My trip to Cape Town, Part 2

Just so you all know...i slept for 13 hours straight. Felt great! And honestly, i could go back to bed right now. I am still sleepy. Sleeping pills are going to be my best friend for the next few days!

Ok, so i had landed in Joburg and i went through visa control and then was waiting for my bags when i realized that in about an hour, my plane would LAND in Cape Town. The plane that i was supposed to be ON! Ugh! So, i waited for my bags, felling a little less rushed, seeing as i didn't need to catch my flight obviously and went through customs. I then had to make my way out of the international area and find the domestic flight area so that i could re-book a ticket to Cape Town that night. My mom had given me VERY DETAILED instructions on how to get to that area. I followed them exactly, however, as i was going upstairs in the elevator, a man and another woman were on there with me. They were really nice, just chatting. The man asked me where i was headed and i said to the domestic counters and he said, "great, it's just over there, i will take you". I said "no thanks" and pushed my cart off the elevator. He came off with me and put his arm underneath mine and grabbed my cart of luggage. He pushed me away and then said "no, i WILL help you find it, it's just over here" I again said, no thanks and tried to get my cart back with no luck. This whole time he is pushing my car at a very fast pace and i am trying to keep up and get it back from him. I was irritated and leary of him and just all around tired, but still trying to use the manners my momma instilled in me. I was polite but to the point. By te time i was able to get a grip on my luggage cart again, he had already pushed in onto an escalator. We were going up to another level. I was worried, but still felt a little ok as we WERE going in the direction of the signs that said "domestic travel desk". We got to the top of the stairs and i was looking around and a guy in a really nice suite with a name tag on like all the other airport workes came up and asked me if i was ok. I said that i was just looking to go re-book a ticket to Cape Town as i had missed my flight and he said, "this man here helping you will take you there" and directed us up another escalator. We got to the top and by then i had had enough. I said, "ok, i will find it from here. Thanks for your help" He said, "may i have some money for helping you this far. I knew that if i didn't give him money he would just follow me till i did, but i didn't have any Rand to give him that i could get to easily. So i just reached my hand in my bag and pulled out a dollar bill and gave it to him. After i zipped up my bag he then grabbed my cart AGAIN and said "ok, now that you have paid me, i can not let you find it on your own. i will help you the rest of the way." UGH! i really wasn't sure what to do at this point. I had no idea where we were, and if i didn't have him with me i don't know if i could find my way back down to where i needed to go and we were like 3 levels above where i needed to go and i didn't see any elevators, just escalators and really...don't take your luggage DOWN as escalator on a cart...scarry. So, i said ok, you point me in the direction but i will push the cart. He again pushed me out of the way and said, "no, i will push it". I walked right along side of it and had my hand on my bag. (the one with my purse in it) and he pushed my cart out a door and guess where we were. THE PARKING LOT! OH MY GOODNESS! I was freaked out at this point. I said, "Where are we and why are we in the parking lot?" He said "oh, it's a short cut...i promise" He pointed in the direction that he was going to take me. I saw a few people getting into their cars ahead so i followed along with his plan thinking that if i was going to make a scene, i would rather there be people around. So we took a few steps and then he "accidentally" knocked my pillow out of my bag and off the cart. (if you are looking at the cart from the rear, he was in the middle, pushing it, i was on his right and he knocked the pillow off to the left.) So he then looked at me and said, "oops, you should pick that up." I just stared at him. With one of those "are you kidding me??" looks. He just kept looking at me and then at the pillow and then at me again. Until finally he realized that i was getting upset and he picked up the pillow. We took another few steps and then my passport somewhow dropped on the ground. After it dropped, he took a few more steps. Well...a pillow is one thing, but i am NOT going to let my passport sit there on the ground of the parking lot and i am NOT going to let him touch it. So i figured, if he decided to run off with my stuff, at least i would have my passport. I grabbed it and came back to the cart and he was just standing there waiting for me. The top flap of my bag was open and pushed back and so i flipped it back closed. I had put my passport in my jacket pocket and when flipped my bag closed i noticed that the zipper was undone just slightly. Hence the reason my passport had fallen. I zipped it closed and tried to take control of my cart. No luck. He was a strong bugger. We took a few more steps and i noticed that on the left hand side of my bag, he was holding my wallet. It was pushed up againt my bag so that it was black on black and then with his hand black as well, it was hardley noticable, but i saw it. we were just a few feet away from the people and as soon as we got to them, i reached over and grabbed my wallet. He took a few steps back and let go and then i realized that he had taken out my other wallet as well (one i have with my american stuff and then other the with my african things) and it was sitting in the cart as well as my plane ticket. (old, but still, it was out of my bag) i grabbed my things, put them back in my bag and said "i will find it on my own" and turned around and walked away. Get this...so he came up to me again! He said, "well, could i have a few dollars for getting you this far?" I WAS IN THE BACK OF A PARKING LOT!!!!!! I gave him the meanest glare i could and did a little evil laugh and sniffed and said "no". and then walked away. I assume that he left it at that seeing as he had been caught. The people loading their cars with their luggage asked me if i was ok or if i had misplaced my car and i said, "no, i just needed to lose him. Thank you though."

