Ready to Get There

January 31, 2013 (12:11 A.M.)

 Day 38: Actually it’s only been seven hours or so but between the long flight and the six more hours I still have before my next two-hour flight, I’m ready to stop traveling. It’s taking forever. I’m tired and would like nothing more than to be able to comfortably fall within the grasp of a warm blanket and pillow, but instead I’m forced to attempt to “sleep” on a bench in the airport while simultaneously watching my luggage and not getting robbed at the same time. It’s quite exhausting but it’s almost over.

 I’m sitting here at the bar trying to figure out how to get in touch with my family and Shannon. There are no free wifi sections and I’m afraid to use my phone for fear of racking up ridiculous phone charges. This is the first time I realize I’m in Africa. When the bartender handed me my tab for the couple beers I had, I was shocked at how expensive they were. I kept trying to think about what I ordered and could not figure out how I spent $100 sitting here. It wasn’t until I opened my wallet to surrender the cash did I realize it was R100; my bill was really around $11. I love Africa.

 I needed to get in touch with my parents to let them know of my safety so I conceded and purchased internet at one of the local restaurants. I didn’t need to pay for food during my travels because my thoughtful girlfriend packed me a lunch in the morning and the obligated airlines fed me throughout each flight. Anything I didn’t eat on the flight, I stowed away in a separate bag. Future me would thank me during my 14-hour layover. I Skyped with the parents for a couple minutes and finally got in touch with Shannon. It wasn’t until the 30 minutes of internet expired did I realize I should have purchased more but by this time I’m buzzed from the alcohol, delirious from the lack of sleep and anxious about missing my flight in a couple hours. I ended up finding a bench to rest on for a few hours and successfully made it to my last and final flight. Johannesburg was now nothing but a distant memory. Good thing too, I wasn’t sure how much longer I could make it.