Homeward Bound...Sort of.

Yesterday I left Thailand.  After living there for five months, leaving was difficult.  I cried.  A lot.  In the middle of a plane.  It wasn't pretty.  I didn't come completely undone though, because I had something to look forward to.  Kenya!  (Of course I'd be happy to go back to the States and see my family, but it's Kenya...)

Tuesday morning I took a flight from Udon Thani to Bangkok, and was expecting to have a relaxing day and a half before flying out on Wednesday.  Life had other plans for me.  My brand new work computer decided to go on the fritz, and as it turns out, that particular computer did not have a hard drive or a hard disk or something techie like that.  So Wednesday was spent driving around Bangkok with one of the wonderful Thai staff trying to fix/exchange/return the computer.  5 hours later, I managed to make it back to my hotel only 30 minutes late for check-out.  Mr. Suk was nice enough to give me a ride to the airport, even after driving me around all day dealing with the computer from hell.  It was exhausting!  All is good, my new computer works (knock on wood) and I made it to the airport in plenty of time.

My flight from Bangkok to Bahrain was uneventful.  There were a lot of empty seats, so I was able to stretch out and sleep.  I arrived to Bahrain at 3:30am Thai time and 11:30 pm Bahrain time.  After getting my bags transferred to the next flight, I realized I had a 12 hour layover.  I don't know why I didn't catch that when I booked the flight, but what can you do?  So after eating a free dinner (thank you Gulf Air for the voucher!) I settled down at a quiet gate, popped a few sleeping pills, and put on my eye mask.  Unfortunately this airport is colder than the Arctic and the chairs are upholstered in a cold leather-like fabric.  I packed my blanket in my checked bag and cursed myself the whole night for not keeping it with me!  I ended up laying on the floor in between the wall and the back of the row of chairs.  It was slightly warmer down there, and I was able to sleep until about 6am.

"Sleeping" on the floor behind the chairs.  I really have no shame anymore.

My next flight leaves in about an hour from now, and I believe it's a short flight...somewhere between 3 and 4 hours.  Yay!  (Anything less than 7 hours I consider short now.)  I will have a connection in Cairo for 5 hours and then I will have the last stretch to Nairobi.  I will be a 30 minute drive away from the pyramids, but I had to swear not to leave the airport.  My family thinks I'll get blown up or kidnapped because I'm an American.  So once again, I'll be in a cool place but stuck at the airport.  Grrrr.  As a side note, I think airports should have charging stations for electronics.  How do you expect someone with three flights and 12 hour layovers to conserve battery!?!

I'll arrive in Nairobi at 3:45 am tonight/tomorrow.  I have to get a visa on arrival, exchange money, and store luggage before going to the guesthouse where I'll stay to wait for the Highpoint group.  I'm really excited to back in Kenya, and I can't even tell you how anxious and happy I am to see my kids there!  I keep trying to imagine the reunion in my head, but I know my brain can't even do the moment justice.  I'm a little bit scared they won't remember me!