Final Blog Entry - WAITING

I was up at 5:15 am on Saturday morning. The NEPA (power) was on so I plugged in my laptop to recharge the batteries. Had a little breakfast. Took my last cold shower from the bucket and waited for Yakubu. I had wanted to get to the airport early (by 7:00) so if they oversold I would be on the plane. Yakubu picked me up a little after 7:00. The Yola airport was a new experience. Getting to the airport early is not normal. So I was plenty early.

I got in one line to get my boarding pass and then another line to weigh my luggage. The luggage people kept my ticket and boarding pass until after the luggage was inspected. I waited in the waiting area then they motioned me to come to the baggage area. I identified my luggage then it went through the machine. No problem so they told me to go get my ticket back. Back into the line for weighing luggage and wait as they write up someones overweight bag. After asking a couple time the baggage guy came up told them to give me my ticket. Now my bag is inspected and I have a boarding pass back to just waiting. A little while after the flight was due to leave they started to inspect the hand carry, go through the metal detector and out to the plane to the next line. Here they checked my boarding pass and told me to go identify my luggage. They moved my luggage from one area another pile that will be allowed on the plane.

At Abuja the domestic terminal baggage area reminded me of a rugby scrum. I was in no hurry my next light was 10 hours later. I waited until most people had left and it was only two people deep. I got a cab to the International terminal for 500 naira ($3). There I sat from about 11:00 am until 6:00 pm when I checked in and went to the departure area and had a some dinner. Three chunks of over cooked chicken with fries for 1000 naira and a some bottle of diet coke for 300 naira. I fairly routinely had bought diet coke in Yola for 100 naira. Three hours later I was on my way to Amersterdam.

In Amsterdam Sunday 5 AM by my watch. Did not sleep much on flight so I am tired. I decided to get a coffee or something and reached for my wallet. No wallet. I had taken it out of my pocket at Abuja because the it was uncomfortable on the hard seats and put it in my small bag. At baggage check-in I had weighed them together and stuffed the small into the big one. I checked my computer bag and did not find it. Oh well. I headed to the gate.

I misread my boarding pass and went to Gate D40. There is not a gate D40. I am in seat 40D. I should be at Gate E7. No problem I have a 5 hours here. I start back. There is a grey haired lady in front of me with a guy who from the back looks like Doug Affinito. So I step up next to Mona and say “Hello”. They are on their way for a Baltic cruise out of Denmark. They have tight connections so we talked a little as they headed for the huge mass of people waiting for passport check. At gate E7 I got out my computer I found my wallet. Oh well. I avoided buying some over-priced airport food.

Finally, I am home.