Made it to Douala

March 3^rd, 2012

We are currently on the flight to Douala and this by far has been the longest lag of flights yet. We are both overly tired and dehydrated from the little glasses of water given out and no time at the airport to get any bottles of water. After landing in Brussels we took a bus over to the other terminal where we once again flashed our passports and played the hurry up and wait game. That game is very popular when traveling as we have played it on nearly every trip! Our bodies are sore and our heads are pounding from the lack of everything, sleep, oxygen (it smells) and water. We should land in Douala around 6pm here (11am MN time). It will be dark by then and by the time we go through customs and get all of our luggage and find arrangements for a ride to the hotel it will most likely be 8pm.

After landing in Duoala, the airport was very hot! Humidity level at 90% with a temperature of 88 degrees. I (Steph) still had my MN clothes on which included a hooded sweathshirt and jeans and so glad I had my bandana on to keep the sweat from dripping down my face. We both had large amounts of luggage and had not made prior arrangements to get to the Ibis hotel which we will later regret. We walked through the long hallways with windows open and the floor that had cracked tile on it and stairs that chipped and falling apart. Llonda grabbed a couple of luggage carts as this time since two of carry on bags had previosly taken away from us, we had 7 bags to try to get off the rotating luggage rack. The airport is filled with Africans above watching everyone which was a picture moment. I handed the camera over to Llonda and she started clicking away. Security was over in less than 60 seconds stopping us. They frown upon photos being taken of or in government buildings. While waiting for our luggage Llonda was spoted by Abdoulye a former porter she had used before on her travels here. He was most certainly our saving grace at that moment. He was there for another traveler and heard we were coming in, but had the wrong date, so as fate would have it he told us to hang tight while he picked up the other gentleman and came back to our rescue. He took one cart of luggage while I took the other and he brought us over to the Chief of Customs where he approved our luggage, and then had a couple of kids (I'm sure they were adults but they looked like kids) to watch our luggage while he took us back into the police area to meet a couple of the commissioners. Neither of us was in a presentable position as both were drowned in sweat and smelled horribly, and were totally exhausted from being up for 30 some hours straight. But we shook their hands with the last bit of strength we had left to lift our arms from the total of 400 pounds of luggage we had been handling and smiled which was the last thing I could think of doing at that moment. He introduced us as Dr's, which was not correct but was too hard to explain the difference so we graciously accepted the compliment and went on our way.

We went back to our luggage which was safe with the kids, and started outside. After being cleared by the chief of customs our luggage wasn't even searched which was wonderful. Headed outside into the darkness and looking at the large amounts of people loitering around and trying to sell their stuff to you, which is how most make their living, we made our way down the broken pavement to wait for two taxi's. No way we could fit in one with all our luggage. We got loaded up and Llonda thought it may be best to talk with Cameroon Air whom we will be flying with on Monday to Garoua to get their luggage requirements. So back into the hot airport to speak with them. Of course it will be another small fortune to fly with all the luggage, despite the fact most of it is medical supplies. So we already know we will have shuffling around to do with our luggage. Finally we are off in the taxi's and enroute to the Ibis. Thanks to Abdouleye all is good!

We get settled in, cleaned up and go to the Ibis restaurant for a late dinner, which would be my first African meal. I struggle with the menu, and push to order off the kids meal which is not allowed and after long negotiations our waiter allows me to order something he choose for me but agrees to keep it seperate on the plate in case I don't like it. Llonda knows exactly what she wants and has no problem ordering. Excited for her choice, the waiter comes back that the avacado's are no good. So she orders something else with no hesitation. The place is nice and they speak some English and when our food comes I have meat on my plate that is white and both of us are unsure of what it is. Starving, I waste no time digging into it, and it's a familiar taste to me but I still don't know what. Llonda figures it out as smoked fish. Ahhh, yes! That's exactly what it is. All in all, not a bad first experience. We came back to the room and I worked on the computer a little bit while Llonda went to bed and I got to bed around 11pm which is only 4pm home time but after not sleeping I was TIRED!

Good night everyone!