In the enduring words of Lloyd Christmas: "We're There"

Highlights from 2.5 days of travel from Washington, DC to Yei, Sudan:

1.  My last meal on American soil for the foreseeable future at Dulles Airport: sushi and gummi bears.

2.  The KLM movie selection.  I recommend “A Good Year” with Russell Crowe and Marion Cotillard.  The plot is predictable but the acting and scenery are worth it.

3.  My teammates / friends / traveling companions singing a very hearty Happy Birthday to me at the Amsterdam airport.  Nothing like maintaining the stereotype of loud Americans.

4.  Successfully avoiding the ugly cry while reading birthday cards my parents had given to me.  Noone wants to be the weird girl crying into a plane window.

5.  Surviving morning rush hour in Nairobi.

6.  Arriving at the orphanage to the kids singing “thank you for coming, we are so glad you’re here.”  Melt. My. Heart.

7.  Seeing old friends who are new neighbors.

8.  Being woken up at 1:45 in the morning by loud, raucous African music to find out the next morning that it came from a “disco” ¾  mile away.   Loud neighbors exist even in Africa.  Next time I’m calling the homeowners association.