We arrive in Ethiopia

Product Information

Wednesday

10pm

We land.  Wow, we are in Ethiopia.  We are in Africa! I can’t believe it.  We get held up getting off the plane because a “minister” (Prime Minister?) is in the front of the plan and his people block the aisle.  We get off, walk to get our visas and pay $20 each.  Then to the customs to get stamped – that was easy…approved, no questions. Walk to get our checked bags – 6 of them each 70 lbs.  We have 2 Ethiopian men help us with carts.  We have to tip another man for them before going to get them x-rayed.  They pick the bag with all the shirts, the happy shirts, of course.  They examine them all looking at the tags and ask if they are new or used.  I explain they are donations; they look for hangtags to see if we are going to sell them. I explain again. Thank God for that letter from Kristen @ America World which said we are visiting orphanages with donations.  They say okay and let us pass thru.  Oh my God – we are walking thru all the waiting people and looking for an America World sign.  We are early.  We see no one.  We see Ethiopian flags – wow!  I walked back and checked again. No one.  Went into my carry-on to look for the arrival slip, the driver should be here.  No worries, the bag helper pulled out his phone and called “T” (who we later met as one of our travel guides).  He said 10-20 minutes David (Dawit) would be here.  We decide to go wait outside by the taxis for him.  It’s cold.  Well, colder than we thought, but what was most interesting was the smell – the spices in the air – really smelled good, interesting, new to us.  Later found out it was the cooking hemp oil or something like that from the open cooking fires.  David comes; I make him stand with the sign so I can get my picture of him.  They load the bags into the van, we tip the bag guys again and 2 other men who helped load the bags – they wanted more but David said not to. We drive away to Yebsabi Guest house.  It is dark, but we can see homeless and the poor. Some fires on the side of the street, others walking aimlessly, mothers carrying babies on their backs.  Sort of what I expected to see.  David, the driver and now friend, was awesome.  He lives here with his 2 daughters (20mo and 6 mo) his wife moved to San Francisco and wants him to come out there.  He will but is uncertain.  They drive crazy – impatient but patient.  NO road rage.  They cut each other off; have no concept of personal space when driving, no traffic signals or signs for that matter – just pull out into traffic.  People hang out in the streets even. Mostly along side, some sit on the curb with no care about on coming vehicles.  The taxis (small vans) are actually buses following a route.  What should be max 12-person van gets filled to as many as 28 people, heads out the window.  We arrive at the guesthouse.  Exhausted.  It is very nice.  We have suitemates (we find this out after making some noise and realizing someone was in the other room – Justin and Kris Michaels – adopted a little boy “Crew” Abaneizer): 2 bedrooms, living room and a small kitchen.  The internet is TERRIBLE.  Drop the bags off, take a shower and get ready for bed.  We are so excited to meet our daughter for the first time in the morning.  No, not excited.  I don’t think there is an adjective that can describe how we are feeling about now.  Laura is missing the boys.