This is being written at 38000 feet, high above Zurich, Switzerland. We are about an hour from London and should arrive on time at 4:33 am local time. This is unusual, since Heathrow has never opened before 6 am in my experience because the neighbors wouldn’t allow it. Maybe the new international terminal has a different flight path or the neighborhood was overruled. In any case, I won’t have to rush through security since I’ll have a 6 hour layover.
We had an easy drive to the airport last night. Over the last few trips there has been heightened security in place. As we reached the airport, Bill and I had to leave our vehicle for a metal detector scan. Meanwhile, Julius, our driver, had to open the car and our luggage was screened. After he cleared a checkpoint which resembled a tollbooth, he picked us up and it was business as usual after that. I am thankful for any extra precautions with the history that EL Shabab and others have in Nairobi over the years.
I got some good sleep overnight on the flight. I will need to time a nap or two on the London to Austin leg of the trip to help with overcoming a 9 hour time difference and the resulting jet lag that inevitably ensues. The extra 2 days of photo safaris this time had both Bill and I much more relaxed than ever before. I am pretty wound up right after all of the pandemonium of finishing a clinic, taking inventory and packing up. This was much more leisurely, so maybe I’ll adapt to Austin time quicker than in the past.
We made it to London right on time, took a bus from Terminal 3 to Terminal 5 and breezed right through security. Now for the long layover at Heathrow. Bill and I are having a light breakfast at Huxley’s and using my new WiFi Hotspot to check email. It works in 75 countries and knew it was in the UK when it woke up. Cool! I started a 24 hour day pass yesterday in Nairobi and it finishes as I board my plane home. My field test of this device has been good. I give it two thumbs up!
More to come once I get home. It will be good to sleep in my own bed, see my 18 year old cat who will be mad at me, walk Adrienne’s dog Pete who will be overjoyed to see me and of course, to be with Adrienne again. And all of my friends and family I’ve been in not so good touch with over the last two weeks. And have a great Internet connection and all of the other blessings we Americans take for granted like clean water at the press of a button or turn of the faucet. One of the greatest benefits of these missions is the reality check I get each time. I admire the great faith and quiet joy of my Kenyan friends. They are not as wrapped up in the worship of material things as we are. We learn from each other and there are positive features of our culture that rub off as well. The benefits of short term missions with long term commitment are many.
That’s about all for now. I’m going to start wading through a mountain of email that has piled up and get back into the right frame of mind to re-enter the “real” world. What a blessing this whole experience has been this time! Thank you, Jesus!
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