READY with my camera, SET with my PINK traveling pants, GOing to Cape Town....or not...?

I finished packing ten minutes before I left my house. Typical. I always stay up really late (this time 5am), and wake up really early (7:30am) to "finish" packing. We drove to SFO and found out my flight was delayed an hour. My parents, Josh, Tim, and I sat around and hung out. I talked to Kat on the phone, and had some of her bomb homemade cookies. I said my goodbyes, and it's usually not until I say bye to my family, especially my brothers, does it click that I am going to be gone for a couple months. This is what happened when I left for college.

Gate 95, ten minutes before boarding time, I was ready and set for Cape Town. I took out my phone and did last minute-goodbyes via text messages, voice mails, and phone calls. An announcement was made for everyone, around 300 of us, to go to the opposite side of the gate. I was pretty confused, and almost got hit twice by security personnel pushing tables. Why were they getting out tables? I would later find out why. Confusion, apprehension, and delay defined my next three hours. Carry-on baggage checks, body searches, chemical checks, and questioning of every single person going on the flight. There was a point when around ten security guards ran up the escalator, and later when I would go up the escalator to use the restroom, I would see those same guards (and even more airport personnel) surrounding a man who was handcuffed and sitting on the floor. I wish I could make out what he was saying as he was getting questioned. A girl named Stephanie that I befriended told me she saw all our check-in luggage unloaded from the plane--I think they were being checked again. After my first security check, I looked outside and saw an ambulance. The security told me that this was a "special flight." "Ooh okay," I smiled and calmly replied back. What kind of special were they talking about? The man I sat next to on the flight said it was a "random audit." Yeah, I guess that's pretty random...as long as I get to Cape Town, and in one piece. The safer, the better.

Finally, after a 4-hour delay, my flight finally departed SFO. Fifteen hours didn't seem like fifteen hours. I occupied myself with sleeping, working on my laptop, and watching "My Sister's Keeper" (I cried a few times). The flight was pretty normal for me...I broke something, spilled OJ on myself, and started to feel congested towards the end. A steward went around asking kids if they wanted play-doh; he looked at me and smiled "Would you like play-doh?" I politely smiled and said "no, thank you." (Maybe they moved the child age to 21?)

Like I said, the flight was normal for me.

I'm in Dubai right now and have a couple more hours before I depart for Cape Town. I can't believe I'm going to spend an entire quarter there. Seems like a long time, but it really isn't. When one of the security guards at SFO asked me what I would be doing there, he said I was very fortunate to have parents who are so supportive. I completely agree; I'm blessed, and I can't thank God enough the support system he has given me.

In less than 24 hours, I will see my "home" for these next few months. I can't wait, though I can...because I still have to read over 700 pages of this book that was strongly suggested (or was it required?) I finish before arriving...

:)