Scott's African Adventure

I slept a few hours on the flight to Rome. I missed the pizza dinner. When we landed in Rome it was pretty cloudy and rainy. The stop over was a crew change, and fuel stop. It took just over an hour.

I was soo tired on the next leg, but I was also hungry. I slept for two hours and had a nice breakfast. The rest of the flight I spent with my face glued to the window. I saw the Sahara Desert, the Nile river, and lots of desert. Northern Ethiopia is very pretty. Lots of mountains and canyons.

We landed and I saw the most peculiar thing. There were men sitting in the grass next to the RW. About every 1000 ft. I will have to ask what that was all about.

Getting the visa was easy, and checking into the country was simple. I changed out $100 USD for 12,548 birr. I have no idea what that will get me. People here are very helpful. Almost too much. A fellow who insisted on calling me brother carried all my bags to the hotel shuttle. I gave home a white bill with a 1 on it. He didn't think was very good. Told me it was about a nickel in USD, so I gave him a bill with a 5 on it. I was going to have to figure this money thing out.

The ride to the hotel was interesting. Only a little bit like Mexico. I think there is a lot more people here. Everybody honking there horn, lots of people standing around. A woman begged for money at a stop light. No sign holding here.

The weather is cloudy and about 70.

The hotel is heavily guarded. I look out of my balcony over a shanty town of sorts. Lots of donkey's making lots of noise.

Internet is in the room but I will have to pay for it. I think I will do it a couple of times during my stay for a day each. I will need to transmit my pay stuff and up date this blog.

I was suppose to go to the training center, but I got in 2 hours later than planned and I wouldn't have had much time for a tour, so I will hopefully meet up with Jonathan for dinner, and get some of that squared away. I will be able to relax once I have made contact.

The coffee I had on the airplane was really good. There is a coffee maker in the room, but it is instant and not very good.

I am tired, but not as bad as I thought I would be. I will be able to stay up till tonight.

I met up with Jonathan. We sat down in the bar and talked over a few beers. It seems the folks around here eat really late. So, around 2000 we sat down in the nicest restaurant in the hotel and talked over dinner. It was a buffet style dinner and was pretty good. I had some “Nile Pearch”, it is the local fish.

Johnathan is a good guy and will be easy to work with. He is one of those “You stick close to me kid, I will take care of you!”. Thats good for me. I am certainly a fish out of water here.

I got back to the room around 2130 and fell immediately into a deep sleep. Then as soon as my head hit the pillow I rolled over and was wide awake at 0330. I guess this is part of getting use to huge time change. This brings us to Day 3. My first day on the job.