We are here!

Welcome to beautiful Ethiopia!

All that stuff Gladney tells you over and over about being patient and flexible? Remember it, although in our case, there was nobody to blame by Mother Nature. Our 4:30 flight from DFW to Dulles did not leave DFW until 9:30 pm due to two, TWO thunderstorms that passed right over DFW. So our well thought out plan to go straight to Ethiopian Air to check the bags through went right out the window. Nothing in the airport is open when you arrive at 12:45 am! And after just 4 hours of sleep in a hotel, we were off to Ethiopia. Ethiopian Airline was just fine, no problems at all. We did stop in Rome for about 45 minutes to refuel and get a new crew and then off again. We arrived around 8:30 am and met up with another couple from New Jersey, and then out to waiting Ryan and Marta. The visa line was not long at all, but they still write out everything by hand here, so it just takes a little bit to get processed.

We were at the hotel by 10:45 and we had Kalkidan by 12:30! She is so cute, but so unsure about what is happening and quiet. She wouldn't even respond to Belay, who seems to have such a rapport with these kids. But here we are at the end of the day, ready to go to sleep, and she has greatly relaxed. She took a nap with us, has eaten everything we have offered her, allowed us to bathe her and brush her teeth, and loves to wrap her arms around your neck and snuggle. She is one smart little girl too! All you have to do is show her once and she's got it. We've put together a puzzle, doodled and erased on the doodle pro, and she was throwing the ball back and forth with Rick and almost smiling! She sings quietly to her baby doll that we brought for her and likes to cover her up with the little blanket. Those girl genes ...

Two things of interest for those traveling here soon ...

1) There is internet connection in the hotel rooms at the Hilton if you want to bring your laptop. It runs $18 per day, or you can pay $12 per hour if you use the business center.

2) Gladney states that bringing $100 bills that are 2001 and newer is "preferrable" ... NOT. It is a MUST! We took the word "preferrable" for what it is and didn't think it would be that big of a deal. The bank here at the hotel won't take the 90's at all, and our driver took us to a different currency exchange that will take 1996 or newer, but the exchange rate is less for the 90's versus the 2000's.

It's off to the doctor tomorrow morning for Kali's last visit and then on to the Embassy to drop off the paperwork. Should be a busy day!

By the way, the total of our 4 pieces of checked luggage ... 200.5 pounds! Yes, we did it and got through!!