Monday, April 18, 2011

On my way

4.10.11

Narceline drops me at Key West airport. Tahra and the kids gone already to New York. I'm as prepared as I can be. One suitcase and a backpack. Takes me approx five minutes to figure out how to swipe my passport through the automated check-in computer. Trying repeatedly to jam and slide it across the wrong crack in the machine. Pit and forehead sweat already. I am befuddled. Where's Tahra - she would know what to do here. Fleeting thoughts of abandoning trip - too hard, too hard.

At ticket counter with human, a minor victory: big bag weighs only 46 pounds. This means I can offload four pounds of granola and trail mix made for me by Tahra, from my backpack, and put it in the suitcase. Brief awkward scramble as I pull down heavy luggage, open and transfer the weighty goodies from my backpack into suitcase. Sunglasses clatter out of shirt pocket and slide across the floor as I bend over. All of my carefully selected possessions for the next eight months are suddenly exposed in the airport glare to ticket lady and passengers around me; underwear, socks, granola all together - SO WHAT? It's ok if food touches clean underwear. I force the fat ziplock bags into my hard shell and haul it back onto the scale: 49 lbs, there you go. Adrenalin pumping from passport swiping struggle and ugly repacking incident.

"Sir, where is your visa for Kenya."

"They told me I don't need a visa for Kenya, that I can get a transit visa at the airport in Nairobi."

"They who?"

"The people I will be working for in Sudan." I say with confidence, though I realize this is ridiculously meaningless. More pit sweat. Much more.

She looks dubious but folds my passport and sends me on.

I have entered the security line. There is a new problem. I am headed to one of the countries on the official U.S. List of Nations that Sponsor Terrorism, but I have neglected to sign my new passport. I have become a suspicious actor.

4 comments:

  1. Looking forward to hearing more, Tim! I always loved your dispatches. Your view looks a little like Jersey City, however. I'm suspicious that you've really left the country ... :)

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  2. Well, you handled all of that airport stuff a lot better than I would have! And, you do seem to have arrived. We can't wait to hear more of your adventures!

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  3. I'm sorry I didn't get to say goodbye to you. Anxious to hear about your experiences. It seems that you have already started off on the wrong foot, even without shoes.
    Joan

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  4. Hey Jen, Sharon and Joan - thanks for writing. Is this the proper way to respond to a blog comment? Great to hear from you. Yes it is a miracle that I got out here considering the harrowing little mishaps along the way. Love to everyone

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