South Africa → America · 2026

We’re on our way.

A small family journal of airport windows, sleepy moments, unexpected meals and all the places in between.

2 dispatches5 keepsakesParis layover
A woman and a smiling child seated together in an aeroplane cabin.
Somewhere over EuropeDAY 02
The reel

Little moments, kept close.

For a quick catch-up: photographs and short films from the road. Press play and travel with us.

12 sec
A quiet window seat and a wing over Paris at dawn.
A woman and a smiling child seated together in an aeroplane cabin.DAY 02
IN THE AIR
Finding a little comfort at 35,000 feet.
15 sec
Charles de Gaulle’s glowing concourse, just before the next flight.
A child asleep across aeroplane seats during the flight.
Samuel slept well enough for all three of us.
The family with their luggage at O. R. Tambo International Airport, ready to depart for America.
At O. R. Tambo: the journey finally begins.
The journal

Stories worth the longer read.

Honest dispatches from the family, written while the details are still fresh.

Touchdown in Paris

We’ve just landed in Paris after a good flight overall. Sleeping was a challenge, though I’m not sure how much sleep I actually managed to get. Samuel, on the other hand, slept well enough for all three of us. The main disappointment was the food. The low-fat options — and even the children’s meals — didn’t look particularly appetising. The chocolate mousse dessert was not bad, but it had an odd strawberry addition that made it feel less like the proper rich chocolate mousse one expects. Charles de Gaulle Airport immediately feels much bigger and more modern than O.R. Tambo. We had to use a train-bus transfer between sections of the airport, which was surprisingly bumpy. For something at an airport of this scale, I expected a smoother, more automated experience — but it felt as though the driver was still mastering acceleration and braking. We have about a three-and-a-half-hour layover before continuing with Delta Airlines. Franli found the service on this flight disappointing, especially compared with previous experiences where food arrived faster and was better. I did not have a benchmark, so it did not bother me as much. It will be interesting to compare the service as we fly with different airlines throughout the trip. A small win: free airport Wi-Fi. My first international purchase has also been made — a small deodorant for €6. A bit excessive, but when in Rome… or, in this case, Paris.

A woman and a smiling child seated together in an aeroplane cabin.
One for the postcard collection.
A child asleep across aeroplane seats during the flight.
The best kind of travel companion.
Posted by Jaco · Paris layover

The day finally arrived

After all the planning, the day is finally here. Looking back, the whole process has actually been very cool — even with a few bumps along the way. First came the passports. We could not get the online bookings to cooperate, so Home Affairs in Maitland became the plan. On my first visit, they were only taking the first ten walk-ins and I arrived too late. The next time, I was there at six in the morning with my camp chair — first in line. Once they opened, it was surprisingly quick: about forty-five minutes and we were sorted. Three days later, our passports were ready. Then came the visas. The online forms were a bit of a mission and timed out once, which meant starting over, but the actual process was shockingly quick. Having our little boy with us helped too, and we were assisted very quickly. Today, Godwin took us to the airport at around 2pm. We arrived almost four hours before the flight, just to be safe, but everything has been wonderfully smooth — from check-in and bag drop to boarding gates and passport control. Right now, we are about to step onto the biggest aeroplane I have ever flown on: an Airbus A350. America, here we come.

The family with their luggage at O. R. Tambo International Airport, ready to depart for America.
Ready to go.
Posted by Jaco · O. R. Tambo International Airport