Day 11 - 3rd Advance Trip YC Malawi (09 May)

I awoke sometime in the early morning as we travelled over Sardina in the Mediterranean. For a few moments the view was cloudless and you could see the outline of the island and the cities around the coast and in the mountains. Falling back asleep I awoke again when the airline attendants turned on the cabin-light, passed around hot towels and served us breakfast. We circled the green countryside around London before taxing into Heathrow around 6.45a GMT.

We followed the long line of passengers from around the world through a couple of stages of security before walking into the shopping concourse. We spied-out an Irish restaurant where we crashed in a corner and took turns visiting the washroom to clean-up. Pastor Scott Hunter-a missionary for many years- suggested on my first trip to Africa to bring a towel, toiletries, a change of clothes and a plastic bag on long haul travel with a substantial lay-over. I now reiterate that wisdom. You won’t regret reserving some space in your carry-on. Speaking of wisdom, immediately before travelling you should have something easily digestible in your stomach so as not to cause discomfort in the air. Please note that Pastor Mike and I enjoyed the “Full Irish Breakfast” consisting of sausage, back bacon, eggs, black pudding, and some Irish concoction made partially of cabbage. Did I mention wisdom?

The flight across the Atlantic seems longer in the day- almost seven hours in total. The personal touch screen on the Air Canada flight provided a choice of various movies and other entertainment. Between another lunch, some reading and writing, a snooze or two and an interesting incident in which a passenger decided to light up a cigarette in the washroom, the time passed. Though we left at 12.05p London time we landed in Halifax at just 2.40p Atlantic time. Ahhh, the wonder of time zones. Our flight to St. John’s would leave in 2.5 hours. This time went quickly as we had to pass through customs, collect our checked luggage and recheck them for the flight home. Pastor Mike received a little extra love when he was called into a special location to go through his baggage in detail. After a magnificent double beef burger at Legends, and a quick chat to a friend of Mike’s from the Gander church, we boarded the final jet for the 90 minute ride to St. John’s. We were being prepared for a return to reality as the airline attendant provided something to drink but nothing to eat unless you paid for it. The final reminder that we were home came when the co-pilot informed us the weather at the airport in St. John’s was fog, drizzle and 2 degrees. Oh well...Just after 7p, walking off the jet, up the gate and down the escalator we were greeted by our families. Be it ever so frigid, there’s no place like home!

That night I slept in my own bed. Wonderful!

Mike however stayed in town another day before heading home to Gander. The Monster Trucks were in town. Such a Youth Pastor!