On our last day in Sierra Leone, Ed and I were picked up at the MTC at 7am and made a quick dash to Freetown where we met up with the CRC Director who had business with the bishop as well as shopping for a small bus for transporting the CRC children.
We met at the
Crown Bakery which is a favorite spot for teams when transiting Freetown. Additionally, we stopped a harbor-side marketplace where we could purchase some wood carvings, hand-made jewelry and hand-dyed cloth.
This all may sound very straightforward but, had my camera not broken half way through the trip, I would show you the incredible press of humanity and bumper-to-bumper cars, trucks and motor bikes all packed into most every street in Freetown.
Having completed our foray into Freetown, we made our way back to the
ferry landing to wait for loading and transit across to Lungi where we would stop at the
Airport Hotel to clean up before starting the long trek home.
Little did Ed and I realize how long that trek would be....
At the hotel, on Friday, I checked my email while Ed showered and took a nap--British Airways was kind enough to send me an automated email notifying us that our flight to Dulles the next morning was cancelled due to weather. When we arrived at London Heathrow, we had already been rebooked on to the third and last flight out that evening, which was also already scheduled to depart two hours late.
To make a long, 48+ hour travel adventure into a shorter story, we ended up waiting 8 hours in London to be told our second booked flight had been cancelled and that ALL flights out on Sunday were already full; we could either stay in London for two nights (on our own dime) and get on the first flight Monday, or we could run to catch the last plane out which was going to JFK in NYC.... Tough call. But both Ed and I wanted to get home so we thought we roll with whatever came up in New York.
Now fast forward 9 hours--we travel light to avoid having drivers licenses with our home addresses fall into the wrong hands; we only have our passports and a credit card: NO rental company will rent us a car. The last Amtrak that night is full, but we can stay in a hotel and catch the first one out of Penn Station to DC in the morning--how much is all that going to cost? Well over $200 dollars.
It would so happen that there was another guy, who was also looking to get to DC that night, who ALSO lived within 3 miles of Ed and I (what are the odds of THAT?!?). We talked a mini-van driver to take us home from JFK for about as much as what a hotel and train ride would have cost (but not the food, taxi and tips). So we set off into the unknown of the snowstorm's aftermath.
About 5 1/2 hours later, I'm dragging my suitcase and plastic trunk through the snowbound streets of my neighborhood; backpack on my back, no hat or gloves and only a fleece I use on the plane and my tropical vest for "warmth".
I got to the house with only a couple stops to warm my hands; fortunately the wind wasn't blowing hard. Ahhh...into a hot shower, a loooong-overdue teeth brushing and then into bed.
What a trip--blessed, even in the curve-balls thrown our way. Thank you for going on the journey to Bo with me this trip. I hope we can do it again soon--next time I'll bring my driver's license.
