Fly me to the Moon

44 hours and 28 mins later I am in Maputo, Mozambique. The flights were relatively smooth. My first travel buddy was a greek god back in his day, his day being 40 some years ago. I sat down in my seat as we left Denver and fell asleep before we’d even taken off. When I awoke an hour later Mr. Greek proudly pointed to the headset he’d scored for me, I didn’t have the heart to tell him that I already had a set so I used them until he wasn’t looking. There is usually that point when you break into conversation that there comes an awkward silence. He avoided that by talking until we landed. I think I could have written a biography by the time we taxied into Frankfurt. He had a thick accent so the book might have not been completely accurate.

The Frankfurt airport is one of my least favorite airports in the world, no offense German friends. I was instructed in Denver to get my next boarding pass once I reached Frankfurt but when I got there I was told that wouldn’t happen for another 6 hours. I waited for a little while but when I saw the “Ashgung” sign, I decided I would rather risk the trip into the city than stay in this very depressing airport. 19 minutes later I was walking down the streets of Frankfurt. It was cloudy, cold, with a dusting of wet snow on the ground. I was in search of a coffee shop. I passed up the 1^st starbucks, I figured I was in germany so I might as well go to a german coffee shop. Seven blocks later I had to admit to corporate america’s attempt at world domination. I went in to the second bucks I found on the same street. I got a soy chai and settled down in the last seat in the house, a big comfy arm chair. A few minutes later I made some friends, Martin and Christian, students at the local university, who have a passion for Jack Johnson and want to surf when they get to San Diego in July for an exchange program. (Well, mostly Martin thinks all this, Christian was studying.) The guys took off for a class and I went up to the counter to get some water, when I girls found out I was a barista in the states they were so excited they autographed a Frankfurt city starbucks mug and gave it to me…sweet souvenirs already.

I made it back to the airport with plenty of time to kill. The next flight was more comfortable but longer. My seat partner was polite but we didn’t engage in any conversation, I don’t think he spoke any English anyway. As soon as they started to pick up our dinner trays and turn down the lights I think they started pumping a sedative into the cabin, it seemed that every soul passed out. I woke up a few hours later and was amazed at the stillness. My watch said 4 am Africa time. I lifted to window shade to look out, thinking I was going to see the sun, instead I saw the most beautiful full moon and an amazing starlit sky. I watched until the moon dipped below the clouds. I think that is the first moonset I’ve ever seen.

A few hours later we arrived in Jo-Berg. I got my bags and left the airport to navigate my way to the citybug bus terminal. They don’t specialize in directions over here, they point in a general direction and say over there. I had been given specific instructions by Peter when I was still in Denver but they were doing me a whole lot of good in the console of my trooper. When I got to what I thought was the terminal I asked some others. They weren’t sure either but we were all waiting for the same bus so either we were all right or we would all be stranded together.

The bus arrived and we were loaded up, Three and half hours later we arrived in Nelspruit, where I was picked up by Clemencia and Eduardo, neither of whom speak a spit of English, this is going to be an interesting adventure.