Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Leaving for and Arriving in Ethiopia! (Part 2: BAH - ADD)

There was very little time to wait in Bahrain. I went through the screening area required for transiting passengers and immediately set out to find my gate. It was relatively easy to find, and there was already a number of people sitting there waiting. I took off my backpack and set it in the seat and then sat in front of it. I placed my computer bag between my legs and used my phone to let people know that I was soon going to be on my flight to Addis Ababa (ADD).

In what seemed like almost no time at all (about 40 min at most), the gate attendant asked us to form one line. At the same time, the other gate attendant was doing the same thing on the other side... each of them saying that we only needed one line. The confusion created was short lived as they decided that two- one lines was quite acceptable for the boarding process. I grabbed my computer bag, got into one of the lines anxious to be as close to one of the first passengers as possible. (The sooner I can get on the plane, the better I feel.) In my haste, the most likely thing to happen when one is in a hurry, happened. I forgot my backpack!

I noticed my mistake, got out of line, and quickly retrieved my backpack which was left untouched next to a person calmly slouching and looking at his phone. He noticed me and smiled. I smiled back, nodded, and took my backpack and got at the end of the line. The gate agent saw me and asked "why did you get out of line?" I told him I had forgotten my backpack.

"That reason is good enough for you to get in line up here." So I followed the request to cut in line a bit behind where I would have been originally. I made it to the plane, found my seat, took a couple of deep breaths, and watched the others board the plane. It was like many of them were flying for the first time. They didn't know how to find their seats, and the constant questions to the flight attendants slowed the process down. I was very pleased that they were still very respectful in everything they were doing, which is not what has been my previous experiences in such situations!

Finally everyone was seated, and we were about on our way. They gave us the safety speech, and I decided to look at the safety card during this time. The person sitting in the seat next to me looked at hers as well. I then put mine away, and she did the same. I found out that she was just doing what I was doing. She had never flown before was taking cues on how to behave.

During the flight, we were served a meal. It was not a great meal, but as far as airline food goes, it was pretty good. And when one flies in economy, it is not a certainty that one is going to even get a meal these days. We soon landed at ADD, Terminal 1. I definitely wouldn't mind flying Gulf Air again. 

Leaving for and Arriving in Ethiopia! (Part 1: DMM - BAH)

My excitement was overflowing as I tried to figure out what to pack a mere 6 hours before I was to head to the airport. I figured I should probably take clothes and my computer in case I found time to work. I knew that I wasn't going to be able to meet up with my friend who was supposed to have traveled there a couple of days previously as he had missed his plane and decided not to go. This being the case, I had no idea what to expect or do after I arrived.

Finally I decided that I had more than I probably needed, and that it was time to just attempt to relax (something very difficult for me to do when I am about to travel). My mind was racing, my anxiety up, and my desire to leave growing by the second. Finally, it was time! I went to my coworker's room to both exchange some SAR (Saudi Arabian Riyal) for some USD and prepare to go to the airport. He had generously agreed to take me on the hour long trip to what is basically the middle of nowhere.

This particular trip took over that hour, however. We managed to make to the airport fairly easily, but getting into the terminal took a little more doing. While it shouldn't have been quite as difficult as it was, the signs were not quite as easy to understand as they first appeared to be. It said to take the first right, but the first right did not take us where it was supposed to. We knew exactly which road we were supposed to be on, but couldn't seem to find a road that connected. We even looked into parking lots to see if there was an entrance from that side with no success.

We did finally manage to find a connecting road and make it to the airport. Upon entering, however, there was a LONG line that seemed to be waiting to put their luggage through an x-ray machine. I had already printed my tickets, so I went to find the entrance to the international departure area and hoped they would let me through. Success!

Then it was time to stand in line for the next hour waiting to get through passport control. Then I waited for the gate to open. I lost track of time and was only thinking about when the plane left as opposed to boarded, and it turns out that the plane was continuing on to Delhi after it stopped in Bahrain, so the destination they called out was Delhi. I just ignored it. Fortunately, I decided to go to the gate and see if it was open and found that it was boarding. I quickly got on the plane (they almost didn't let me because they were looking for a visa for India, which of course I didn't have), and while I wasn't the last one, there were only one or two who followed me!

The flight was uneventful, save for a few bumps. We got a little container of water just prior to take off on this 25 minute flight. Hydration is good even on short flights!