Getting to Lusaka

It took two days to get to our African destination. We had United tickets from Portland to London. Then, after a 7-hour layover at Heathrow Airport, we took a 10-hour British Air flight to Lusaka, where our friends picked us up at the airport at 6:00 a.m.

Since we were flying out of Portland, we drove up the night before and enjoyed a beautiful fall day in the city, spending the night at a hotel airport (where we could leave our car for three weeks). We took the relatively new Portland aerial tram for a great view of the city. We walked around the Pearl District and had dinner in Nob Hill. After a night in the most uncomfortable bed of the entire trip (beware of cheap Howard Johnsons), we flew to London with a plane change in Chicago.

It was 7 a.m. when we landed in Heathrow, but by our Oregon clock, it was 10 p.m. the day before. We had reservations at the Heathrow Yotel at noon, but we'd arrived early due to a change in schedule. So we got bangers and eggs in a hotel airport and played cards to keep ourselves awake until we could check into our tiny sleeping room.

The Yotel was exactly what we needed: a place to catch a few hours sleep and get a shower before the next 10-hour flight. It might be compact, but it was actually very luxurious. A deliciously comfortable bed (that converts from a couch with the push of button), plush towels, and room service in the morning. There was even wireless internet and tv. We were asleep within minutes of crawling into the Egyptian cotton sheets. Four hours later, we roused ourselves with lattes and croissants in bed (happy birthday to me!). It's amazing how perky you can feel after four hours of sleep.

We emerged from our pod in time for what we thought was a beautiful sunrise, flooding the terminal with orange light. As we went through security and found our gate, we kept remarking on how dark the clouds were getting. (Must be quite a storm coming.) Finally it dawned on us that what we'd seen was the sunset, and it was actually 7:00 at night.

British Air is a real treat after United, and our flight to Lusaka was long but comfortable. We watched movies on demand and got in a few snoozes before landing at dawn (for real, this time). Customs entailed a long line, but was easy. We'd ignored all the travel sites' advice to mail our passports to the Zambian Embassy and get visas ahead of time. Instead we'd gone with Judith's advice to just get our visas when we landed. For $50, they stamp your passport and call it a visa. That's it.

We did, however, have trouble with Kate's suitcase. It was nowhere to be found. Now, I could probably wear the same clothes for five days and be just fine. For Kate, it was more of a challenge, but she managed beautifully and without complaint, and was ever so grateful when Mike retrieved her suitcase for her when it arrived several days later.

We were so happy to see Judith and Mike at the airport. In Africa at last, we watched in groggy awe as Mike drove us through the crowded, active streets of Lusaka.

When we arrived at Mike and Judith's home, their three kids had a wonderful breakfast feast ready for us. Ethan, their 15-year-old son, generously gave us his large room and bath while he took the couch. Judith suggested that we nap in the afternoon while she went to the kids' school for parent-teacher conferences and picked up groceries for dinner. But we were too excited to sleep. We were ready to hit the ground running.