Leaving for Uganda...Again

4:00 pm – to Ford Airport

• Pray my luggage is not over the 50-pound limit.
• Bring extra children’s clothes to stuff in at the last minute just in case the luggage is under the 50-pound limit.
• Pray security isn’t concerned about me carrying on two laptops and two cameras and a suitcase full of very heavy classic children’s books (Sacajawea, Call of the Wild, etc.). Hmm, I could read one of those books while on the plane. I could even pass them out to passengers. Hey, maybe I could sell them and bring the money…oh wait, I’m getting a little crazy…the kids need English books.
• Eat my pbj bagel for dinner, hopefully at dinner time instead of at 4:05. Wish I had some fruit…too lazy to go to the store just for that.
  

7:25 pm – Grand Rapids to Chicago

• Pick my nose while waiting for the next flight.
  

10:20 pm – Chicago to Istanbul, Turkey

• Pray flights out of Chicago are on time…is God big enough to make even the Chicago airport flight depart on time?
• Change my watch for time difference between EST and Turkey-time. I know it’s 7 hours different between EST and Uganda.
• 7 hour layover in Istanbul.
• Sleep on the floor of the airport snuggled up to my suitcase full of books. Even prescription drugs don’t help me sleep on a plane (sad face).
• Watch a few movies.
• Listen to my fancy new country and worship iPod playlists. Am I allowed to listen to Christian worship music in Turkey without repercussions?
  

12:30 am – Istanbul to Entebbe

• Watch a few movies.
• Check my nose one last time.
  

6:50 am, Saturday, September 11 – Arrive in Entebbe

• Acknowledge that by the time I arrive in Entebbe I will have been in the same clothes for almost two days, that my curly hairs will be smushed flat in the back, and that my teeth ought to be quite furry. We won’t talk about my pits.
• Await the fat ankle syndrome that plagues women who fly for extra long periods. Remember to take before and after pictures of said ankles for my blog viewers sightseeing pleasure.
• Pray that in all my whiteness there are no problems with security in the Entebbe airport.
• Pray that someone shows up to pick me up at the airport. I have a few shillings left from last trip, but a boda-boda (motorcycle) is out of the question. I guess I could probably get a crazy taxi with my three giant bags, my backpack, and my white self as far as Kawuku and then best guess which road goes to Lauren’s house.

What can I say…I’m totally stoked about going to Uganda again!