TRAVELING!!!!!!

The last few days I have been telling people that I wish we just had a couple more days at home to just do nothing- then I would be ready to go. Well we have been given one more day at home to do nothing- and I am now ready to go to Sierra Leone.

After Shermer Family Christmas yesterday we spent the rest of the evening packing only to get up early this morning to head down to the cities for our usual lunch with everyone at TGIFridays. It's always good to get one final good meal and see family (yes we did get our usual photo with all of us taken by our waitress- only it's on Amy's camera since I thought she would be able to upload it first- hmmm). After our long Minnesota goodbyes, Mom, Dad, Kari, and Amy dropped us at the airport. I had one suitcase that didn't have a handle to pull it which Amy commented about. I quickly told her that we only had to take it in to the ticketing counter so I would be fine. Little did I know. A few tears were shed as we finished our goodbyes and JK and I headed in.

There was no line so we walked right up to the counter, scanned our passports, chose our seats for the next two flights and went to check our bags. That's when the trouble started. First there was drama about JK not having a UK visa- then a UK transit visa. We had gone through all this before. JK made a special trip to the British High Commission or whatever they call their Embassy and since we were only in London 6 hours we were told he didn't need one. As long as he doesn't leave the airport and is there for less than 24 hours. We were good. After some explaining and getting a few more people involved that issue was solved. Now back to checking the bags. "Would you like to check them all the way to Freetown" "Yes we would". More time on the computer. All three boarding passes are printed- all the way to Freetown. Two stickers are printed for my bags- then she realizes that they are only checked to London. Back to the computer, more time, two more people involved. Now there is no flight on the 14th from London to Freetown. This flight that we have boarding passes for doesn't exist. More time calling that airline, the travel agency, Karen, going in and out of the back room... Asking us to move our luggage and wait over there. Finally it is decided that we can go to London and figure it out there. The big problem is that ALL the flights into Salone until Jan. are COMPLETELY booked. We were called only days ago to make sure we were going to be on this flight since it was so full and all the flights after it are full. I did NOT want to miss it. Okay decision made we will go to London and figure it out there.

Start checking bags again. This time the guy who had helped the lady on and off is checking our bags. He's on the computer for a bit, prints the baggage stickers and then says hold on while I talk to my boss- AAGGHHH. A few people higher up later, we are now talking to the big man. He tells us that the flight does not exist it is for the same time but on the 15th of Dec. That would mean that JK would be in London for 32 hours- over the 24 hour limit. Well are they going to know that- "they will detain him" he says. Well then what's the worst that could happen - they deport him back to Sierra Leone. :)- "no they will send him back to the US." Alright so what are our options? We just do the same thing- only tomorrow. He could guarantee that we are on the flight from London to Freetown. So once again for the 5th time I PICKED up that suitcase that I did not have the handle to pull it with and we headed out. We hopped in a Taxi (another new experience for JK) and headed to Mike and Lor's. I guess we didn't need that sad goodbye after all- we just get to do it again tomorrow.

So here we sit- in the basement watching TV, playing on the computer and getting that down time I said I wanted. Only now I am in travel mode and ready to be done traveling and we haven't even begun yet.... TOMORROW. (we hope)