Goodbye Monty Day

13 June 2008

Goodbye Monty day.

Fortunately, we didn’t have to be at the airport until 9:15 so we had the opportunity of sitting over breakfast. Toast and marmalade Ethiopian style minus butter.

Addis airport is a modern, stylish building. That’s about all you can say for it. As I was flying back the same day, although in the afternoon, I was allowed to check in early so that I could go through and wait with Monty.

Monty had trouble checking in because he was registered to fly on the 11th despite the fact that he had a ticket and receipt for the 13th. A good 30 minutes of trying to convince the man on the desk that no further payment was required since it was their error and not ours, finally got us through – grudgingly! One thing the Ethiopians are not good at is acknowledging that they, or their organisation, might be in the wrong. But because we persisted, they check-in man finally gave up and issued the required boarding pass.

After saying goodbye to Monty, I ended up chatting to the airport announcer. A very elegant, sophisticated Ethiopian capable in about six languages – but has only ever been out of the country once to visit her brother in America. An independent woman with no family since her father died – she explained that their relationship had been very close. The secret of her language skills is using her breaks to nab whichever tourist happens to be around so that she can practise.

The flight details on the board did not change. No gate was given. No time. 3 o’clock came and went. I then got speaking to a young Swedish woman who was off to visit a friend in Bahir Dar. She approached concerned about what was happening. I checked at the desk as was told to come back in 15 minutes. We went off in search of something to eat only to have our names called for embarkation immediately.

The sadness of the journey back to Gonder was caused by a feeling of homesickness and wishing I was on the plane back to the UK. I cheered up when I arrived at the airport to be met by Geshaw, a driver from the college who was there to meet another person from the college. This meant I didn’t have to negotiate and bargain with the taxis. Whilst waiting in the mini bus, I received a phone call from Mekdes to see where I had got to as she had coffee ready! I cheered up! After all, I have more than one place I can now call home. Mekdes had also cooked for me so it was a pleasant homecoming all round.