Leaving Lagos

Leaving the airport in Lagos was very stressful. Carrie’s company had arranged for an “expeditor” who met us and his job was to help us get through the exit process in a timely fashion. We still aren’t sure if he made matters better or worse. The guy greeted us then took our passports and tickets and cut in front of the line of Nigerians. TJ and I were approved to move forward to the security check but they wouldn’t let Carrie in because apparently her ticket had been cancelled! Carrie waited while TJ and I proceeded to where the armed guards normally rummage through your bags to make sure you aren’t A) carrying on explosive or other dangerous materials or B) trying to take any Nigerian souvenirs out of the country without a certificate from the museum. I was a little bit nervous because we had quite a few new purchases, including rolled-up artwork, that I stealthily packed amongst our clothes. I told the scary looking men that TJ and I were in Lagos for our honeymoon and loved their country. The fellas were amused, told us we are going to have 2 healthy boys, and sent us to the check-in point without opening our backpacks. Phew!

While TJ and I were checking in the expeditor took Carrie upstairs to try to get her ticket problem resolved. They entered a room packed with people who also had problems. Again, the expeditor made his way to the front of the line despite the comments from the angry crowd. The airline rep said Carrie’s ticket was cancelled because she hadn’t re-confirmed. Carrie had confirmed online and on the phone and her e-ticked said “confirmed”. Eventually the guy said she could make it to Ethiopia but her ticket from Ethiopia via Sudan to Cairo was cancelled and that flight was already full. This was bad news because we knew the next flight from Ethiopia to Cairo wasn’t for 2 days!

To make a long, very stressful story short, the three of us eventually made it to Cairo together, but were sweating bullets along the way!