September 6
Today is the day: Ruth and I take off for Pakistan via San Francisco! Finally.
How is it that four women in the check-in line at Emirates have helmet bags? Could it be that we are all part of the same and only Chickistan team? So it is that we meet Michelle and Cassie. Hugs and lively conversations across two lines of people who follow the encounter. A great distraction from the wait. At the gate we meet Liza, the mastermind behind our trip, Olya, Danell and Tiffany. So far everybody seems great, that’s a bit of a relief since I’ve never done the “group travel thing” in my life.
We all get to the ground to sign my World Peace One Friendship At A Time banner with a red pen and take a bunch of group selfies. No question about it: although we are in a corner of the waiting area, we get noticed! We are loud, rambunctious, excitable. This is the type of corner that fills the room.
In Dubai we pick up Stephanie and the nine of us, armed with our boarding passes, proceed to go find our seats on the plane.
THAT’s an adventure ….
