I've started. I'm gone from my children and wife now 40 odd hours. I have one more leg to catch. Leg. That's cruel these days. Even in my lifetime, leg room existed. Now, not so much. My legs hurt. And I have to catch one more leg.
The Dubai airport for a newcomer is an experiment in shopping, sci-fi, and drinking. Drinking water, wine, beer, vodka with caviar, and absinthe. At 3 am, already bleary eyed, we sit down figuring it wont matter. The next leg comes, our sleep does not.
I wanted lamb. My wife doesn't eat lamb, so I thought, here I am going to get that lamb dinner... nope. Calamari. Then I had sleep. Three liters of water. Woke it was 2:30am Dubai time. Now I am overlooking the shopping tarmac. kids chasing parents. Parents stumbling through their travails.
There is no indication of time in this place. It is Vegas with airplanes. Yes, there are giant Rolex Clocks, but who looks at them. We shuffle to a seat and gasp for air after 14 hours on one plane. we shuffle to buy from duty free. The conversations polite friendly and incoherent.
This adventure has just started. I arrive in Ethiopia tomorrow. I find out how exactly this will all work. How I will fit into the water and sanitation efforts, I am meant to learn from and assist. What have I done.
I am now computer dead so its seems I must go.
