Sunday, Almost there!, July 20, 2013

8:30am Zurich time/2:30am Raleigh time

Long flight, uncomfortable seats but good movies!  I had no idea they had new movie selections so I never had to pull out my iPad once during the flight.  I’m up to date on Identity Theft (mediocre and I LOVE Jason Bateman, by the way) and Admission (just ehhhh…).  It was nice for a few hours the lights were turned off and I could pretend to take a nap but then right about midnight CST the lights were on and cheese-toast was served.  My blanket promptly went over my head and I zoned out for as long as I could.  When that didn’t work, The Host was the next movie on my list. 

While I was sitting at the airport in Toronto having sushi for dinner I chatted with a gal who had been to Tanzania and was on her way to Nairobi, Kenya and she knew about Operation Smile, which is NOT the same thing as Smile Train but still another wonderful charity working to eradicate and educate about cleft lips in these poor areas.

After deplaning in Zurich I had to go through security again and I think our TSA agents could take notes from the agents here. No taking off shoes, no pulling liquids out of bags, just laptops and iPads came out.  They couldn’t have been more pleasant. 

So I’m already realizing how much of an ‘American’ I am.  Only speaking one language and essentially never having left the continental US.  Everyone here speaks multiple languages including the kids.  I felt for the parents flying with little kids on our flight but wow – to be able to give your kids the opportunity to travel, or better yet LIVE overseas (Shillings burgs, Bentleys, way to go!!) is such a huge gift.  It may be inconvenient for a little while but the exposure can surely outweigh the tiresome flight.  And here I am only having experienced this from people watching in the airports J

My only big oops so far on my travel is walking into the men’s room in the Zurich airport.  The sign said toilets and I didn’t notice the picture of the guy/gal on the sign.  Sorry to the one guy – hopefully he didn’t see me.  I just made sure I stayed in the ladies room long enough to not pass him in the hallway. 

Swiss Air just made an announcement offering a cash card worth $750US if we offered to go to Dar via Istanbul.  Tempting but I’m ready to get to Africa and start the real adventure outside of the airports!