Through the Eyes of a Tiny Traveler, Part 2

Here is the 2nd half from yesterday's blog of the 2nd day of our travel one week ago:


It seems like we've been on this avion way too long since it left the ground in the place they call Ethiopia. I keep asking my Papa Wangu if we are there yet, but he doesn't answer me and sometimes when I look at him his eyes are closed. There are some interesting lights and noises on the ceiling of the avion and when I push buttons it makes other noises and a light come on, but Papa Wangu tells me not to push that one. It is strange that I hear talking coming out of the ceiling sometimes that doesn't make sense and actually is harder to understand that Papa Wangu's talk. Right before our avion started to go fast and go high, there were ladies holding up strap things, but no one was paying attention to them, and some of them had their eyes closed. I know what that is like.

It's hard enough to sit on Papa's lap in the long church services, but this seems like many church services but without the singing. I keep telling Papa Wangu what I want but he doesn't understand and that doesn't make me happy. One time I told him I needed to go kukoyala (I think he calls it "pee-pee" or some strange word) and when he took me to the bathroom I am not sure what he was doing because he made me stand on the changing table and take off my diaper while he got a new diaper ready. I wasn't sure why he had me facing him instead of the toilet but maybe this is how they do it on the avion, so I started going kukoyala. Papa Wangu didn't seem to like it getting on him. I'm still not sure what he expected me to do when my pants were down and I had told him I needed to go kukoyala? These lighter-skinned people don't seem to know very much.

On this avion Papa Didier is not next to me, he's in a different part of the plane and has his eyse closed. Instead of Papa Didier there is a strange man sitting next to Papa Wangu and me, sitting just a few inches away. This man smells and doesn't seem very friendly and I asked him to move over so I could stretch out my legs, but this man doesn't understand me either, even though his skin is dark like mine. Other people on this plane who look at me don't seem very friendly either, especially when I'm crying. I'm tired of being on this avion and I keep telling Papa Wangu I'm ready to get off and ride on a moto-car instead but he is being mean by not letting me. Maybe if I cry as loud as possible they'll let me off? I think I'll keep trying that for awhile. If that doesn't work, next time they bring one of those trays with food, I think I'm going to kick it and make everything spill, maybe that will convince him to let me get off this avion? That food isn't good like Mama Annie makes it anyways.

After a long time that seemed like 10 church services, I could see things outside my window that didn't look like white puffy things. Papa Wangu said something about America and this time it looked like he had tears in his eyes. Maybe he wants some of Mama Annie's bisquits, too? Those make me feel better when I'm crying. I've been holding on to part of one of her bisquits for most of this flight. It makes me feel better to know some food I like I am saving for later, as I'm never sure if or when these tall people will give me something to eat, so I like to hold onto food.

When we landed in this place called America we had to wait in a really long line. But Papa Wangu gave me something sweet and hard on the end of a stick that I got to hold and suck, and that was nice. I was so tired I dropped it and some of it broke and I was very angry but Papa Wangu picked it up and gave it back to me. Then we walked past all this glass to a place where all the bags are on this thing and are moving by themselves?! Papa grabbed some of them and let me ride with them on a little moto-cart thing that he pushes with the bags. Papa also took me to this metal thing in the wall where you push something and then cold water comes out that you can drink or splash with your hands. I've never seen anything like it before. There must be a bucket behind the wall where the water is?

When we left that great big room there were these doors but before Papa could open them with their hands, they opened by themselves?! Later I got to practice walking to one of these doors and it seems to know how to open at just the right time when someone is walking to it! I didn't know a door could be so smart - I think this is the favorite part of the trip, it makes me laugh.

Another strange things was walking into doors that opened and then once inside you push a button and when the doors opened everything looked different? We also walked on stairs that moved up and down by themselves? Then we rode on some special kind of moto-car that is the size of a building where Papa held onto a bar. Then we rode on a long moto-car with a bunch of other moto-cars connected to it that I think Papa called a "tram" - it went really fast and was really fun.

Papa called some people on the phone and made say "hi momma" (I'm not sure if it's Mama Annie or Mama Angelique or the Mama with light skin and blond hair I met in my country). He tells me I am going to see her soon. We got on another avion but this time Papa doesn't have my bag or snacks or games. These people on this avion are actually nice for a change but I'm still not happy. I cry as loud as I can and Papa gets up and walks with me on his shoulder for a long time (he's been doing this a lot on the avions, not understanding I just want off). I must have fallen asleep because I woke up and they were handing out bags with crackers that look like animals. These are very fun to play with and then to drop in a cup of water.

Finally after one more avion and what seemed like many more church services, we got to another big building and took another tram. At the end was the Mama with the light skin and several children. They all wanted to hug me and hold up those little things that make a flash and they say "smile." Papa had been telling me I would get to ride in Mama's moto-car and I did. I was so excited to finally be in her moto-car that Papa told me so much about but I didn't get to enjoy it as much as I wanted as I soon fell asleep. When I woke up it was light out and I was in a very strange place but they quickly gave me a banana and some food and a red moto-car. The kids are speaking in weird voices and getting very close to my face and I'm not sure what to think of all this. There are many things I have seen here I hadn't seen before that are hard to explain but maybe Papa Wangu can show you some of them later on that little box thing that makes flashes. For now Mama has made me some food so ... bon appetit!