Plane Journal

Over Charlottetown, Canada
June 21, 2009
Local Time: 1:10 pm
Outside Temperature: -52 F
Altitude: 33,000 Feet
Distance to Rome: 3406 Miles

After a very slow start we finally pulled away from the gate at Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. around 11 am. So far, so good. The lady sitting next to me leans on my too much and even with the noise canceling headphones, it's very loud. I've watched part of one movie but I have no idea what it was, the titles aren't listed anywhere. Marley and Me was also playing but with my emotions already heightened I chose against it. On the screen right now it says that we have 6 hours and 22 minutes before we arrive in Rome. Then another 6 or 7 hours until we get to Addis Ababa. Oh, yea, and then 4 more hours until Malawi.
We just finished our first meal of either fish and pasta or beef tips and soggy potatoes. I chose the beef but had a slight problem eating the yucky potatoes. Each meal had a spinach salad withe olives that were amazing. A roll with herbs and a packet of butter to go with it. A block of cheddar cheese, crackers and absolutely wonderful cheesecake! I've been holding off on sleeping as long as I can, but I'm sure it will hit me soon. The air temperatue inside the airplane was great until I started writing this and now it's getting chilly, good thing they give us blankets, pillows, eye covers, and socks. I can tell you that I am already ready to get there, and that I will be asking for a window seat on the way home so that I can lean against it to sleep. Dad, you would love the TV screens on each seat, they show maps of our travel route from like 4 different angles, aircraft speed, outside temp., altitudes, distance to arrivals and from departure. It's like your geek watch on steiroids.



Over Sailsbury
June 21, 2009
Local Time: 5:31 pm
Outside Temperature: -65 F
Altitude: 35,000 feet
Distance to Rome: 942 miles

Dinner came. Ugh. No choice on this one. We only had cold rice, cucumbers and shaved raw salmon. A wheat roll, and an icing covered brownie. So, all I ate was the cucumbers and brownie. I know I'm going to be hungry again very soon. We should land in Rome in about an hour and a half. We are only stopping to refuel, no one is allowed to get off. I found out by channel surfing, they play the same 5 movies over and over. Again, without titles.
Not only did the lady next to me spill her warm club soda all over her tray when she was pouring from her can to the glass, but she is now leaning over me to watch my TV. She has her own for heaven's sake! She also asked the girl from Virginia Tech sitting on the other side of her to butter rolls and fix her tea with sugar only. All of which is he perfectly capable of completing alone.
I believe I have listened to at least 100 songs on my ipod by now, but only read 30 pages of the one what seems like 400 pounds worth of books in my bookbag. There are loads of children on this flight and they keep running up and down the alises. The second half of the time spent in the air so far, has not been very enjoyable. Sorry for complaining. Miss and love you all!




Over Athens
June 22, 2009
Local Time: 3:18 am
Distance to Addis Ababa: 2285 miles
Outside Temp: -56 F
Altitude: 33,000 feet

We were just served snacks. A small bag of crackers shaped like jet engines. Pretty yummy actually. I've been sleeping on and off since our last meal but I just can't get comfortable if you can imagine. It's times like these that I am so thankful to be small. We stopped in Rome to refuel, but we got a new flight crew, and they are very sassy according to a nearby complainer. I am getting concerned that when we finally land in Malawi, after a plane change in Addis Ababa, that we will be expected to explore and I have a strange feeling that I will just be completely exhausted.



Over Bahir Dar
June 22, 2009
Local Time: 8:05 am
Distance to Travel: 302 Miles
Outside Temp: -60 F
Altitude: 35,000 feet

I can not wait to get off this flight! We have less than an hour before we land. They just served us a breakfast. It was an unknown substance to me, so I ate a little crossiant and pieces of fruit. Everyone is waiting in line for a bathroom to brush their teeth. I think I'll just wait until we unload the plane. All of the announcements are done in whatever language Ethiopians speak so I have no idea what the lady is saying. I am ready to have my own personal space back since it's been invaded for the last 15 hours. It's not even funny.

In flight to Lilongwe
June 22, 2009
Local time: 11:00 am
Day Two
Altitude: 26,000 feet

After unloading the first plane from Rome we ran to the buses that drove us across the tarmack to take us away again. Our first flight was completely full due to the problems from the night before. So it took forever to get everyone off the plane. Also, we arrived about twenty minutes late in Ethiopia, therefore we were in such a rush to make the next flight I couldn't brush my teeth. But thankfully since there were 18 of us, they held the plane. This is flight is not full so I have much more space. It's so nice! I think that for the most of this trip I will be very appreciative of the small things in my life. We were just served lunch which was an odd laganse with cooked carrots. I enjoyed it. However, I was disappointed in the dessert this time. It was a custard/pudding thing with lots of cinnamon. I am sitting with Dr. Roberts, so I've been helping her organize all of the moneys. This is a much smaller plane and I can feel every single bump and could. Good thing this is only about a four hour flight. I've been listening to more music since there is no movie, but I think I will try and sleep some. Oh, and there is no individual TV on this airplane so I can't watch the maps with all the neat information. (Someone in here stinks. Peeeeeeewhew.)