I’m guessing that there will be two entries today because today is actually yesterday at home – even though it is Sunday here today! It is 6:30am on Sunday and I am awake because, well, honestly, I slept a tonne on the plane (as mom predicted!), but also because Megan and Brandon teach on Sundays! School here runs from Sunday – Thursday, so their weekend is Friday and Saturday. When I found that out yesterday, or rather, today, when they picked me up from the airport, I felt awful!
The travel days were long, pretty much! Friday went according to plan: Finish work, catch the sky shuttle to the airport, and get on the plane. It was cutting it close, however, ‘cause I didn’t want to miss any work. I wasn’t able to check in the night before for some reason, so I had to do that extra step at the airport. When I made it through security (where I was randomly selected for a full-body scan), they were boarding. I lucked out and got the emergency exit row, however, so that made the flight to Toronto that much more enjoyable!
In Toronto, I only had a 2h connection time, which was pretty tight, but again, I made it to the gate just as they started to board. However, then they stopped boarding and were delayed because of a mechanical error. We ended up taking off 1.5h later than originally planned. I met a nice vet student going to work in Ethopia and a Sweedish guy working in Maderia while I was waiting, however. As someone said on the plane, “no one actually goes to Frankfurt” – we were all connecting. This fact was the problem with arriving 1.5h late – almost ½ the plane missed their connecting flights! I had less than an hour to get from where we landed and take off to Dubai! So, I RAN! Literally ran through the airport. Until I got through security, where they thought it would be fun to make me take all of my things out of my bag. I told them I was about to miss my flight and they didn’t make me do it!!!!!!!!!!!! This ended up being a very good thing because, again, I made it to the gate as they were boarding! I hadn’t checked-in to this flight yet because I wasn’t allowed to do it at home, so I got the last seat in the plane. If it had been a US airline instead of Lufthansa, I wouldn’t have had a seat any longer.
I got to Dubai around 11:30 and found the visa pick-up location without any problem, but Megan hadn’t submitted it on the other side yet! I think we arrived a little early, so I had beat her to the process. I waited about ½ an hour for the visa to “cross”, but there wasn’t a problem picking it up at all. Then, I waited a good 1/2 h in the eye scan line. There were five kiosks available and only 1 person working. Uggg…. However, by the time I made it into the HUGE customs hall, I was only 2 people behind the girl that sat in front of me in the plane! And that is where I waited for 2 HOURS!!! It was the longest customs line of my life! People had warned me it would be an hour, but this was insane! At least it was well organized and air conditioned. It could have been worse!
I made it through and found Megan and Brandon no problem – but felt absolutely awful when they told me they had to get up at 6:30 tomorrow morning (ie today) because they had to go to work! We made it to bed at 2:30am.
I think I am going to go to the mall today and perhaps the beach. Megan’s made out this fantastic itinerary for me (I am so not used to that!) with ideas of what I should do every day! Also, they both have their own “after school” activities that I am welcome to join, so today I have the chance to go play ultimate Frisbee with Megan and the kids, so we shall see!
Later
-Allison
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