Outward journey

This trip did not get off to a good start. On the first leg of my 24 hour journey I was stuck in the middle seat between two overweight people (one of whom knew my ex boyfriend in Sweden!) I did not sleep a wink and given the increased instability in the back of the plane, I threw up as we landed in Amsterdam at 3Am my time. I guess this is what happens when you buy your ticket three days before you fly.

I managed to grab an hour of sleep in the Amsterdam airport on one of their chaise longes (a brilliant idea for an airport) but the chill of the air conditioning woke me up. The second leg of the journey was much improved. We stopped off in Sudan (which was a surprise to me) so I had an interesting guy sitting next to me who works for the UN in Sudan. Another interesting guy was sitting behind me who is in Ethiopia to collect samples of stalactites for a climate change study. That said I slept for six hours straight (not even waking when the guy next to me climbed over me to go to the bathroom). That’s why I always try to book the window!

Arriving in Addis was sadly a bit of a let down. I arrived at my hotel at 10:30pm to discovr that I am staying in the grottiest hotel. I was assaulted by a foul odor as I walked in the door; there is a used toothpick that has been sitting on the desk for over a day now; and the couch I am sitting on as I write this is split at the back and the arms are rubbed bare so that you can see the foam underneath. I wander when was the last time it was cleaned. Gross thought. All decent hotels in Addis are fully booked for the next month for some conference or another. With both the African Union and the Economic commission for Africa based in Addis, this is a common event.

If I am really honest with myself, I know that a part of my disappointment with the hotel is disappointment with myself. There was a time when I would have thought of this accommodation as palatial - it is called the Queen of Sheba after all. Now expect to be in a nice “Western” hotel and that does not come cheaply. I used to look down on development types who spent so much project money on fancy hotels. Now I am one of them. But I also now realize how difficult this insane life can be (I found out I was coming to Ethiopia just 3 days before my departure) I can better understand the need to be in a place where you can feel as at home as possible. The irony of it all is that this trip is coming out of my company's overhead and not from aid money!

I woke up at 4 am to the call to prayers form the Ethiopian Orthodox Church nearby, and then again at 5am for the Muslim call to prayers from the mosque around the corner, even with earplugs. I am just thankful that DC is not so religious.