Stranded in Nairobi.

Stranded in Nairobi

August 10^th 2013

The two ladies that helped turn this stranding into one heck of a party!

I remember as a child when things would go wrong, I would often get frustrated, I would pout, whine and complain, as children often do. I look back now at the way my parents responded, telling me to keep my chin up, keep working, and keep believing. God always has a plan, sometimes you just gotta trust him, and do whatever is within your power to reach your goal.

And right now here in Nairobi, I am digging as deep as I can to keep that optimism alive on day 5 of being stranded.

4 nights at a five star hotel, thanks Kenya Airways!

This all started when I awoke up at 3:30 in the morning in Moshi Tanzania on the 6^th of August. I transferred to the airport to catch my flight to Nairobi and onwards to Madagascar. However, at the airport the ticket attendant could not issue my boarding pass for Madagascar, it seemed strange, but it was a small airport and a different airline, so I thought little of it. I arrived in Nairobi an hour later, went to the Kenya airways desk to get my boarding pass for Madagascar and was sadly told that the flight had been overbooked. They would put me up in a hotel down town, and I would take a flight the next day.

I thought, well, worse things could happen and it is a five star hotel, with a pool, fine food and a great opportunity to relax after climbing Kilimanjaro.

Making moves in modern Kenya.

I went to bed that night very satisfied and excited about going to Madagascar the next day.

I woke up in the morning to go for breakfast and saw the lobby PACKED with people, suit cases and the feeling of chaos all around me. I went up to one of the attendants and said, “sir, what is going on?”, he responded, “Sir, I apologize, but the airport is on fire”. I was baffled at this…. WHAT???? HOW???? NO WAY!!!??

Then I looked at the TV, and BBC was playing the images of the fire, and the whole arrivals terminal where yesterday I had been stamped in on my transit VISA was being reduced to ashes.

I went had breakfast and started to evaluate my options.

What would I do? Will I even get to Madagascar? The government surely must do something!? This is millions of dollars at stake, and the 4^th largest air traffic hub in Africa down!

Karaoke night, Kenyan style. Well done up there Katie.

The breakfast was lovely, and gave me a bit of energy to start making some plans. I fired off a few emails to friends in Zimbabwe and South Africa, as if worst case scenario means I must go by land to Joburg, then so be it.

Then while searching my options my friend Amanda signed online. We had a little chat about the situation, and she being one of the most well-traveled young women I know reminded me, it is all about the journey, something good will come of this.

Making the most of this event!

Amanda, a big thanks to you, and I cannot wait for the day when we can adventure together.

My optimism came back! And whatever comes of this, I know it was meant to be! Africa has been one heck of an adventure so far.

I have crossed the sands of Sahara in search of the lost pyramids of Sudan, climbed the mountains of Ethiopia, visited one of the least known parts of Africa in Somaliland, road motor bikes around Kenyan national parks teaming with animals, fed baby Elephants, and climbed Africa’s highest peak.

With this dash of inspiration with me now, I called up two friends from the USA who are living here in Nairobi, Kelly and Katie. I explained to them my situation and we managed to arrange a gathering, rocking out some Tusker, singing the finest of Disney songs, drinking South African red wine and embracing the situation upon us.

6 am, trying to get into the terminal, no luck, back to the hotel.

The burnt down international arrivals terminal.

I got up the next day, now August 9^th, to try and hit up the airport and board a plane to Madagascar. What I got to see resembled more of the Titanic sinking and people scrambling for life boats. It was after 7 hours of waiting, confusion, disorganization and chaos I was ushered back to my hotel room, lol.

But then, it hit me, I could attend Katie’s going away party from Kenya, as she is now heading back to the US to finish her law degree. I messaged Katie, and she said, dress your best; we are going out in style tonight! I laughed to myself, as all my clothes smell like I just climbed a mountain.

All my flight changes, lol.

 The only clean shirt I have, a pair of jeans and hiking boots made me look like one of the agents from Zero Dark Thirty. This party enabled me to see a completely different side of Nairobi, a young hip crowd of educated Kenyans, living it up on a Friday night in a city that I have discovered has one of the best party scenes I have seen in Africa.

Kelly and I managed to get a taxi back to the hotel, said our goodbyes and now I sit in the “domestic terminal” of the Nairobi waiting to board my flight to Madagascar, hoping and praying it goes! One more step and I will finally be on the Grand Island I have dreamed about for so long.

I am truly thankful and grateful for all that this trip has brought to my life so far, and in many ways as awful as this disruption was, it was a blessing in disguise. I had a great time!

The improvised international terminal. MADAGASCAR BOUND!

Thanks very much to all those that made this stopover in Nairobi so awesome.

William Delaney