Two hours to Cotonou

By Edmund Smith-Asante

This is Cotonou

At approximately 9:30pm on Sunday, the Air Cote d’Ivoire aircraft, flight HF522, took off at the Kotoka International Airport, bound for Cotonou, Benin.

Being my first time to the Benin capital, I naturally looked forward to arriving in that country just next door, and knew it was going to be a very short flight.

Although my ticket indicated we were to spend 50 minutes from Accra to Cotonou, I was not surprised when the captain of the aircraft said flight time was estimated at 35 minutes.

It is because I guessed the other 15 minutes was for any delay in departure and arrival.

Imagine my surprise therefore; when on arrival and taxing to our allocated space at the Cotonou airport, a member of the cabin crew announced it was 11:23pm Benin time.

What! I whispered to my self. I passed it off; thinking the lady who made the announcement had made a mistake. But she actually gave us the right time, as I was to find out later.

The reason for the almost two hour flight was that Benin is ahead of Ghana by an hour, I was to learn to my surprise.

Just a country (Togo) between us and a one hour time difference – unbelievable! I muttered.

Small airport

I noticed on arrival too that Benin’s international airport is smaller in size and undergoing a face lift. With three booths but only two operational, we checked in with the immigration officers, picked our luggage and exited to a waiting mini bus from the hotel we would be lodging at for the workshop I am attending.

Not without some heartache though. I have always wondered how and why there is always the case of a passenger whose luggage did not arrive or cannot be found.

When will all this stop, especially in Africa? A colleague from Sierra Leone, who boarded earlier, could not find her luggage when we arrived. She was told by airline staff that apparently her luggage was not put on the plane after all. Hmm! But why? Only time would tell.

This has happened to me twice and I wonder if it is sheer ineptitude or negligence of duty or both of them. The inconveniences that go with this can be imagined.

At the Azalai Hotel

The Azalai Hotel's poolside view from the restaurant

I was and am still impressed though, with the hotel, which looks like a recent addition to the hospitality industry in Cotonou. I am yet to taste their cuisine proper though, save for the normal French buffet breakfast of juices, different bread, cheese etc.

But it is quite plush, comfortable and has a very nice view over the Atlantic Ocean. It is in fact a beach hotel.

I slept late but soundly and it has virtually been a calm day spent indoors. Looking forward to some action and excitement, as the workshop on communication, advocacy and monitoring WASH commitments essentially by African states kicks off in earnest tomorrow.

The little I have seen of Cotonou tells me it’s not a bad place and high rise buildings are a common site. Hope to enjoy this lovely Beninese city.

Did I tell you I have not drank water since I arrived? Not even on the plane which offered nothing but water to passengers which nobody obviously, was interested in. No water to welcome a guest – what a shock! Guess I could have poured myself a glass at breakfast. Well I guess I should just take a bottle of water from the mini bar in my room and account for that later with some CFA abi. No bi so?

Read more on my experience in subsequent write ups from here.