Visit Every City

Monday, May 2nd, 2022

Matt and I arrived at the Dubai airport very early in the morning. We had about an hour to clear the various security checkpoints and then check into our flight. I got a notification saying our flight was actually boarding much earlier than originally anticipated. In actuality there was an additional security checkpoint that allowed us to go to a staging area where we sat for a while before boarding. If we had known we had more time we would have enjoyed a nice hot cup of coffee in the airport. Maybe next time. As we went through the final security checkpoint, one of the security guards made Matt check his carry-on bag. The guy promised nothing would be broken.

The actual flight was pretty unremarkable. There was a lady who sat in the seat between Matt and I. The three of us all tried to sleep and survive the nearly 15 hour flight. I ended up sleeping only minimally which usually sounds like a terrible plan. But then again sleeping on a plane is never that great to begin with.

Finally, at around 2:45pm we landed at the JFK airport in NYC. That’s only about 15 miles from where I live. So close and yet we still had to go through the customs/immigration process. Just before taking off in Dubai I was researching how long it might take us to go through the process once we were off the plane. Some people reported waiting in line for two or three hours. I have a Global Entry ID which means I can usually skip the lines when I arrive into my own country, but Matt doesn’t yet have this particular ID. I recalled using an app on my phone once upon a time when coming back home. I had also read about a new updated version of this app online. I quickly downloaded it and told Matt to do the same. It’s a simple process whereby you input your passport information, take a photo of yourself, and give a few details about where you’ve been so the customs officers already have record of you when you speak with them. While Matt and I were walking down the final stretch of hallway before entering the huge customs room, we spotted a few signs which gave the wait times. Non-US citizens and those without Global Entry or the app: 60 minutes. The line was already long and growing as hundreds of people waited to talk to officers at a desk. Diplomats, Global Entry, and those US citizens who happened to download the app ahead of time: 15 minutes! We had come prepared!

It did only take us about 15 minutes. The officer who checked us in was helpful and friendly. Only one catch: we would need to have our shoes sanitized. One of the questions they ask on the customs form when you arrive into the US is about being on a farm or handling livestock. Especially when we were in the village in Chemba there were livestock everywhere. There isn’t a place where cows, donkeys, goats, chickens, and turkeys don’t go. Answering yes to the farm/livestock question meant we would have to visit the Agriculture Department (desk 22 in case you were wondering) after collecting our baggage. Lena and I had done this once before. It’s not a painful experience unless you bring fresh food into the country in your luggage. The security officers keep your passport until the process is complete

Matt and I went to the last baggage carousel and waited with the hundreds of other people while what seemed to be a thousand suitcases were individually dropped onto the conveyor belt. There were men pulling hundreds of bags off the belt for business class passengers and those with connections to other flights. The Airbus A380-800 we flew in on is capable of carrying up to 868 passengers. Of course that would be if everyone flew economy class. Since this double decker plane had several class options (fancy seats upstairs and slightly less fancy seats in the front downstairs) there were probably around 500 passengers. If each passenger had two checked bags that’s about 1,000 bags. I’m not saying our bags came out last, but they definitely weren’t first. I’d estimate that out of the thousand or so bags ours were somewhere near 900th to dump onto the carousel.

If you recall, a security officer in Dubai had made Matt check his carry-on bag which had some breakables in it. Just as anticipated one of the breakable glass bottles broke open. His bag came out soaked. It’s tough to say exactly when the bottle had broken. My guess is that it was carefully handled until one last baggage handler in NYC tossed it onto the conveyor belt. Thankfully only a few things were damaged, but unfortunately one of those things was his Bible. It might dry out just fine and he’ll forever remember this trip whenever he reads the word of God.

After getting our bags we headed over to desk 22. The officers asked us a few questions, ran our bags through a scanner, and took our shoes. We had some food in one bag but it was all prepackaged snacks we had bought in the US. The shoes we were wearing (which we had worn while walking through the African bush) were taken somewhere to be sanitized. We sat on a bench barefoot in the airport waiting for about 10 minutes. We got our shoes, grabbed our passports, and then headed outside to meet Lena.

The JFK airport is in Queens. We live just a little ways away in Brooklyn. Lena was kind enough to pick us up. Taking public transportation to and from the airport, even though it’s so close to us, is either expensive or time consuming. Thankfully I have an amazing wife who doesn’t mind driving through the city.

When we arrived home we dragged our baggage and Lena’s groceries into the elevator (so many modern conveniences) and headed to the fourth floor. Lola greeted us at the door. Our friend Jacob Mammen was in town to greet us as well. Unfortunately he had to change his travel plans at the very last minute so we didn’t even get to really visit with him. Lena had to run out again to drive him to the LGA airport which is still in Queens but on the northern side of town which can sometimes mean traffic. It’s also time consuming or expensive to get there using public transportation.

Having been basically awake for the last 36 hours (I did take at least one short nap on the plane) I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. I was already in bed when Lena got home. Matt leaves for Cincinnati early in the morning. Since I’m not completely adjusted to the time, I’m up in the middle of the night writing this blog anticipated getting out of bed in just a few hours to say goodbye to my travel companion. We’ve been nearly inseparable for the last three weeks straight and we’re still friends at the end of it all. It’s so nice to be home, but we’re already planning our next trip to visit our brethren again in Africa.

PS: Nick Lamoureux (if my calculations are correct) is currently on a plane headed from South Korea to Atlanta, Georgia. You can read about his exciting adventures visiting brethren in the Philippines in his travel blog: “Out of Vermont”

– Lewis VanAusdle