And away we go

Saturday, February 11

I fully acknowledge that I am my own worst enemy.  I had an entire day to kill until I left at 4 p.m., and I spent most of that poring over my iPad and worrying about the snow (only 3 inches) that was creating "Substantial" airport delays in the eyes of many flight tracking websites.  I'd had a mental breakdown midday and started to make plans for how I'd spend my unexpected layover in Amsterdam. But alas, all that is not to be (at least not as of right now) because the flight left on time.  I'm 20 minutes into this flight, somewhere over Bangor right about now.  Phew.

I say this every February that I do this, that I'll never book winter travel again, that it's not worth the stress.  And it's not.  Until I get there and it is the glorious Kenyan summer and all is right with my world again.  This set of flights has a tighter connection in Amsterdam and only one flight onward to Kigali, so to miss would be traumatic.  I'd rather not put my trip insurance to use, thank you.

That's not to say there was no stress leading up to this.  Rounds of virulent illness made their way around my floor, so I worked holding my breath and washing my hands until they bled (literally).  It's always a chore getting things set up to continue in my absence, and this was no different.

Now it's all behind me.  My day bag and carryon are with me, I pulled it off again packing everything into my tiny Lipault carry on for 2 weeks.  I have to think Graceland would be proud of me.  I really need to consider adding this feat as a line item on my resume.  I honestly don't remember now the last time I checked a bag.  Although I may on the way home so I can shop in Amsterdam's airport during the four hour layover!

So now all that lies ahead of me is what's going to happen on this safari.  I planned a good deal of it myself, which is pretty impressive given that this is only my fourth safari.  I'm just so anxious to see Rwanda, Kigali, the monkeys, the gorillas.  Oh the gorillas, what on earth is that going to be like?  And there's the Mara.  My heaven on earth.  I can't wait to get back there, lie in bed and just listen.  That's why I work, that's what I save for.  In the back of my head I have that this will be the last safari for a while; there's too much of the world to see before I get too old to do it.  But I said that last time too, and here I am again.

I've waited 8 months for this journey, now I just need it to unfold.