Its a little after 8am on Saturday morning here and we just touched down in Addis Ababa! The airport is out in the middle of nowhere! Like, literally in the country! (UPDATE: It's not really in the middle of nowhere - it just looks like you are when you land! Behind the airport is nothing but fields...the city is on the other side.)
The 13 hour flight really wasn't too bad. We started boarding right around 10 and were in the air by 11 east coast time (it takes a long time to board a plane that big - 9 seats across). It was a really nice new plane with tv's in the back of every chair. (OH, and I made it on fine with my big backpack. No one even looked twice at it and it fit fine in the giant overhead bins!) I was in the middle seat between Julie and Linda. We talked for awhile and ate some of the food they served us for lunch (I only had cheese/crackers and bread/butter - I passed on the questionable looking chicken and rice). I was feeling kind of tired, but decided to watch a movie before sleeping. I had been wanting to see "Water for Elephants" and it was pretty good - but not as good as the book. Movies never are. After a bathroom break, I curled up under my blanket and slept the majority of the remaining 10 hour flight. It wasn't good sleep - especially with a crying baby nearby and the old lady behind me pounding on her screen (which was the back of my head) - but I really can't complain! I got some rest and am ready to go! (Oh yea, filling out immigration and customs forms was interesting ... because they were all in Ahmharic! Maybe I should have read that translation book I brought... )
The 13 hour flight really wasn't too bad. We started boarding right around 10 and were in the air by 11 east coast time (it takes a long time to board a plane that big - 9 seats across). It was a really nice new plane with tv's in the back of every chair. (OH, and I made it on fine with my big backpack. No one even looked twice at it and it fit fine in the giant overhead bins!) I was in the middle seat between Julie and Linda. We talked for awhile and ate some of the food they served us for lunch (I only had cheese/crackers and bread/butter - I passed on the questionable looking chicken and rice). I was feeling kind of tired, but decided to watch a movie before sleeping. I had been wanting to see "Water for Elephants" and it was pretty good - but not as good as the book. Movies never are. After a bathroom break, I curled up under my blanket and slept the majority of the remaining 10 hour flight. It wasn't good sleep - especially with a crying baby nearby and the old lady behind me pounding on her screen (which was the back of my head) - but I really can't complain! I got some rest and am ready to go! (Oh yea, filling out immigration and customs forms was interesting ... because they were all in Ahmharic! Maybe I should have read that translation book I brought... )
We are at the airport now waiting to get our visas for $20. Once we've all exchanged our USD for Ethiopian birr, we're hopping in 3 vans for the guest house to drop our bags off and then heading a few hours north of the city to Trees of Glory! I should get to meet Mita today!!
 |
| Getting our visas at the airport |
I'll write more when I can... Hopefully from the guest house tonight!
 |
| Sign at the airport... |
Sent from my iPhone
No comments:
Post a Comment