Sunday, November 22, 2009

USA Bound

After delivering Jerry and Charles to the airport, we hurried back to Dodoma to complete our move to another house and pack for our return to the US. Our friends, Jonathan and Rachel Morgan, got up early in the morning to get us to MAF to meet the lst of 4 flights before reaching Lubbock.
MAF (Mission Avionics Fellowship) makes a weekly flight to Arusha. Instead of making the 9 hour drive over mostly dirt roads, we opted to "hitch a ride" with MAF and shorten the trip to 2 hours. The weather was clear as we took off from Dodoma. Along the way we encounted rough weather and 7 miles from the Arusha airport, had to turn back to Lake Manyara air strip to wait out a thunderstorm. The turbulance caused me to go in search of the little blue bags conveniently located in the pocket of the seat in front of me. I began thinking the 9 hour drive might have been better.

Lake Manyara air strip is on the top of the escarpment of the Rift Valley and stops abruptly at the edge. Upon take-off, there are no "do overs", as you go sailing into mid-air at the end of the runway. The pilot was a friend named Marcus....he kept looking back and apologizing. It's hard to say "it's OK" with your head in a blue bag. I got no sympathy from Ed.

AHHHHHH....Arusha......and solid ground. My legs were shaky, my face was green, and my carry-on's had increased by 2 blue bags.
We arrived in Lubbock 46 hours later to the open arms of family and friends.......the "blue bags" long forgotten.
Posted by Picasa