Quito-
We’ve just said our good-night prayer here at the hostel in Quito. It’s been an amazing day already even after sitting on planes for most of it and not really doing anything productive.
We started the day early at Hunter’s house and already had a story by the time we got to the Norfolk air port. Poor David and Holly Wright had to listen to Hunter’s travel alarm going off in her luggage in their back seat all the way there.
We got through our check-in pretty smoothly. I didn’t really want to let go of my guitar, but otherwise it was fine. We had pretty much two hours to kill before the plan was supposed to leave at 10:45- which turned into noon. So the whole group had plenty of time to eat breakfast/coffee at Starbucks, check out the airport shops, and relax.
So then we all start heading through security. We had to take off our shoes and I set off the metal detector with my belt. Katie was behind me and as I was finally getting my stuff, the security officer comes up to her and asks “Is this your bag?” to which she timidly replied “Yes…?” And the guy just grins and says “Come with me,” in a tone that seemed to say “This will take a while,” as he began to sing to himself. I just laughed and went to tell Sophia her mom was in trouble.
Edla, Carrie, Hunter and some others started trickling through the line, each giving us an update on the situation (and the contraband in Katie’s bag). Bug spray was a liquid and not allowed. 1 bottle of Pepto-Bismol, larger (by a significant amount) than the 3 oz. limit also would not pass. Neither would the second bottle. Then out came the brownies and in inquiry as to whether or not they were “funny.” This resulted in an offer for a trade: bag of brownies to the security officers for 1 bottle of Pepto allowed through. Response: adamantly “no,” (probably a good thing in hind-sight as a liquid-bomb-building terrorist would have chosen the Pepto and aroused suspicion). Brownies returned. It was then reported that Katie wanted to chug the Pepto down to the three ounce limit. Ultimately not entirely true, but hilarious enough that we pretend it was.
Finally she made it. Lots more hanging around and then at last we boarded the tiniest passenger plane I have ever traveled in. You could feel every bit of speed, turbulence, take-off, and landing. I watched out the window and slept for most of it, except for a roller-coaster-like descent which left my mouth open and my eyes firmly shut, Edla’s hands clasped on her cross, and Julie’s arms clasped around Edla.
Arrival in Atlanta was pretty chill. Kinda like being home for me. Interesting after reading Genesis for Old Testament class and God commanding people to return to the land of their birth. Spiritual connection on the trip already.
Lots more hanging around and a gazillion-mile hike. Yes, seriously. A gazillion. We had lunch at a food court in Concourse E and felt like we were in the middle of an Army camp. We took the opportunity to teach Sophia about military uniforms, resulting in a half-hour debate about whether the flag really would be backwards if you carried it on a pole and ran forward (yes, if it was held to your left).
Much less security the second time around and first real passport check. We were mostly together on the play. I got a window seat again with Edla, then Julie next to me and Sophia, Betty and Bradham behind. When we took off (after being 11th in line on the runway) I actually saw the air go over the wings like the show you in 6th grade science class.
In-flight movie: Premonition. Good message, weird ending. I do find it obnoxious how movies can talk about religion and faith and even the priest won’t actually say “God.”
I happened to look out the window while we were over the ocean. All you could see was this floor of clouds stretching to the horizons in all directions and several hundred feet beneath us. I just wanted to get out and walk on them. I know it was a really simple thing. In fact stuff like clouds doesn’t usually get to me. But I think the fact that they were so perfect and everywhere, I was on top of them made me realize that it wasn’t something you see or experience every day. I hope and pray our whole trip will be like that: a new experience that I can’t have every day, and something that will make me think.
So after that most of the flight was pretty chill. My contemplative mood lasted through several stupid television shows, a surprisingly good chicken dinner, and finally flying smack into the middle of Quito.
The airport is seriously crammed into this miles-long metropolis with buildings all around it. It’s in about the only really flat place in the city: the dead center. You just feel like your are scraping the top of every building as you descend. And the whole city was lit up and we could see it miles and miles away.
As we started landing, the first sign I saw on a building say Xerox. Also not something I expected. Maybe it just shows globalization or Americanization, but aside from being cynical it felt like I was at least a little connected to home because of a big bright red English sign.
Disembarking took no time at all and before I knew it I had a stamp on my passport, a guitar and a bag in my hands, as was walking toward a jumping, waving South American man with three super-excited women.
As I guessed, it was Dario, the multi-lingual Youth World host who everyone met and loved last year. I could tell why immediately. He was so energetic and knew who I was the second Julie said my name (“Oh, you’re the musician!”) Pretty soon I met Cameron and Roberto and had Ecuadorian people kissing my cheek and somehow we eventually ended up on a bus and at the hostel. Quick briefing and some snacks and it was time for journaling and bed. Don’t feel extremely productive, but definitely excited, spirit-filled, and completely exhausted.
