I want to take the opportunity to thank Brussels Air for leaving me stranded with zero bags for 5 days and no apparent end in sight.

I always seem to have an airport adventure for some reason, I’m not alone in this because I see people all around with the same problems.   Ok, so I understand a bag not coming on the same flight.   I get it.  My flights were delayed and so I was running to catch the next plane and they probably pulled my bags off thinking I wasn’t on that flight.  But the airline had a flight the very next day….no bags.

Farouk and I went to dinner and talked about life, and a recent tragic family loss for him, and it was good to let out that pain and tell someone I’m sure.   My heart wrenches for anyone that has ever lost a precious one they loved.

Over dinner we discuss politics, religion, the upcoming elections, and things like other countries and how developed they have become while Uganda seems to stand still.

After a fine Russian gentleman lit up an even finer Ugandan cigar, we were smoked out of our table.   It was a shame because we were enjoying the wild cat that watched every move of the fork while staring intently at the person she hoped to give her a big fat bite.   Yes cats in restaurants outdoors are common, and those are the smart ones.

We retired to the van to wait out the bag situation, where Farouk commenced to snore louder than the construction site on the other side of the road.  My dear Farouk, if you ever read this, you know I’m just having to post this picture of you hard at work so everyone can see how Ugandan drivers are working for their money.     hahaha  Seriously though, we had been going all day and that is TOOO long in Africa.

The final point of the day was…there were no bags.   Nothing.   No ideas….no tracking.   They were invisible in the system.    Another stinky brown shirt lady day.

Today I arose early, although there was no one in the dining room at all for breakfast.   I searched around for coffee in the kitchen and located everything I needed and Livingstone came and gave me jam and bread and made me scrambled eggs.   I’m good to go after that.   Life is simple.   No decisions, you are at the mercy of others really in a since when you are traveling in Uganda.

Today I paid for several weeks so my driver will be with me the entire time and he is now a part of our team.   I need him and thankfully he needs me.   We have become friends and colleagues and he knows as much as me, or anyone,  about the whole Ugandan adoption process.  I’m thankful he will help families with part of the process.  Families will be lucky to have him.

I would hate to say that these past days have been unproductive, because today we finalized our legal/family team and everything is completely set for the adoptive work in Uganda.  I’m absolutely thrilled about our team.   I met with the legal team for nearly 5 hours today and I’m just over the top happy about my choices.

We again hung around and fussed about the bags tonight.   I’ve activated my flight insurance and they are dealing with it now but it is irritating at this point.    We called the airport were told also by the flight insurance that my bags were on British Air flight coming in tonight.   I won’t fill you in on all the details just the highlights of the journey:

1. Brussels air customer service telling me, “well 4 days without bags isn’t bad, we have many people that are waiting two weeks!!!”  WHAT??  Let me put you in Northern Uganda without anything and see if you like it seriously!  Come on!  This is not good customer service.
2. Two hour round trip to the airport, because no one seriously cares
3. 3 prostitutes and a driver on one boda boda
4. Baby sitting in the street
5. Old woman drunk
6. Geese a laying (it just seemed right here)
7. Car bomb check
8. 6 flights of stairs and three flights at the guest house
9. visitors security pass in the airport
10. bossy security lady trying to be stern and show she’s important, I’m not buying it
11. woman being searched in customs screaming at the top of her lungs and security all around her with everyone yelling at each other next to me.
12. no bags, yes you read right

I’m learning to eat anything as I travel but there is something I’ll never ever like….brussels.   For sure.

And finally a piece of advice for those traveling to tropical and sub tropical regions…do not slap, attempt to maim and/or kill a mosquito while attached to the net that others will eventually have to use…it is not cool when your blood is left behind.   Not cool at all.

Photos tomorrow.   Promise.   I’m not whining….just keeping it real.