Pit-Stop in Dallas

Flew to Dallas yesterday so that I can spend this week with my family. Made it in time for Mother's Day! Totally not planned, but I can pretend like it was. Happy Mother's Day!!

When I was on the plane yesterday from Atlanta to Dallas it hit me: I'll be on a plane to Nairobi in a week. Surprisingly enough, I was not prepared for the almost-panic attack that followed. Until now, going to Kenya has been an abstract thought. I knew it was coming, but it always seemed a long way off. Now I'm packing, taking medications, and stocking up on bug spray and antibiotics. I seems very real now and I am excited/terrified.

I met a woman at the airport yesterday. I started up the conversation because I asked where she got her amazing bag from. No, I am not fashion-crazed, but this bag was amazing. It was satchel-like with about a million pockets. She was excited that I asked and explained that it was designed by flight attendants for traveling. I asked her where she was headed to - it was obvious that she was going abroad based on the amount of bags she was towing along. She said that she was headed to Europe for a couple months to travel around with her family. She asked where I was headed and I said Kenya. "Oh, I've been on safari there. It is beautiful and you are going to have a great time!" she replied. And then we wished each other luck as the security line moved along. Every time I come across someone who has been to Kenya, or even Africa, have told me how beautiful it is and how much fun I am going to have. Africa seems like a happening place based on what everyone one is saying.

I think that one of the best things about travel is how it brings people together. As soon as you say that you are going somewhere, anywhere abroad people automatically pop up with everywhere they have ever been and "You won't guess what happened to me when I was in [Insert amazing country]" It's pretty amazing to hear their stories and you bet they all have difference advice for me on how to survive.

After all this I feel pretty prepared for Kenya but I know that as soon as I step off that plane in Nairobi I might have a complete meltdown. Good thing I have a pretty strong support system, both in Kenya and in the US.