Maruge Visit: Plane Ride There

Tess and I got to the LAX airport at 8:30 for the long plan ride from LAX to Eldoret Kenya at 10:20pm (planning to arrive in Kenya at 7:20pm the next night). We we were already very tired from a day of packing and saying our goodbyes so it was great that from years of traveling we learned to fall asleep on anything that moved. After walking through an hour long security line we decided to stop at Starbucks on our way to our gate  so we could get a little bit of energy to journal in the plane and read a little about Kenya. I got a delicious steaming vanilla soy latte and Tess got a grande nonfat latte. After taking a few sips we started walking to our gate. It was now about 10:15 so the line was very small. As we finished walking into the gate tunnel we patted the outside of the plane like we always did for good luck and walked into the plane. We found our seats, sat down, sighed and looked at each other. Drinking our coffees we started to read. A booming voice came over the inner come, "Please fasten your seat belts gang we got a long plane ride ahead of us. Food will be served 3 times this flight and blankets and pillows are provided. We will be flying at approximately 33,000 feet through out the flight. Have a great flight gang you are in good hands with you captain Roger." We stared to taxi out onto the runway so Tess and I put down our books and looked out our window. Being the "nice" sister I am I let her sit in by the window seat. Faster and faster the plane went until the captain pulled up on the handles and we lifted into the air. I closed my eyes because I hated the feeling of going straight up. I was so tired that just from lightly closing my eyes I fell into a deep DEEP sleep. I later got woken up when one of the flight attendants came around with drinks and our BREAKFAST! I had slept all the way through the night and so had Tess! I shook her to wake her up so she could eat and drink a little. I was so hungry that my mouth was watering and my teeth were chattering. Before I knew it I had a plate of juicy chicken and buttery vegetables lying in front of me. It smelled SO good! Tess got the chicken as well and we both started to eat it. Once we were done we decided to watch a movie to pass the time. We watched a movie about a man who wants to share the Internet with the rest of Kenya. The movie was called "Growing Knowledge" here is the trailer!

The movie was about 2 hours and 30 minutes. By this time it was about 12 in the afternoon and the flight attendants were coming around with another round of beverages. I got a hot tea and Tess got a coffee. The rest of the flight was uneventful. At around 7:00pm the captain came back on the intercom and told us to buckle our seat belts, turn off our electronics, and get ready for landing! It had been a very long day and finally we were about to reach our destination.

We landed about 15 minutes later. As we walked off the plane a heat wave smacked us right in the face. We walked into the Airport where it was much cooler. At our left was a man. Tall, thin, with white hair, and a cane. He said hello and introduced himself as Maruge. We said hello and started to walk to the parking lot. To our surprised instead of Cars parked in the parking lot there where bikes! Tons of bikes! Maruge led us to his bike and the bikes that he had brought us. Mine was red and Tesses was a purple eggplant color. We rode the 60 miles back to his hut with the stars sparkling over our heads and collapsed on the mattress on the floor to wake up the next morning with the sweet smell of pancakes hovering above our heads.