Finally, we boarded our plane and started our journey. There was a full 24 hours of travel, layovers, and bus rides. Yes, bus rides. Because at Frankfurt Airport, you do not taxi to the terminal. You stop in the middle of air field and walk down the steps to waiting buses. Just like a 1950s movie. Not only that, you have to go through security again. Then back on a bus to get to your plane for the next leg of your journey. I can't say I like Frankfurt or most of its people. Maybe that's just me.
Judson loved the plane ride and all the new experiences. He watched the Chipmunks movie at least 3 times on this trip. He watched the flight tracking a lot also. The only thing he did not like about the plane ride was the food. I have to agree with him. The food was not good.
Once we arrive at Bole Airport in Addis Ababa, things are going just as described. We were able to get our visa and exchange our currency without much trouble. I manage to get all our luggage (4 checked bags @ 50 lbs and 2 carryons) and keep tabs on Judson. It is nearing midnight by this time. I walk out of the luggage claim expecting to see my driver. Ahhh...our first glitch. No driver. I begin to panic just a wee bit. I look around with the look of 'deer in the headlights'. Now, I've been warned not to ask too many people for help as everyone expects a tip. I also know I do NOT want to walk outside because once you leave the airport, you are not allowed to come back in. Finally, someone with a Bole name tag asks if he can help. Bless you, young man is all I can think. I explain my predicament and he proceeds to call my guest house. They tell him my driver is waiting outside for me. I try to tip this gentleman but he refuses my tip. He must be the one person in the airport that does not expect a tip.
I walk outside and see many drivers holding names. I find the driver holding my name. In fact, he is holding 2 pieces of paper. One says "Jan Stricklin". One says, "Shrick Land". I tell him that is me. His response? "Which one?" I say, "Jan Stricklin". Fine, he says. We still have to wait on one more person. He takes Judson and I to the van and goes back to wait on his other person. Now it's midnight and I"m working on ZERO sleep. So it takes a while for me to realize that Jan Stricklin and Shrick Land are really the same people. Once I do, I try to explain to my driver that indeed, Jan Stricklin and Shrick Land are one in the same. I try pointing to the Shrick Land paper and say "That's me". Oh...so then he must be waiting on Jan Stricklin. No, that is me too. After about 30 minutes, I give up. I figure we're stuck in the van until he decides to give up on Shrick Land. Communication is a problem when one party does not speak Amharic and the other person speaks reasonably good basic English but does not understand nuances, etc.
Meanwhile, back in the states Randy has been contacted and told his wife never showed up.
After what seemed like an eternity, we head to the guest house without Shrick Land. I think once I'm there I can contact Randy to say I'm there and then hit the sack. It's after midnight and we have to be up and ready by 8am. I get to the guest house only to find out in true Ethiopian fashion, the internet is down. It is very normal for internet to be down but in this case, I realize Randy will want to know I got there safely and I really want to contact him. NO LUCK.
We try to sleep but again, no luck. We have bunk beds and Judson does not want to sleep by himself. So he and I try to sleep on the bottom bunk. Let's just say, there was very little sleep gotten that night.
Fiddle-dee-dee. Tomorrow is another day.
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