The day really started yesterday. We (Dad, Charles & I) spent the weekend in Aurora w/Becky & Matt (& Alice). Dad got the guest bed, Charles took over the couch & I got stuck on the love-seat. Now, when I went to NOLA this past summer I spent the entire week on one, but there was something about Becky's that I just couldn't fall asleep. I could curl into a ball but that wasn't comfortable for very long. I could stretch out but that cut off circulation to my legs. So, I ended up rolling onto the floor (which was still quite uncomfortable). Becky told me where to get blankets & I made a bit of a nest and slept somewhat. The rest of the day was highlighted by napping and watching "A Christmas Story" on TV.
Neither Charles not I went to sleep that next night. For one, I was too excited/jittery about going to South Africa, and two, I was sure I'd never get comfortable so I didn't even bother trying.
Dad, Charles & I then left for O'Hare at 3am Monday morning. We arrived just before 4 and I had to run through some barricades to get inside. Once there, I waited for them to open up the check-in lines and when I finally got to the counter they finally told me I was in the wrong line. (They had told me to go to this line by-the-way.) I got everything sorted and acquired my tickets. I got to my terminal and waited. Read some Kipling and received a phone call from Mike as I waited.
We finally got to board the plane and had a fairly uneventful flight to D.C. We got in at 8.40 eastern time and I got to spend an hour in line just so I could ask about my next flight (where it was, &c). There was a large family of people from South America & surfers trying to change flights, so I had to wait for them to finish redirecting baggage and all that jazz before I could get my question taken care of. Once I figured out where my terminal was I hitched a ride on one of the large tank-like monstrosities they use to transport people. It was a pretty moving experience. I may have to come back and ride them to kill some time in my five hour lay over.
On my way to the terminal I found a construction site. It reminded me of a large set of LEGOS and I quite literally sat on the floor and watched them for a few hours. I grabbed some over priced food (pizza I think it was) and took a nap as I waited for the plane.
The flight over the Atlantic was a good fifteen hours. I got to watch "Little Miss Sunshine" and " You, Me & Dupree." I'd recommend them. Other than that I read some more Kipling and slept maybe an hour. We touched down in Johannesburg at 4pm local time Tuesday (around 8am central time). Customs was just fine and I was able to quickly make it to my next flight to East London. It was a two hour flight and Brett was waiting for me at the baggage claim. We hopped in his bakkie (pickup truck) and drove back to his house. It was close to 8 or 9 when we got in. He introduced me to his brothers Gareth (the twin) and Warren and also to his parents. They fed me some apple crumble and custard (more like a watery vanilla pudding to us). Afterwards we just chatted about Cederberg and what to do before we go.
Around 10 I was introduced to Murray (or Fennell). From what I gathered he's kind of been the little brother to them and is also in their troop. Getting hand-me-downs, coming over for dinner unannounced, that sort of thing. I could tell already that he was going to make my stay quite interesting.
I promise the rest of the posts will get more exciting than me talking about catching flights. Anywho, here's some pics of my South African Family:
Brett & Warren
Gareth & I
The Parents (Alan and Pam)
The infamous Fennell
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Pam
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