As you can see from my inflight screen, the route was across France. I hope our pilot was treated better than we were when we flew F-4's across France. International flight rules/agreements are all in French and English. It has evolved so that only English is spoken world wide in aeronautics. Well, that is except in France when they talk to US pilots/navigators. The result is after the initial contact there is no verbal control from the flight controllers for the whole transit of France. We flew across France several times a year to Spain. Am I still bitter? I am working on it. They really were truly jerks to work with when flying. Oh yea, back to being more Christ-like and serving a mission.
It looks like we made a left turn over the Mediterranean, then a right turn just past Tunis in Tunisia, over Libya, Chad, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, and then in to Zambia.
This was my view from my all-nighter seat.
The smell wasn't too bad - remember we were headed TO Africa, but it got real bright each time the door was opened, and often left open, but I could just reach out and shut it for everyone. :^)
From First Class this was my first view of Africa as the sun was rising in the east giving off an orange glow silhouetting the unusual trees and occasionally a giraffe or elephant.
We hefted our 70 lbs of carry-on cases down the steps to the tarmac, just like Humphrey Bogart must have done 75 years ago on the north end of the continent.
... and there was Lusaka
... and there really was a sunrise coming.
Peace, quiet, tranquillity and fresh air....
Until the bags arrived.
I really didn't want to see this sign!
Mrs. Mfula and I were very polite as we knew the pleasant young man speaking some unknown dialect of English was not at fault. I wasn't really sure what he said but Mrs. Mfula seemed satisfied with the paper he gave her so I was also.
Kristi was wondering why we only packed heavy things in our carry-on luggage. It seems that clothes did not qualify for my idea of getting more weight to Africa. It would be a while before she saw a second change of clothes. My hero status is slightly tarnished.
President and Sister Padovich from southern California got up very early to meet us at the airport. They will be heading back to the USA in three weeks after spending two years here.
We hit the morning commute heading back into town.
This is the gate to our compound. That is 240 volts running 5 strands high on top of the wall and gate.
This is us in front of our "flat". In England they would call this a detached bungalow, but since it is rented as an apartment, everyone calls it a flat. (Looks like a house to me.) It has two bedrooms and is quite nice.
This is the view from upstairs. Notice the two white doors (actually curtains), that is where the main caretakers/guards/maintenance families live. There are doors there. The curtains are for when the doors are open to keep the flies out. That is a military runway on the other side. I hope they are on my side but stay friendly with everyone they know. I don't think living next to a military target is real smart.
