Leaving on a Jet Plane

Karibu!

This is the first post to my new blog about my travel and adventures, AKA Shannonigans, in Mwanza, Tanzania.  

I'll try and post in order of my days.  I've been writing my thoughts down as I go but haven't had a chance to put them to computer.  

I'll write a whole post on WHY I'm down here another day.  It's not complicated but I've got to wrap my head around a few things before I can explain it well.  

Day 1

Flight 692 from Toronto to Amsterdam (6173km btw!) at 6:35pm arriving in Amsterdam at 7:40am.

Jordan, from the lab, and who has just recently returned from Mwanza, was kind enough to drive me to Toronto in his shiny new ride - a Volkswagon Jetta.  Sweet ride!  And the tunes were bumping. 

Me and my luggage - with Beth thinks isn't enough for three months.  But I was actually underweight!  Shocking!!  But I'm finding things everyday that would have been useful to have brought.  Oh well....

So we load onto the plane, biggest plane I think I've ever been on. Anyway, the seats beside me were empty for the longest time and I was pretty stoked about that.  THEN, sigh, then...the drunk couple shows up and the woman nearly falls into my lap as she gets into the seat.   As they settle in, they are kissing and he's rubbing her leg and she is all the time holding onto the barf bag - not a good sign - ANY of it!    Things are ok for a bit and then she throws up...thankfully into the barf bag!  And throws up A LOT.  And her partner, such the gentleman, holds her hair *insert n'aaaaawwww here* as she does.  And they are being very low key which means they've done this before and perhaps gotten thrown off because of it!

My bird

The stewardess finally notices she is 'unwell' - and also notices they've brought their own alcohol to their seat - which she disposes of and supplies some more barf bags.   We then get the awesome news we are going to be delayed for take-off for about 45 minutes because we have to be de-iced.  The lady beside me starts with the dry heaves and then throws up again...and thankfully passes out.  If she hadn't she would have puked on the take off - a tad bumpy!

I catnapped just after take-off and dreamt of eating - I was starving.  Dinner finally came around 9pm I think.  It was some sort of Oriental chicken with rice, carrot salad and a yummy cake for dessert.  Loved the hot towels!

I didn't sleep much as I couldn't get comfortable - turns out my seat wouldn't recline and instead I watched The Dark Knight.

We got into Schiphol airport ahead of time even with the delay because of a strong tail wind. 

Amsterdam....another story for another post and another day!!

Asante sana!