Photos: Baby and I aboard Ethiopian flight: Addis to Pointe Noire

Cosmopolitanism best describes being aboard a flight – more so, an international one. I was aboard Ethiopian in early July 2018 from Ethiopia heading to the Republic of Congo.

More often than not, who sits close to you in an aeroplane is not for you to determine – at least I can say so for the economy class. Be they African, American, Asian, Arab or Australian.

Point is, you have to ‘entertain’ each other at that moment – for all it’s worth we all dished out as much as the other to secure our seats.

I particularly remember offering to switch seats with a father who needed to be close to his three kids. Daddy was to sit at the far back, whiles the boys and girl were in the middle. But this piece is more about a baby on board.

Having survived the laborious Addis Ababa Bole International check-in processes, there I was luckily with a seat close to the window. I needed shots of the skies and aerial views of Addis Ababa, Brazzaville and Pointe Noire – my final destination.

Not long before I found that my seat section will have only two passengers, myself and one granny, Congolese I surmised. The middle seat was unoccupied.

But right in front of us, an air hostess offered three seats stretch to a mother with her baby and that baby and I had a blast of sorts – teasing, smiling, cooing and gesturing intermittently. Here below: Captioned photos of our close to five-hour ‘aerial exchanges’ – Me and baby, on mom’s blindside. 

We had just taken to the skies with Addis Ababa down below

Then I spotted baby keeping mommy busy, they had ALL three seats to 'emselves

Wasn't long before baby started looking my way as she fidgeted with armrest 

Gave mom a hard time intermittently stopping by to hala at me ... uncle as always waved back

Oops! Then mom lifted the armrest and 'cut' communication. But she came even closer as she was passed to spend time with granny, seated next to me.

Back to base, armrest down and last leg of our muted communication continued unabated.

Before long, the skies of Pointe Noire beckoned, descent and disembarkment - sadly. Didn't ask for baby's name from mom, our little friendship was enough. LOL.