A busy morning of business, last minute packing, and errand running on the way to the airport started this day at a quick and steady pace. At the airport, Melissa and I met in the security line, then connected with Stephanie from Compassion shortly before take-off at the gate. Our first flight to Chicago is smooth and arrives on time. The walk to gate L8 at O’Hare is fairly short as walks in O’Hare go, so no having to make a run for it today, fortunately.
The three of us talk along the way about looking forward to that first moment of peace - that time where you know you’ve made the last call you can, sent the last texts and emails possible, and done everything you can to cover all of your bases before you can let yourself be immersed in this experience. None of us are there yet! But, we hope that once the plane doors close on the flight to Brussels, we will start to find that place.
American Airlines flight 88 to Brussels departs fairly close to its 4:30 p.m. scheduled departure. This eight hour flight will put us into Brussels at 7:40 a.m. Brussels time. Another smooth flight where I was able to get in some work, a little reading (Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer), and watching the first episode of season 2 of Everest. After visitng Mt. Everest, it’s been fascinating learning more about it. The most important thing I did was get about four hours of sleep. Very helpful in trying to get my body clock switched to a new time zone.
Brussels is in a beautiful area, not too dissimilar to Tennessee. Lots of green, lots of trees. It was a welcoming site to see as we landed at 7:40 a.m. on September 4.
On this three hour layover, I secure a little Belgian chocolate, a nice Chocolate croissant, and some water. it’s time to go back through security to board our third flight of this two-day trip to Entebbe, Uganda. As we’re in line, a mid-twenties male security guard pulls back the divider strap, allows Melissa to cross through to a different line, then closes the opening again before Stephanie and I can follow. Stephanie looks a little shocked and I say, “We’re traveling together.” With a disgusted look on his face he pulls back the strap to allow us through, looks away and says “Yeah, Yeah, my heart eez broken.” Ha! You just don’t hear classic French sarcasm like that everywhere!!
I did not actually buy this much Belgian chocolate - yet.
At the gate, we meet most of the other twenty- plus people on this trip. Lots of introductions, lots of names to learn. I try to change my seat assignment. In trying to do so over the last three days, I have been told on the phone by American Airlines and Brussels Airlines and told in person by the gate agent here that this flight is sold out. I go back to the gate a few minutes later on the advice of a friend here and try a different agent. She gave me my seat request, no problem. Strange! We then board the plane to find it half-full at best. I have four seats to myself! Odd.
Our ten hour flight on Brussels Airlines flight 465 takes us across France, the Mediterranean Sea, then across Libya and the Sudan, following the path of the Nile River. Near the end of the flight, we make a one-hour stop in Kigali, Rwanda. Many more people board for the forty-minute flight to Entebbe.
During the flight, I hear what sounds like a gas leak. I turn around to see stewardesses walking quickly up each aisle, each with two bottles in their hands raised above their heads and pointing up, spraying a thick, sweet-smelling mist in the air, covering us all. It turns out to be insect repellent! That is a first for me. However, that is a risk of being here – deadly diseases carried by flying insects. Upon landing as I gather my things to disembark, the lady sitting behind me asks for my half-empty water bottle to give to her kids.
We walk off the plane at 10:00 p.m. to probably 65 degree weather – very pleasant. We claim our luggage, then drive forty minutes by van to the Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. The hotel is very nice with large rooms. After a post-midnight dinner, some email, and the blog, it is time to turn in at 2:20 a.m. I get to see Uganda by daylight for the first time in a few hours.
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