Because it is always an adventure to travel alone.

This is the first time I have traveled alone to Africa. It just feels different and lonely. You can’t share any of it with anyone because no one is there. It started out bad in Reno when they wouldn’t check my bags all the way through to Kenya because I had an overnight stay in LA AND they charged me $100.00 for my extra bag. I knew full well I would have to pay again the next day to board my next set of flights. I was tearful at the airport with Luke, Andrew, Ruth and Larry with me and having to pay $100 for a bag to LA did me in. I cried! Not over the money, it didn’t matter really. Over leaving my family and friends for so long. Over being nervous to travel alone. Over questioning what the heck I was doing. It was hard to say good bye and I was so thankful I didn’t have a crowd of people with me.

After checking in and saying goodbye I settled in to wait for my plane. Of course it was delayed an hour. Our trips to Kenya have always started roughly in Reno. Once we almost missed our flight because they changed our itinerary and couldn’t get the tickets printed. Once it snowed in Reno in May and no flights could leave or land. This time the flight was delayed because . . . well now that I think about it I have no idea. I got to LAX, had to collect my almost 200 pounds of luggage and figure out how to maneuver them to the shuttle to take me to the hotel I had booked. At the hotel I took a very long shower in a very nice bathroom where they provided my shampoo and conditioner and had extra towels and even wash clothes for me to use. Something that I knew I wouldn’t experience for six months. I ordered room service, bought internet for my computer and turned on the TV. I was up at 5am out the door by 6am and checked in and at my gate by 7:30 for my 9:00am flight. Again I had to pay for the extra bag, $100 plus Continental only allows one checked bag for international flights so I had to pay for my second bag .as well. Don’t fly Continental. I arrived in Houston and had to change flights. I had one hour and I walked 50 miles to get to my connecting flight but made it. I landed in Amsterdam with two hours between flights. These are the closest connections I have ever had. It seemed like a great idea when I booked the flights but is pretty tight once at the airport. In Amsterdam I had to get my boarding pass and walk another 50 miles to my next gate. In Amsterdam they have your go through a security check before you board your plane. They take your water and anything else they feel like and you wait in a hot stuffy room until it is time to board. I waited out side the security as long as possible. As I was walking in the line to get there I looked at the desk where two policemen were standing inside of security and I noticed something that looked familiar. There on the desk were item out of my bags. They were four pellet guns I had brought for my friend Jane’s boys. She had ordered them and I happily brought them in my luggage for her. As I waited in line I tried to figure out what all of this meant. Why were they sitting there? Did I have room in my carry ons for them? Did I have the paperwork for them? Maybe they weren’t mine? Did I do something wrong? WAS I GOING TO BE ARRESTED? How can I check into this flight and not admit they were mine? Well of course as I had my boarding pass scanned it flagged me and told me to go to THE desk. I went to the desk, looked at the police officer and said, those are mine. He said, than you are in trouble. For the second time in 24hrs I wanted to cry AND wished I wasn’t alone. The nice police officer explained to me they were illegal in Holland. I explained to the nice police officer that they were toys. He explained they weren’t considered toys there. I told him that Daniel and Caleb were going to be very disappointed if I didn’t show up with those guns they were looking forward to me bringing to them. He said I could voluntarily give them up or I could hang around in Holland and go explain it to the judge. I told him that I guessed Daniel and Caleb were sure going to be disappointed. Sorry Daniel and Caleb. The nice police man said he left the pellets in the bag for you.