Our friends are hosting Thanksgiving at their house at the American Embassy on Sunday, and I was hoping to get back early to help Tyler shop for wine and bread (harder than it seems in Delhi). I was getting mentally ready for my flight back to India through Addis tomorrow, after a full day of meetings today.
Well, less than three hours later, here I am at the airport in Accra! I was printing out some documents for meetings today, when the receptionist asked what the date was. "The 17th," I replied. "No, it's the 18th" - another woman replied.
"That's impossible," I thought. After all, I should know because my flight leaves on the 18th! Double-checking my ticket, I nearly had a panic attack when I discovered that actually, my flight leaves in three hours!!
I of course didn't think this was a big deal, as my travel agent assured me I could change tickets anytime without a penalty. What I didn't anticipate, however, was that there would be no available seats on tomorrow's flight. Or Sunday's. Or Monday's. The earliest I could leave is Tuesday, unless I pay $2500+ to get on a Virgin flight tomorrow through London.
It's a good thing that I've gotten accustomed living out of my suitcase, because I ran up to my room in a flurry, and somehow managed to pack in five minutes.
Murphy's Law though. As I try to check out, it takes three women to add up all my bills, and the credit card machine doesn't work. I rush to the cab and realize midway to the airport that I still have my hotel key. The driver drops me off at arrivals, and I need to walk fifteen minutes to departures, all my bags overflowing. I must have looked like a cartoon.
But as I sit here near the gate, I'm just thankful that everything has worked out. I'm just sad to be missing my meetings, as well as drinks with a friend I had met during my last trip here, who drove five hours down to meet me and even brought a wedding present! That's the thing with Ghanaians. You meet them once, and they're friends for life.
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