travel woes!

I am supposed to be in Zambia right now with my dad!

Unfortunately, on Saturday night, the same day we left Rwanda, I got stopped at our gate here in Nairobi as we were boarding our plane to South Africa because apparently I didn't have enough blank pages in my passport.

I was aware of the fact that I needed at least one or two blank pages in my passport to get into South Africa, the airport we had to fly through to get to Zambia (which we also had to exit, because our flight arrived late at night and our connecting flight left the next day, so we were spending the night in S. Africa). The last time I'd checked, I had had three blank pages (I thought) but two were Amendment/Endorsement pages, which apparently aren't accepted as blank pages. Wow, I wish I had known....!

Oh, it was a horrible moment. The plane was boarding, and the flight attendants wouldn't let me get on the plane until I got more passport pages. It was Saturday night, and I of course couldn't get to the US Embassy till Monday (today), and then there was no guarantee I'd get extra pages right away, and then there was no guarantee I would get back on a plane to Jo'Burg on Monday night...... In the meantime, my dad had arranged this great trip together....just horrible.

The worst part is, right now you don't actually need a visa to get in or out of South Africa (at least not as an American). So there is no reason why functionally I needed more pages in my passport; it's just a general rule for visitors to S. Africa. Argh!

Anyhow, I told Dad to go on ahead, enjoy the trip to Zambia (sniff!) and I would figure it out and catch up with him. I have amazingly wonderful friends in Nairobi, thankfully, and (although I wasn't so sure how I could contact them, and I hated to bother them) I assured Dad of this and told him I'd be okay. He hesitated and then went on, particularly when the flight attendant told him he'd incur stiff penalties for re-booking his flights. He's actually having a good time there (we've been in touch by email), which makes me happy.

Honestly, God has taken great care of me here -- my friends in Nairobi were leaving on Sunday to go to Rwanda, but they blessedly and generously rescued me on Saturday night, gave me the keys to their house, hooked me up with a friend of theirs so I could even go to church on Sunday (Nairobi Chapel is GREAT!), and then hooked me up with a driver so that I had someone reliable and trustworthy to take me to the Embassy this morning and then back here to the airport. Thank you SO much, my dear friends, if you are reading this - JP & Clementine, you are the best, and I hope I can return the favor one day!! I don't know what I would have done without you....

I was able to successfully get visa pages this morning and am now booked onto the flight tonight. Lord willing, I will meet up with Dad tomorrow. I am now in de-adrenal mode and am getting very tired waiting for my flight!

What a crazy experience. I haven't handled it all that well! I sat down and cried after Dad boarded the plane and I was waiting for the ticket agent to direct me toward the appropriate customs agent. You know, I would like to say that after this time overseas, I would have a little perspective -- after all, far worse things can happen, and are happening, to people all over the world -- but self-absorption really runs deep, I'm afraid!! Bear was really sweet when I told him what happened, and after some email empathizing (he's still in central Asia right now) said that maybe this is just training for overseas work. :) If that's the case.....please pray for me! Ha, I have a long way to go.