My 2025 A to Z theme is Airports, Airstrips, Aircraft, and Airlines I’ve known and flown with. I’ll be using IATA codes where they’re available. My inner travel agent emerges at this point as I’m the FTO (family travel organiser) and now, the online travel agent.
UAS Samburu Oryx or Samburu Buffalo Springs? Kenya, Africa
There is some conflicting information about this airstrip in the Samburu National Reserve as there are/were three operating in the area. Oryx was closest to Elephant Bedroom Camp where we stayed, and its where I documented we’d landed. Air Kenya announced they’d be flying into Samburu Oryx from June 2013, a few months before we visited.
Oryx airstrip appears to have been closed in the meantime and they are using a code KE-0183.
We can say we had a great time at Samburu despite our reservations about going in the aftermath of the Westgate attack in Nairobi. On 22 September I said this on Facebook: looking more like a terrorist attack at nearby Westgate mall in Nairobi. The helicopters have finally stopped after about 7 hours. There are stlll people trapped/held hostage andthe death toll keeps rising. feels frivolous to be going off on safari again tomorrow and leaving daughters here.
On a cheerier note, on 24 September I said: It is 9:30pm and there is an elephant snacking on a tree outside our (elevated) tent. Luckily the two lionesses stayed on the other side of the river tonight. Have had great animal sightings at Elephant Bedroom Camp especially close-ups of cheetah and leopards and the greater Kudu, and enjoyed an unexpected subdowner drinks near the river this evening, followed yet again by a great dinner. Samburu National Park rocks!
United Airlines
It was our first flight with United Airlines in 1992 when we were introduced to gaining and using flight points, thanks to a gentleman on the flight with us between Brisbane and Sydney. We may not be the greatest at accruing flight points but we do use points achieved elsewhere regularly.
I’m not totally sure if we flew with them on the New York to Las Vegas leg via Denver.
LAS Harry Reid International Airport, Las Vegas, Utah, USA
I know many others love visiting Vegas, but we loathed it. The start of our dislike was the presence of multiple one-armed-bandits (aka pokie machines) everywhere in the airport and the hotels. Then we asked nearby where we might find a bookshop. The staff were bewildered as if they’d never heard of a book. We were super speedy when offered an early flight out of LAS to LAX and were proud on the airport bus that we were not only the only ones not to lose any money, but not having spent any on gambling. We’re not usually that puritanical but we spent our time there muttering “Sodom and Gomorrah”. We may have cut our noses off to spite our faces as we might have enjoyed seeing the bling of the casinos and perhaps a show. Honestly, we’d never have gone if it hadn’t been the gateway to the Grand Canyon.
Have you ever gone on safari in Africa? Did you love where you stayed and what you saw? Have you visited Las Vegas? Are you a love-it or loathe-it person? Is United Airlines one of your favourite airlines?
Family history across the seas 
Never been to las Vegas or on a safari. Delta is what I usually flew when I flew.
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You didn’t miss much with Las Vegas IMO 😉
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I would love to go on a safari! We have been to Vegas and once was enough. We did enjoy seeing the way some of the hotels are decorated and we did enjoy a show, but we have no desire to go back. I remember seeing the advertisements for prostitutes pasted inside a bus stop!! Even though once was enough for Mark and me, our son and daughter-in-law and their friendgroup LOVE Vegas and they go a couple of times a year.
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I’m a teeny, tiny bit sorry that we didn’t go and at least look at the bling of the lights and see what shows were on. Perhaps it was such a change after the Grand Canyon which made it seem worse. Not that this would make me go back. I do know a lot of people love it, like your family and their friends,
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Offering up USH – Ushuaia today. A bit of a frontier town at the end of the world but a gateway to some magnificent scenic spots. As it’s the port of departure for many Antarctic cruises it’s assured of clientele.
Yes, we hare fortunate to have done a few safaris in Africa. We hopped around in Cessna Caravans and another tiny aircraft, I don’t know if the airstrips we touched down in had IATA codes.
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USH is an excellent one! I’d loved to have made it there and head to Antarctica. Some small airstrips have ICAO codes, not IATA.
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PS We loved Las Vegas, it’s a window into an alien world.
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It sure felt alien to us!
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We chose to go to Las Vegas in January 1978 because we had a Fly Around ticket which did not include Florida or New Orleans so we opted for Vegas in the hope it would be warmer than New York. They lost our luggage so I spent three days in the same dress and boots. We stayed in a small hotel, did no gambling but went to see a show called “Bare Touch of Vegas”. Everything else was booked out. We drove out into the desert but decided against going to the Grand Canyon as we couldn’t afford it ( very big regret. I’m sure we could have managed it). So that was Las Vegas.
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I think having those experiences in Vegas would have done my head in. What a shame to miss the Grand Canyon…but there’s still time.
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We have been back to America another two times but doubt we will go again or see the Grand Canyon.
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I have visited Las Vegas but it was on a family trip when I was very young and at that time, we drove from Los Angeles to Vegas. I remember walking down the strip and all the bright lights. I think once was enough for me, it’s not my kind of city.
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I’d imagine all the sparkling lights would appeal to a child.
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It just felt crowded was my memory of it LOL
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