About 8:00a.m. ET time (8 hours ahead of EST)we landed. Loved the warm, clean wash cloth they handed out prior to landing to freshen up with. Once off the plane, we got our visas and exchanged money, went through customs and went to baggage claim. We had 4 bags checked. Dave quickly saw his bags on one carousel and I saw mine on another. My yellow bag came first and I took it off and refastened the straps. Then I stood up to spot my second bag which I saw earlier only to find that it was no longer there! Turns out someone thought it was theirs and in their defense it looked very similar to the one bag that was left spinning when all others were gone! I DO NOT recommend BLACK luggage! Even with a colorful ribbon tied on! I AM so thankful I was using TSA approved travel locks. At least it wouldn't be easy to search through my luggage. So, all my clothes were missing. Filled out all the paperwork for missing bags and after 2 hours, met our very patient driver. Beautiful Addis day, 70 degrees, sunny with awesome blue sky. This is the windy season and it is windy...feels like Kansas.
Addis reminds me a bit of Mexico. The main roads are paved, but side streets and alleys are rugged, rocky, hilly passages. There are also no line markers on the streets and there doesn't appear to be any speed limit or rules. The road is shared by cars, bikes, pedestrians, 3-wheel taxis, cabs, donkey pulled carts, and sheep, goat and camel herds which have the right of way. Cars are constantly passing one another with a honk of notification, and there are not seat belts in most cars.
Our guest house is very nice and the staff are extremely kind. It is like a bed and breakfast.
After unloading our bags and resting a bit we headed out with Masti (our translator) and Gechow (our driver) to meet up with Birtukan and her husband. We ate outside and got to know them more. Gladly delivered their camera bag and money. So grateful I had it on my carry-on and not in my checked, missing luggage!!!
It turns out that Masti is part of ministering to Korah (the city dump which is home to way too many people) and serves with Project 61 (a project that reaches out to the children of korah offering sponsorships and encouragement and love). It was feeling like a small world.
After lunch we went to Makush gallery where I found an awesome piece of art. Then with the help of Birtukan we went in search of a few necessities and clothes. I quickly felt like a fatty compared to these beautiful, tiny Ethiopian women. After several stops and a visit to their mall, I found a pair of jeans, two tops and a dress for court. Not exactly what Dave had up his sleeve for the first day in Addis. He was so thankful for Masti's company!
Birtukan and Nesbit in front of their guesthouse:
2 comments:
Angie, let me just say, you are not a "fatty". :) What a bummer about your clothes!
It is fun to "journey" along with you!
Oh no! We arrived sans our clothing as well. Our 2 bags of donations and the bag of Isaac's stuff made it fine, but the bag with all of John's and my clothing was missing. (And what an ordeal to file the papers, huh?!) Anyway, it did make it a day and a half later. (Although then they didn't want to give it to John because it had been checked in my name, but I had stayed back at the guest home with Isaac! They eventually did give it to him, tho, after much ado.) Anyway, next time, we are packing so there is a little of everything in each bag!
Loving your day by day play-by-play! :) So excited for you all!
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