The Joys of Travel
Travel Challenge #1
I wrote last week about the challenge I had getting from
Memphis to Dulles airport, a trip that ended up taking fifteen hours and
included several delays and a diversion from the planned stopover in Houston to
Baton Rouge. Little did I know that would be the first of several challenges
our team had during the week.
Travel Challenge #2
I also wrote about the suitcase that got lost on the way to
Kombolcha from Addis, ironically the only suitcase we had to pay for because of
the extra bags we had. Fortunately, that one came in the next day but cost
Cassidy the chance to meet the mother of the child she sponsors.
I’ll come back to
travel challenges in a bit. (insert cliffhanger music here)
We woke up early Saturday morning for a quick team picture
before heading to the airport for a quick flight back to Addis Ababa. Last
year, our flight back to Addis got canceled and we had to make quick
arrangements for a long, adventurous drive that involved a driver who had been
up all night and other adventures. Scroll back through this blog to see a
description of that adventure. Fortunately, although there was a slight delay,
we were able to make it back to Addis in very short time (it’s an eight hour
drive, but a one hour flight).
Travel Challenge #3
As we were waiting for our luggage, a representative from
Ethiopian Airlines walked over and started talking to Abigail. There was a look
on her face that did not give me confidence of good news. And I was right. Because
of the weight of the airplane, the luggage had been left behind in Kombolcha.
It would be on the next flight, and we would have to return to get it.
When I heard this news, I laughed out loud. This week has
been full of curve balls, and this was just another one. Fortunately, it was
relatively minor as we didn’t have anything in the suitcases that we couldn’t
do without for a few hours. We just hoped that the suitcases would indeed be on
that second flight.
I’ll come back to
travel challenges in a bit. (insert cliffhanger music here)
After a very light walk to the parking lot to be picked up
in the van, we went back to the guest house for lunch and then drove to Mt.
Entoto. Mt. Entoto is a high peak on the outskirts of Addis that used to be the
summer home of the emperor. Since we didn’t get to drive back to Addis, we
wanted to make sure the first timers got a chance to see a bit of rural
countryside and not just urban areas. It also gave us a chance to get a break
from the dust and smells of the cities as the air at the top of Mt. Entoto is
noticeably cooler and cleaner. We decided not to go to the museum as we had
dinner plans that evening and needed to return to the airport for our luggage.
Instead, Zelalem had the van stop to let us out. He led us on a short hike down
the mountain a bit. The path was rocky with loose gravel and we had to
concentrate to keep our footing as we walked down a part of the mountain.
Meanwhile, a few kids scampered quickly behind us, having no problems with the
same path. I’m sure they were laughing at us (in fact, I’m quite positive they
were laughing at us).
At the bottom of the path stood three armed policemen (armed
with pretty serious looking rifles). A few women and their children were
selling baskets and baboon hats, and three other women were running down the road
with must have been 100 pounds each of eucalyptus trees strapped on their
backs. We were warned not to take pictures of the women as they would ask for
money if they saw you taking their picture.
Turns out the guards were there because there had been some
problems with tourists being robbed, so we had no problem standing close to
them! (We have a photo of Daniel being held with a similarly armed guard at the
Addis airport in 2008.) The view from where we were standing was a magnificently
framed view of the Addis Ababa skyline. It was a jaw dropping view, with the
many high rises and sprawling city highlighted by the late afternoon sun. Max
asked Zelalam if it would be okay to fly his drone. Zelalem in turn conferred
with guards who said it would be okay.
Everyone around us were curious about the contraption as Max
unpacked and prepared the drone for takeoff. I’ll never forget the squeals of
delight and how quickly the kids scampered backwards when it first took off. We
all watched, entranced, as Max guided the drone away to get shots of the city.
The hero of the day award goes to Zelalem. As we continued
our trek down to where our van was parked, I stopped to take some photos. As I
pulled the camera out of the bag, the lens cap fell off and rolled down the
hillside into the bushes. I, personally, would have let it go as I had little
desire to jump the couple of feet down off the road and hillside into the brush
to retrieve it. Zelalem, though, without pausing, jumped down to get it.
Thanks, Zelalem!!!
We got back in the van, drove down the rest of the hill to
the airport, retrieved our bags without incident, and returned to the guest
house.
