She's over there. I'm going to get her. Two days of airports is worth it. I'm going to Africa. Ethiopia to be precise. I'm not saving the world this time around, I'm leaving that one up to my wife, which could be considered a pattern at this point. She's a third year OB/GYN resident, giving up three weeks of her life to the Gondar University Hospital. I'm joining for the end.
Portland to Newark. Newark to Frankfurt. Frankfurt to Addis Ababa. Addis Ababa to Gondar. Leaving Sunday morning. Getting there Tuesday morning. No problem, except for the massive head cold. I'll be gone for two weeks and I've streamlined the packing. One main backpack (courtesy of Mike). One small over the shoulder (courtesy of Brian). I am seated in a regular isle (not the usual exit I luck into) and the fattest man on the plane is in front of me. Did I mention my runny nose?
Things I wonder on this trip ...
Will Ethiopia blow my mind more than Thailand?
Will I adopt more or less than a dozen children?
Will my surgically repaired knee hold up?
Will the $500 in cash I brought with me make it all the way?
Will my wife notice I lost 15 pounds?
Will Amsterdam steal the show at the end of the trip?
Sit back, relax and ponder while I "enjoy" the flight.
Ethiopia - Day Two
Almost there.
The flights ... While sitting behind the fat man, my ears closed up due to the cold, plus my next flight (Newark to Frankfurt) was cancelled. So things started out poorly. Then, because the universe decided to was crapping on me long enough, things changed. I got the next flight four hours later, a free dinner courtesy of Lufthansa at the airport, exit rows, slept, watched "The Tourist" (not bad), and watched "Burlesque" (not good). The best news, I thought my flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa (from now on, just called Addis) was 14 hours. Why did I think this? Because I misread the "total flight time." I was convinced I was getting ready for an insanely long flight, until the pilot announced a six-hour flight. Looking at a map, six hours makes much more sense.
I arrived at the airport and zipped through customs. A driver tells me it will be $12 (U.S.) to the hotel I knew of. Everything I had been told about the country made me think this was extraordinarly high. I scanned my options. There were none. Only one taxi drive. I got him down to $10 and we were off to the Meridian Hotel. Lisa knew someone who had stayed there, and said to was cheaper than her place. She didn't tell me how much though. I arrived yet I saw no name on the hotel. I thought my driver was trying to scam me (something similar happened in Thailand), but then the manager pointed to a regular old piece of paper that had the word "Meridian" printed on it, so I guess I was in the right place. He showed me one room and said $82. It was huge and very old. I explained I didn't need something that size, so he showed me the only other one, $67. Fine, sold. Very odd that everyone is looking at me and talking in U.S. dollars instead of Ethiopian birr. Four hours of terrible sleep. Seeing Lisa in 3.5 hours. Can't wait.
The flights ... While sitting behind the fat man, my ears closed up due to the cold, plus my next flight (Newark to Frankfurt) was cancelled. So things started out poorly. Then, because the universe decided to was crapping on me long enough, things changed. I got the next flight four hours later, a free dinner courtesy of Lufthansa at the airport, exit rows, slept, watched "The Tourist" (not bad), and watched "Burlesque" (not good). The best news, I thought my flight from Frankfurt to Addis Ababa (from now on, just called Addis) was 14 hours. Why did I think this? Because I misread the "total flight time." I was convinced I was getting ready for an insanely long flight, until the pilot announced a six-hour flight. Looking at a map, six hours makes much more sense.
I arrived at the airport and zipped through customs. A driver tells me it will be $12 (U.S.) to the hotel I knew of. Everything I had been told about the country made me think this was extraordinarly high. I scanned my options. There were none. Only one taxi drive. I got him down to $10 and we were off to the Meridian Hotel. Lisa knew someone who had stayed there, and said to was cheaper than her place. She didn't tell me how much though. I arrived yet I saw no name on the hotel. I thought my driver was trying to scam me (something similar happened in Thailand), but then the manager pointed to a regular old piece of paper that had the word "Meridian" printed on it, so I guess I was in the right place. He showed me one room and said $82. It was huge and very old. I explained I didn't need something that size, so he showed me the only other one, $67. Fine, sold. Very odd that everyone is looking at me and talking in U.S. dollars instead of Ethiopian birr. Four hours of terrible sleep. Seeing Lisa in 3.5 hours. Can't wait.
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