Landed in ADD (Addis Ababa in Eithiopia), had to go through a maze of people to re-scan our things. With this corona virus coming in full effect, it was puzzling why they would make us be so close together in a basement looking place--smelled very bad-like bad BO. It was such a tight, tiny space--a lot more masks now and felt like everyone was staring at me as the American.
I felt very uncomfortable, felt like I would catch something here, it felt dirty. Seemed like a poor country with a low income.
Once I got through that mess, I had another hour or so before my flight would appear on the monitors. I walked a bit to shake out my legs and then sat by the woman I sat by on the plane. There was good wifi so I Whatsapp'ed my mom and could talk to her and do some emails. Found from my mom they found my laptop and were shipping it to them for when I return.
I went and sat by my gate once the board told me the gate. A guy named Yuca from South Africa came and sat by me and started talking to me a bit. We talked about travelling and where we were going. Then about 45 min later I was boarding my last flight to Tanzania. It was a little smaller plane and had less advanced tv's. The plane was also only about 1/4 full, maybe less. Seemed we were all sitting quite close at the front of the plane.
It was only a quick 2 hour plane ride which went by super fast--I watched Playing with Fire.
Then arrived and had to go thru a lot of border control lines. It was pretty hot and sticky (humid) and we had to walk off the plane ourselves--no true attached gates). This line took forever---First was an immunization check- i only stayed in Ethiopia for 2.5 hours so didn't need one. Then passport check--that took the longest, there is no rush obviously in Africa. They just ask where you will be staying and why are you here, they also took our forehead temperature for coronavirus and then off to visa check.
Then they scanned my bags again and a random woman close to the exit asked why I was here. It was a bit weird and kinda scared me. But then I was outside and looking for the National Geographic sign. I found it and went over to the driver--he whispered are you Danielle and I said yes and away we went. It was a little scary but I had no way to know if it was right or wrong.
I followed him to the land cruiser van, he got out to pay the fee of parking there and waiting for me and then away we went---it was an hour drive to the lodge.
There was security surrounding the airport---a bit unusual for me to see.
The scenery on the drive was lush, green, a lot of farm workers-working the land, a lot of goats, some cows, a lot of people walking--some have shoes or barefoot.
I arrived at the lodge, some normal roads and the one to the actual lodge was all dirt and extremely bumpy roads.
It was a very nice, basic lodge-canopy style stay. It had a huge pool. I checked in and got escorted to me room and then laid by the pool. I didn't bring a suit, but just relaxed, had good wifi and called my mom, looked at email.
I met my roommate, Bernadette. She was an older woman, maybe mid to late 60s or early 70s from London. We both sat for maybe 2-2.5 hours and then had to go to the meeting with meet all the others and our guide (CEO-chief experience officer).
The CEO was Philbert, we could call him Phil. The group consisted of 5 of us---me, Bernadette, one person cancelled, Kari and Randy-couple from Michigan, Patrick-guy from Scotland.
It seemed like a nice group, we introduced ourselves and talked about the itinerary.
I was exhausted so they all went to dinner and I just went to the room and ate a pb&j I packed and had a shower and went to sleep early.
The showers here in Africa do not have door, just open space with a spicket-actually really like it and would like a shower like it in my house.
I went to sleep around 8pm, but was woken up by Bernadette snoring at 130 and 430 am. She did worn me and tell me did so I put ear plugs in----I have a hard time sleeping with noise so it was hard to fall back asleep.
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