Saturday night we went to a “cultural dinner.” Lori and I have done this before and as soon as Alex suggested it I knew the group would enjoy it. At the restaurant, patrons are served traditional Ethiopian food while being entertained with traditional Ethiopian music and dancing. If you have never seen Ethiopian dancing, look it up on YouTube. If you saw Black Panther, you’ll recognize
some of it. There’s this thing the dancers do with their chests and shoulders that are pretty amazing.
Finally, we returned to the guest house to retire for the
evening.
On Sunday we attended church and headed off for shopping.
Shopping included coffee, tea, berbere, and souvenirs. I’m not a big fan of
shopping but we sell the coffee to help raise money for next year’s trip, the
berbere was for a good friend, and I always find something unique in the
souvenirs and also like bringing stuff back for friends and family. My
suitcases will smell like coffee for a month! I’m surprised I didn’t get questioned
about the amount I had as I was going through customs as you could definitely detect
the smells wafting from my luggage.
Back at the hotel we had dinner, said our good-byes, and
headed to the airport for a long and uneventful journey back to the United
States.
Travel Challenge #4,
in two parts
Leading up to me making reservations for the trip, I was
working on the logistics of a) getting back to the U.S., b) moving Michael out
of his dorm, and c) getting to Massachusetts for Allison’s graduation from
Smith College. When I made the reservation, the plan was to fly to Newark on
Monday, check in at a hotel for some sleep and move Michael out on Tuesday,
drive with him to Massachusetts, and attend Allison’s graduation on Sunday (Lori
and the three Tennessee kids would fly up Wednesday). Plans kept on changing
until Michael’s schedule settled in such a way that he finished last Friday so
had his girlfriend come down to help. Since airlines charge a lot of money to
change a ticket (ahem, United), I still flew to Newark and am now on the train
from the Newark airport to Springfield where Allison will pick me up. I tried
to change my flight this morning, but the plane to Hartford was full. So, I sat
at the airport, watching the Hartford bound plane pull back from the gate.
Meanwhile my New Jersey plane was delayed 45 minutes, which is fine as I had plenty of time, but given my concern about jet lag. I didn’t
like not having forward motion.
The other logistic I was trying to work had to do with
luggage. Turns out Michael has another exam tomorrow, but didn’t want to stay
on campus for three days for that one test, so drove back to Massachusetts,
returning this afternoon to spend the night on campus so he could finish up tomorrow.
I had planned on meeting him at the Newark airport train station so he could
take a couple of my suitcases, giving me two fewer bags to schlep on the train.
There is a light rail that connects the airport to the train station so I
headed there and asked one of the workers where I could meet Michael. She told
me there is no parking or dropoff directly at the station. Instead I had to return
to the last stop, the parking garage to have him meet me there. I hop on the
train and at the same time call Michael to meet me at the parking garage. His first
request was for an address, which I didn’t have.
Oh, and my phone battery was at 4%, and the train to Springfield is leaving in 30 minutes.
I get to the parking garage, send Michael my location, and
ask a worker the best place for him to meet me. Her response that the garage is
only for valet parking and if I want to meet Michael I need to go to the
airport terminal. I explain to her the situation and she helps me find a place
to meet. I give Michael new instructions. I also tell him that the train is
coming in twenty minutes so if he’s not there in 12, we’re going to bag the
plans and I’ll take all of the suitcases with me.
Battery: 3%. Screen goes dim to save power, dim enough that
I can’t see the screen without covering it with my hand.
With about four minutes to go, Michael
texts me that he sees the signs for the parking garage and in another minute
Michael and his friend Ben pull up. I barely say hello and thank you, point at
the bags that he should take, and run back inside the building to get back on
the light rail over to the train station.
Battery at 1%. Whew! And I made the train.
Battery at 1%. Whew! And I made the train.
So, the travel wasn’t without its challenges, but every trip
has had its travel challenges. I don’t think you can schedule a trip this
complex without some unknown variables being thrown in. And even though it may
seem I’m whining about the challenges, at the end of the day, they add to the excitement
of the trip. I’ll also say that I would deal with challenges even more complex
in order to get to and from Ethiopia. The long travel and every one of the
challenges are more than worth it for the week I get to spend with these children
and young adults who have benefitted so much from sponsorship. I can’t wait for
next year!
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| This year's team. |
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