Thursday, April 29, 2010

3:30am wake-up call… destination Zambia… “Bethany from Nairobi from please got to the courtesy counter” over the loud speaker…..

Heading to Lusaka, Zambia started out pretty normal. 3:30am wake up call for 6:20am flight. Check in for my connecting flight to Johannesburg, take little nap. Spent 3 hours in the airport waiting for my next flight to Lusaka, at the last minute I see all the people at my gate get up and start moving… good indicator that my gate has changed. I run over to the other gate, hurry up and wait to get onto the bus that takes you over the tarmac to the plane. The guy next to me has never met deodorant. I really wanted to introduce them. After waiting in the hot sun on the ladder to the plane, I’m in another line to sit in my seat 18D. I arrive at my seat to see the guy that has not met deodorant in my seat. I ask the nice male flight person what I should do. He asks the smelly guy to see his boarding card. The smelly guy gets really mad and is disgruntled, looks for his boarding card. By the time I am looking like a dummy because all the other passengers just want to sit in their assigned seats. Smelly guy’s seat is 15D…. Um helloooo… he gets really mad and starts yelling in Swiss. Apparently it’s his world and I’m just visiting…. Nice male flight person asks if I wouldn’t mind sitting in smelly guy’s seat. I agree and still look like the dumb one and slither to the seat. Nice guy next to me says hello. I say hello and my blood is still boiling from the smelly guy for now many reasons. I manage a hello and fall asleep.

Landing in Lusaka I had filled out all the VISA paperwork and was ready to wait in line. I’m waiting in the correct line and smelly guy walks right in front of my and stands there. Now I’m REALLY mad…. What is with this guy???? Another guy gets in line in front of me because apparently my dreams of becoming invisible came true. The second guy looks and me and I gave him a look that could have killed him on the spot… but let him go in front of me because that is how my day was going. I’m trying to find my ZEN place but I can’t find it… I think the vein in my forehead was probably pulsing. Finally I make it to the front of the line and wait for the nice lady to ask me a bunch of questions and pay $25 for my VISA and passport stamp. As I’m getting myself together I hear over the loud speaker “Bethany from Nairobi” please come to the courtesy desk. Nice VISA lady looks at me and says “Sweetie I think they are calling you”. I say thank you and grab my passport, run over to grab my bag and am about to run though customs because I have nothing to declare and guy with big gun stops me and asks for my baggage ticket. I fumble around and find it and run out to see a beautiful woman with a sign that says “BETHANY WILLBANKS”. I am greeted my Mrs. Marian and Mr. Loahana. They are so nice and friendly, after the day I have had it was very comforting to be greeted by them. I see a little of the city of Lusaka and hit the ATM. I’m cracking up because the choices I have are millions. I obtain 1 million Zambian Kwancha. Who feels like the bawler? With currency conversion it’s $212. Still feels funny to see million behind any ATM receipt. We run a few more errands and go to chilanga a suburb of Lusaka to the KnowledgeBeat office. Mr. Lohana says my room is like a San Francisco hotel room. Small cozy and comfortable.

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