July 2021. Germany. Frankfurt airport. The man at the check-in looks at me puzzled and turns the screen towards me. He shows me the sentence I came across a few days ago: German citizens are not allowed to enter Senegal. I pause for a moment and let my eyes wander over the screen.
Now I am standing there. With 30kg of luggage. Oh, what am I saying. Even more. Including my roller skates, which I’ve missed all this time travelling. And my musical instrument that fits in my hand luggage. Also something I longed for when travelling.
As I am not surprised by the message of the gentleman at the check-in, I leave him the time to read about the “current entry regulations to Senegal”. I leave myself the time to pull out the ace up my sleeve if necessary. He continues as he greeted me – with a smile and a little joke on his lips: “Well, someone should understand what they write there. Of course, no one can enter the country without a valid passport. The document must be valid for at least six months. That applies to you. Wonderful.” Since I don’t want to dwell on this topic any longer, I add: “And I also need a negative PCR test to enter the country. Here you go.” I also keep smiling and present him with the negative news, which is positive news these days. Then the man starts a little anecdote: “That’s really pleasing to see that negative on your test result. Only last week there was a man who showed us a positive test result. He couldn’t understand why we didn’t let him on the plane. You can imagine what was going on here then.” We laugh together while he prepares the flight tickets. It’s always nice when people show a touch of humour in their work. And also always nice when the information is laid out in such a way that everything works out. With the flight tickets, it`s time to go to the gate and then, unfortunately with a little diversions, to Senegal.
I’m on the plane. Phew. If the man was in a completely different mood, he could refuse me the flight. What a stroke of lucky. Because it is actually forbidden for European citizens (not only Germans) to travel to Senegal. Europe currently prohibits Senegal from doing so. Senegal reacts and turns the tables. And suddenly the penny drops as I play with these thoughts: This is why there is no direct flight! Inconveniently, the flight goes to Dubai, change planes there, land in Conakry in between, and then finally fly towards Dakar. An extremely long journey lies ahead. Long, but not boring.
It is pleasant on the plane. Seats are left out. Couples sit together and the third seat in the row remains empty. Nothing with overcrowded planes. Not like the rest of which are fully booked. According to the pilot’s announcement, the air in the whole plane is renewed within three minutes. This first flight goes overnight. The body notices this too and I fall asleep.
The skyline of Dubai could be a confused dream. But indeed, quite crazy to see the skyscrapers rising into the morning sky. And these peninsulas adorned with huge buildings, their windows twinkling like morning stars. Electric stars. Or like a string of lights laid wildly across the buildings.
United Arab Emirates. Dubai. Barely landed and now walking briskly to the next plane. People are already queuing to get on the plane. At the gate, they are checked again and even screened. People who want to go to Senegal must either have a Senegalese passport or an “invitation” from the Senegalese embassy. And of course a negative test. I have the test. But none of the other two documents that are required. Well, let’s see what happens. There is still the ace up my sleeve. It is my turn. But even with the ace (my husband’s employment contract) I can’t get on the plane. It goes to another counter. To the airport staff, who probably take care of the “hardship cases”.
To be continued.
