that we could not stay there, their plumbing was broken. By this time, it is nearly dark, we look at one another quite anxiously wondering what on earth we were going to do, but our Chinese host told us they would drive us to another place further down the road, they didn't speak any English at this new accommodation they said so they would come with us and translate and book us in. We squeeze into their little car and head a few minutes further along. They go in and sort everything out and come back out to tell us all is OK. The first room that was offered to us wasn't good, so we asked if they had anything else, we did get a room, very basic extremely small but ok. The Africans were so helpful and did speak a little English, enough to get by.
Next morning when we headed into breakfast, we were amazed to see the couple we had dropped off in the taxi, having breakfast at our accommodation. They had been told their room was double booked, so they were staying at the same place as we were!!!!! The town was in a bad way, footpaths all broken, everything needing repair. Very sad.
Arriving at Mozambique airport, (now on our own), it took 3 hours to get through customs. Lining up, filling out forms, everyone had their photo taken, everyone had to be finger printed! This process took so long, they had closed down the carousel, one person from each couple had to go, escorted, and get their luggage from the carousel.
A cab driver (sick of waiting) came in and asked if anyone would need a cab, so another couple and ourselves decided to share the cab.
We dropped the other couple to their accommodation and then headed another 6 klm down the road to our Chinese accommodation.
Pushing open a massive sliding timber door to the courtyard we were told, in very broken english that we could not stay there, their plumbing was broken. By this time, it is nearly dark, we look at one another quite anxiously wondering what on earth we were going to do, but our Chinese host told us they would drive us to another place further down the road, they didn't speak any English at this new accommodation they said so they would come with us and translate and book us in. We squeeze into their little car and head a few minutes further along. They go in and sort everything out and come back out to tell us all is OK. The first room that was offered to us wasn't good, so we asked if they had anything else, we did get a room, very basic extremely small but ok. The Africans were so helpful and did speak a little English, enough to get by.
Next morning when we headed into breakfast, we were amazed to see the couple we had dropped off in the taxi, having breakfast at our accommodation. They had been told their room was double booked, so they were staying at the same place as we were!!!!! The town was in a bad way, footpaths all broken, everything needing repair. Very sad.
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LOTS OF DRAMA LEAVING AFRICA
Two hours late boarding the plane. While waiting, I met a lovely African entertainer named Munyaradzi Nyamarebvu he nearly missed his plane as we were having a great time talking. An announcement was made that our bags were to be searched, told to line up behind a desk that was placed at the entrance to two rows of seats, we were supposed to go into the area between the seats after being checked, but as it was only seats people could just walk around and there wasn't any checking about who was and wasn't going on the flight, it was a useless exercise. It was raining hard while boarding the plane and we had to walk out in the open, so everyone was wet. After boarding we were told we wouldn't be departing as there were engine problems, an hour later the passengers were getting hot, stairs were brought to the back of the plane and the door opened, but no one allowed to leave. Passengers were asking to get off the plane. People were sitting on the floor at the door trying to get some fresh air and stay cool. Next we were told there was an electrical problem. More waiting, then they announced that because the plane had been running the air conditioning while stopped, that the motor had pushed fuel into an area that shouldn't have fuel in it and the fuel was pouring out of the compartment and down onto the tarmac. Passengers who could see what was happening said it was pouring out. Please don't panic when you see the fire brigade coming as they are going to mop up the fuel off the tarmac the announcer said. The fire brigade arrived, hundreds of us still on board the plane, and they cleaned up the mess. So, 4 hours late, we were ready for takeoff and our 13 hour flight to Australia.
Two hours late boarding the plane. While waiting, I met a lovely African entertainer named Munyaradzi Nyamarebvu he nearly missed his plane as we were having a great time talking. An announcement was made that our bags were to be searched, told to line up behind a desk that was placed at the entrance to two rows of seats, we were supposed to go into the area between the seats after being checked, but as it was only seats people could just walk around and there wasn't any checking about who was and wasn't going on the flight, it was a useless exercise. It was raining hard while boarding the plane and we had to walk out in the open, so everyone was wet. After boarding we were told we wouldn't be departing as there were engine problems, an hour later the passengers were getting hot, stairs were brought to the back of the plane and the door opened, but no one allowed to leave. Passengers were asking to get off the plane. People were sitting on the floor at the door trying to get some fresh air and stay cool. Next we were told there was an electrical problem. More waiting, then they announced that because the plane had been running the air conditioning while stopped, that the motor had pushed fuel into an area that shouldn't have fuel in it and the fuel was pouring out of the compartment and down onto the tarmac. Passengers who could see what was happening said it was pouring out. Please don't panic when you see the fire brigade coming as they are going to mop up the fuel off the tarmac the announcer said. The fire brigade arrived, hundreds of us still on board the plane, and they cleaned up the mess. So, 4 hours late, we were ready for takeoff and our 13 hour flight to Australia.