July 23, 2009

I departed for Africa this morning (well, yesterday morning). I could hardly sleep I was so excited. Boarding the plane felt so unreal. It felt like just another trip. It felt like my family was on the aircraft with me. It felt... normal.

On the first flight our group of eleven was scattered throughout the airplane. I sat next to a very nice man who was headed on a mission trip to the Ukraine! He was really impressed that so many of us were going to Kenya. We talked a lot about the trip. We talked a bit about our faith. He mostly asked me questions, but he was very... enlightening to say the least. It's so amazing that so many people are taking their time to go on mission trips all over the world. It's so cool how God sends and calls so many people to so many different places.

I'm on the airplane from JFK, New York to Accra, Ghana right now. It's going to take a total of nine hours and forty-five minutes. We got served a pretty good chicken dinner. Apparently we will be getting breakfast sometime. Hopefully soon, I'm hungry.
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I'm in the Ghana airport right now. As soon as I stepped off the plane the humidity hit me. It's REALLY humid. I'm not quite sure why I didn't expect that. Maybe things will be different in Kenya because it is on the opposite side of the continent. Wearing sweatpants wasn't the best of ideas. It's supposed to be winter on this side of the equator though, so I can't image what summer must be like.
The airport is pretty interesting. When we landed we walked down stairs, and then took a bus about 20 feet (yes 20 feet) to the airport. They have two tiny baggage claim belts. They only get in about eight flights a day by the looks of it. Everyone was very relaxed at the baggage claim as well. No one seemed to be in a rush (unlike Americans). We bypassed customs, and now just have to sit and wait for twelve and a half hours. There is a cafe around the corner, I think we'll check it out later. I can't believe I'm actually in Africa!
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I'm still at the airport in Ghana. Only three hours have passed since I've last written. Five more hours to go until we can even check in. Eight more hours to go until it's time to board. That is, if all goes well. I slept on the floor for a bit, as it is much cooler on the floor. I tried not to sleep to much though, because my goal is to sleep on the last flight. That way, I might actually get the correct sleeping patterns down, as we arrive at 5:30am. I'm pretty sure that we have to wait for the other group of thirty-nine to arrive. I think everyone will be tired and want showers.
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Still in Ghana. It's about four now. Who knew twelve hours could be so long? Just about everyone fell asleep for quite a while. Some are still sleeping. Joe had to take a taxicab to a different building to get some of our tickets. I'm still not clear as to why. A few of us got lunch earlier. We took safety precautions and asked the lettuce and tomato to not be added onto our 'chicken burger'. At least that's what they told us, that it was a chicken burger. We came to the conclusion that it was more like a meatloaf burger. It was still very good.

The airport is busier now. I wonder if all of the people sitting around us are headed to Nairobi as well. I'm getting excited again. Although I know that all we are going to do when we get to Kenya is sit around again. Oh well. I still can't wait.
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Finally we boarded Kenya Airways. A few of us are near each other, but again, we are pretty scattered. I feel as though our small group of eleven is already bonding. The plane smells of body odor and rice. I think they might be serving us dinner. Unless I heard wrong. Our flight will take about five hours. I am surprised to see that the airplane is full. Hardly anyone was at our gate, so I am guessing people just stayed on from wherever the plane came from.