THE TRIP - Day 2, Part 1

Because we lost 8 hours going to Addis, we're gonna skip right till Day 2.
We left on Monday morning, but after a 15 hour flight, we arrived Tuesday morning.

9:17am - Addis Ababa 3.9.10
Where did the night go? Well, we had about 3 1/2 hours of dark & qiet. I SHOULD have taken the sleeping pill. I probably fell asleep for 2 hours, or just under - but I bet if I had taken the drugs, I'd have slept much longer! Oh well. My stomach woke me up too. We just ate breakfast like an hour ago. I'd rate ET air food between a 4 and a 5 (out of 10) - not inedible, but not really good. At least it wasn't putrid! :)
Anyway, I thought i'd write some final thoughts about our 1st flight before we get off the plane (I believe we've begun the descent - touching down in 30 minutes or so.) I very much enjoyed the big tv screens that cycled through the current time in ET, ETA, time in the zome we were in (at that point) and then there was this cute little animated plane that showed where we started and relatively where we were - surrpounding countries and all).
The people were nice. Directly in from of us is another adoptive mother (different agency) who brought 4 friends. Nice & informative. The Ethiopian lady who sat behind us slept the entire way - or so it seemed. Probably 70% of the trip though. Good for her! She must have taken this trip before. Stewardess - nice. Bathrooms were messy most of the time, but not really smelly (so that's a pro).
Plane, comfty- but probably could have been brutal if it was full. The fact that the movies started all at once and were on different channels would have been good - if I was awake for the start of them. But I REALLY could have done without being woken up with a "fresh citrusy towel." I was trying to sleep and would have prefered not to be woken up to wash my face with an orange! :)
Overall though, it was way better than I had envisioned and I have to thank God (and all those who are praying) for safety and sanity on this long flight.
Looks like we probably won't make it for Meg's nap (ETA 9:42a) - It'll probably be 10 before we're off the plane and then we have to get the transit visa, go through immigration and get our bags...have them xrayed then take a shuttle to our hotel. Mentally we're preparing for at least 2 hours for that to happen. I think when we call Gail, we'll ask to meet her at Layla at 3 or so.
A nap in a bed and a shower sound divine to me!
"Mom" just reminded/informed me it was 1:40a our time. Lucky Tim is sleepibg. Jealous!! :)
Speakibg of him - he may have been right about me over-packing! I packed, but did not use these things from my carry on - (though it doesn't mean I won't in ET):
my book, my magazine, my snacks - and I brought a bunch (I only ate 1/2 box junior mints and chewed 2 peices of gum). Didn't use the money blet, PSP, DS, crossword puzzle book (though in my defnse I thought it was a word jumble) my extra shirt & undies (though I WOULD pack them again) - & the throw away heating pads.
Things I did use - earphones, deoterant, toothbrush & toothpaste, water, gum, & notebook! My hat (my hair is looking bad!) pillow from home, eyelash curler, hand sanitizer (the bathrooms were not equipt with them & some of them didn't have soap!), lotion, tissues and chapstick.
We MADE IT!BOLE airport, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.