On the Road Again--Flying from Gombe

As I was planning my move from Bauchi to Sokoto, I was informed that I didn't have to make the 3-4 hour drive to the Kano airport.  Instead , I could fly from Gombe, whose airport was just an hour from Bauchi. Now Bauchi is much larger than Gombe, but doesn't have a commercial airport.  As a matter of fact, Gombe was part of Bauchi state until 1996 when it was divided out to become an independent state.  It seems that Gombe is a center of commerce and business travel sustains the airport. 

I asked about making reservations and was told not to worry. My ticket could be purchased at the airport.  It helps, though, to know someone who knows someone. The admin asst made a phone call and when my colleague and I got to the airport we showed ID and were directed to an office where an agent was paid (cash only!) and he wrote (yes, hand wrote) my ticket.  The 1:00 Air Nigeria flight to Abuja landed in Gombe around 2:30.  I joined the line of women for the final security check before going out onto the tarmac and identifying my luggage so that it could be put on the plane.

We took of a little after 3.  The flight had been delayed by the high winds of the Harmattan. After landed in Abuja, there was about a 45 minute ride to the Chida hotel where I had to spend the night because there are no late afternoon flights to Sokoto.  


I traveled with a colleague who was returning to Bauchi the next day.  We were out early the next morning in order to go to the Sheraton to buy tickets for our flights.  Unfortunately the airline he needed to take back to Bauchi did not have an office in the hotel.  There was plenty of time to get to the airport.


I was on my own to travel to Sokoto, with one big problem--my luggage was overweight. I was traveling with books and files and "stuff" to sustain me for the  six weeks or so.  What wasn't an issue in Gombe because two of us were traveling, was going to cost me around 8,000 Naira-- or about 6,000 more than I had to pay.  With a little negotiation and shifting, I carried on one bag and paid a reduced rate for the other. The flight departed about two hours after the scheduled departure time.