Arrived in Addis-Family Pic is Complete

Hello from Addis Ababa

We began our journey July 27, 2013 with our 3 am wake up call. We had a 4 am taxi pick up. We had ample time to get ready, give Lexxie her dose of So-Calm and  the hard part:  saying good bye to Gail and Jennifer.  Allison and Alex had left earlier Friday for a camping weekend and Paul had already had his goodbyes with Aleysha and Daylan, but it never gets easier.  This trip has been coming on for so long that it just felt like we had all the time in the world. Now that it was here, well let's just say tears were inevitable. 

We arrived at the airport and began the check in process.  Paul prefers to travel light, but of course that went out the window the very first time we traveled together.  This flight, (seriously, this is a 16 month visit not a 2 week holiday) was no exception.  We were happy to check our 5 bags and full size dog crate.  That left us with 2 carry on rolly bags, 2 computer bags, 1 knapsack (aka my purse) and  Lexxie in a Sherpa travel bag.  You could say we made a rather substantial footprint.  I was able to carry Lexxie through the metal detector, but once through I was asked to contain her in her Sherpa.  Sure, sure, sir, no worries.  Once we got to Gate 17 to wait for our flight from Ottawa to Toronto I obediently placed Lexxie and Sherpa on the floor at my feet. And actually by "on the floor at my feet" I meant to say "sitting in my lap."  She was calm and relaxed and unaware of what lay ahead.

On-board we placed the Sherpa under the seat and Lexxie began to scratch, circle and cry/whine.  Her "panic" was upsetting, but fortunately she quieted relatively soon and the 48 minute flight ended with the passenger beside us never even realizing we were travelling with a dog.  

In Toronto we proceeded to baggage claim so we could get the dog crate Lexxie would use for the second leg of her travel.  We took Lexxie outside before heading for check in at the Ethiopian Airlines's terminal.  Once there the process was pretty easy, made easier  by Paul's Air Canada Elite status. Phew!  You should have seen the line up for Economy class!  Once Lexxie was checked in, we took her in her crate to "pet check in".  This was the hard part. We left her with a very friendly attendant @ 8:45 am and did not see her again until @ 8:45 am Ethiopian time ( or 3:45 am Ottawa time).  It's a 12 hour flight from Toronto to Addis and with a touch down in Rome, that's an additional 1.15 hrs.  We landed in Addis and cleared through Customs with ease, made easier by our Ethiopian Residency Cards. Then we were in baggage claim.  There was another passenger on our flight flying with two dogs.  He had one in the cabin and his other dog traveled alongside Lexxie.  Normally I'd say this must have been a good thing except that Lexxie has never grasped the concept that she is a canine so more than likely she spent the whole flight wondering why she was down in cargo and not sitting on my lap.  The first thing I saw when we got to baggage claim was the other passenger with his two dogs.  I was about to ask where you recover crates when Paul pointed to the baggage carousel.  We missed her on her first tour and just when she went from our view I convinced myself that the crate was empty.  Irrational yes, but normal under the circumstances.  I ran to where the crate would come out and I can not even explain the emotions running through me when the crate approached and I could  see her back squished to the back of the crate.  I took the crate off the conveyor belt and on my knees now, opened the door and out she jumped into my arms.  How do you spell relief?  Holding my girl in my arms, faint smell of urine and all.  

This was the part of the trip I dreaded the most, but now that it's over: Let's begin our African Adventure.