I walked back through the door where i come in and just wandered around until i found a sign i recognized and after about 10 minutes of searching, i finally found where i needed to be. I got in line to get my next ticket and when i got up to the counter they nice lady said, i'm sorry the next flight has already closed and is taking off in 10 minutes. You will have to get a ticket for tomorrow morning because that is the next flight to Cape Town. "huh?!?!?!?" Then she told me to go to the ticketing counter and ask to re-book my ticket. I went over to that counter and they said they were closed and could not help me. That they re-opened at 4:30am and i would have to come back then. I was nearly in tears and had no clue what to do. I said to them "WAIT...just tell me what flight has openings for the mroning and how much it would be. They glared at me and i glared back. I was done being polite. (well...sort of. I can't fully be mean. They hadn't really done anything wrong) She "not so kindly" told me that she could book me on the 6am flight but that i would have to come back and pay in the mroning and then it would be offical. And it was going to cost me R1463. Which is about $200. that is just the re-booking fee. My original ticket...only cost me $130. This is CRAZY! So i said fine, and they shut their window and i walked away. Didn't walk anywhere in particular...just walked. To a place that i could sit and figure out what to do next. It's nearly 9pm in an unfamiliar airport where even the workers are corrupt and now i have to figure out what to do till morning. Then i tried to think, well if i found a spot i could sit till mroning, how in the WORLD would i stay awake to keep an eye on my luggage. So, i called Greg Johns. The missionary and friend that was to be picking me up in Cape Town and told him that i could not get out of Joburg till 6am and i didn't know what to do. He said that he would call me back in a few minutes. So i called my daddy. Everything seems to be ok when you talk to daddy.

A few minutes later Greg called back and said that they had booked me into a bed and breakfast and that the owner was on his way to the airport to get me. I felt good and scared at the same time. I didn't want to leave the airport cause that was the only way i was going to get out of this city, and i didn't want to have to trust anyone that i didn't know. It's pitch black outside so if something DID happen, how would i ever descibe it to anyone. But Greg and Emily seemed to trust this person and Emily had stayed there a few times before and he was a Christian and only about 10 minutes from the airport. I went outside the airport and waited till he arrived.

He was a wonderful guy! The minute he saw me he came up and gave me a big hug! I needed it, although it wasn't that comforting seeing as i didn't know him, but i did geta good vibe from him. So, i decided that i would trust him...sort of. We get my bags in th car and drove off. His place was WONDERFUL! It was like a mini hotel in his house and the rooms were huge. i had a big king size bed with a table and two chairs and a big bathroom. So much better then staying in the airport. I got ready and crawled into bed and shut my eyes and imediatly could see that creeps face. He was just starring at me everytime i closed my eyes. I finally got into a bed and now i can't sleep. I layed there, eyes wide open for about an hour. Finally, i think i just got to the point where i passed out more then fell asleep. I don't remember sleeping. I just remember laying there, and then being woken up by my alarm. It was 3:30am. I think i most likely slept about 2 hours, but that is it. I got in the shower, where there was no shampoo or anything, just a bar of hand soap that i had grabbed off the sink. I washed up, hair and all, with that soap and then got ready to go. The nice host knocked on my door just as i finished zipping up my bags and we went into the house to settle the account before we left. It ended up costing me about $70 but that was just fine. It was worth it to not have to stay in the airport.

We arrived at the airport at 4:30 and i made my way to the counter to pay my money and get on the flight to Cape Town. While the lady checked me in, i asked if there was a later flight that might be a little cheaper. Even though all i wanted to do was to get out of the city, i also know that i don't really have any money, so whatever i am spending on a ticket, is coming out of my poor college student fund, so i need to be frugile. And it's daytime now and i felt a little better (but just a little) She said that there was a flight at 8am that i could get on for about R349. Which equals $50 apx. I told her to change it for me and saved myself about $150. Awesome!

I called Greg and Emily and told them that i would in Cape Town about 10:00. I then made my way through security and found my gate and sat down. Something about going through security just made me feel...um...secure. I felt like everything was going to be ok now. I found a little fast food place to eat at and had some breakfast and just hung out a while. I still had 2 hours before my flight. Eventually i go on the plane and we took off!

Now, as for the flight down to Cape Town, i was just so happy to be on it that i don't want to complain, but i must complete this story with the events of that trip.

The flight was only about half full. Nealry all the isle and window seats were taken, but most middle ones were not. It was nice. A lady sat in the isle while i had the window seat. She was vary nice. Looked as though she was going to Cape Town on business as she only had her purse with her. No other luggage. We said little to each other but both felt the same way about the people behind us. It was a mother and her 3 kids. A baby, who cried for 3/4 of the trip and a little boy that was in the middle sleeping the whole time and a little girl at the window that would not stop throwing up. Between whiffs of the baby diaper the REALLY needed to be changed and the smell of throw up (sitting RIGHT BEHIND ME) and also the smell of someone in front of me. (i don't care to identify the smell) it was a long flight. Then towards the end, the lady next to me brought out this sort of creme or something and kept putting it on her feet...like she applied it 5 or 6 times. She would apply it, let it soak in, i guess, and then alpply again. It smelled like peppermint, so that was a little better then everything else. It was the type of smell that clears your sinuses even when you didn't know they needed to be.

We landed in Cape Town and de-planed. My luggage was amoung the first to come off and i walked out the doors to a greeting of Greg and Emily. I was SO HAPPY to finally see someone i knew and just to get a hug. That's all i really needed, was a hug.

We walked out to the car as i recounted my story.

What a long trip!

Thank you all for your prayers. As you can see, they were needed and put to good use! The Lord is so good to me and kept me safe and of sound mind. There were several times that i was about to lose it and burst into tears, but i knew that i needed to be strong and pay attention. Things like this is what makes my faith stronger.

PS...the guy that owned the bed and breakfast called me to just check up to see how i was doing. Such a nice guy!

I'm off to visit the school today. I get to pick out my dorm room curtains! YAY!