Rhinos in the Cargo
So I’m in the bunks in crew rest once again, unable to sleep. I’m so tired, but my mind doesn’t let me rest in the bunks (to be fair, it was like this before the op). I’m too aware I’m on a plane and just remembered I didn’t bring a gin and tonic to 36D or a black coffee to a lady in red… whoops. The only times I’ve slept in the bunk in my flying history are when I’ve come back from partying too hard in Vegas/Bangkok/Singapore (when I haven’t slept on the layover and am borderline ill). On the way to Rio, if anyone has any tips…
So as I’m on a plane… let’s talk more about a few plane experiences I’ve had. I want to start by telling you about my first long-haul flight with Etihad. I was on the way home from Johannesburg (I had lovely steak and wine, of course, and side note, people that order their steak well done … like my mum, we can’t be friends 😉). We boarded the Airbus 330. We were notified that we had four rhinos in the cargo, I thought this was pretty damn cool, and I asked the ground staff to take my phone and take pictures of them. So I do have pics if you want to see them, but it means charging my old phone, which is back in my flat that I’ve not moved out of properly yet.
Anyway, there were these school boys on the flight, and as they boarded, I was so excited (I can’t keep a secret for shit so don’t tell me anything if I can’t even tell one person). I told this 15-year-old boy, ‘How cool is this? We have four rhinos in the cargo’. He looked at me a bit puzzled and didn’t say anything else (hard to please 15-year-olds these days).
During the cruise, when we were in the cabin serving food with our immaculate lipstick and not a baby hair out of place (I say this as Etihad used to make us stop in the middle of service and put lipstick on if it was rubbing off - BA well a lot of us don’t even start with lipstick on). There was a big bang on the side of the aircraft a few hours in, and we tilted a bit, everyone had a bit of a high-pitched woah (not quite a scream). We heard the captain over the PA make an announcement which we knew meant that it was serious and to go back to our stations. I ran my cart to the back galley and started crying, saying WHY ME? I thought, how unlucky is this on my first long-haul flight (I do feel sorry for myself very quickly, I’ve realised). We were informed that possibly one of the rhinos had escaped and could cause damage to the aircraft. Hence, we were to prepare the cabin for an emergency landing in Egypt and under no circumstances tell people we had rhinos in the cargo. I just froze at that moment, it literally took a couple of minutes for me to move once I digested what was happening, and then I remembered I told the 15-year-old boy (oh f*ck!). I went straight up to him and said - what I told you wasn’t true earlier, and do not repeat it to anyone. Luckily he didn’t care and just shrugged - asked for a Coke. (I think he didn’t speak English… my luck is turning now, phew).
The captain made some announcements about having loose cargo, and as a precaution, we had to land in Egypt. It was all very calm and I probably was the most scared on the aircraft (I’d like to think I’d be a bit more chilled now). We landed, and when whoever went to inspect it, the bigger Rhino had woken up. Luckily he hadn’t escaped his cage and just needed re sedating. I can’t imagine how traumatic it must have been for him, and I really don’t like to imagine it. We continued on without drama although on landing we could hear some noise from one again but made it in one piece.
Other things I’ve had in the cargo that I can remember are; a lot of Gold, Human organs being transported, dead bodies, cargo full of flowers, taking salmon to the States often, horses, weapons and cute doggies. (I hate hearing them barking from the cabin.. breaks my heart). I might be ready to do the blog on my Kelsey soon.
So from this story, I take away that - I don’t need to freak out if there is an emergency (potentially). The captain doesn’t always tell the whole truth to everyone (but at your best interest), and 15-year-old boys don’t give a shit about anything other than a Coca Cola!
xBx
P.S. I forgot to give him his Coke! 😂