June 15, 2007
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 1:07 PM
Subject: Dubai!
> Hey Mom!!
>
> I found out that they have a business center at the hotel, it costs $15.00 for
an hour-but I figure that it is worth it. Besides I am kind of cheating the
system by writing my emails ahead of time on Notepad ;)
>
> The telephone conversation we had was $15.00, but the guy at the counter said
55.00 (but he was referring to their currency-I nearly had a heart attack
regardless. :)
>
> I got my luggage back! Maybe I should have said this first... They called me
and I picked it up after I finished sleeping (I slept for 11 1/2 hours!!! I feel
SO refreshed). I took a shower too, I'll probably take 2 more before check out
tomorrow (as a goodbye gesture ;)
>
> OH my goodness, I have the wrong adapter. I tried to charge my phone, and if I
was in CHINA it would have worked just fine. But unfortunately, neither Dubai or
Uganda is China-so basically I am kinda screwed in that area. I tried calling
your phone, john's phone, and the home phone, but none of them would go through.
So I'm pretty sure regardless if I had the charger or not it would not work. I
will check with Leslie tomorrow (I'm gonna be in Uganda TOMORROW!!!!) about
phone prices/minutes there. If nothing else, I am soooo glad that I took my
phone with me, just for the initial getting there part. I think I would have had
a serious break down without it (don't get me wrong, I still had several break
downs with it, but they weren't as severe).
>
> I still have to write down everything that has happened to me in the last
couple of days, it seems like a could write a novel on just that. But it will
give me something to do, I am not sure I could sleep anymore tonight anyways (I
leave for the airport in 5 hours) I can't tell you how screwed up my clock is, I
am not sure what "time" I am on anymore. But according to this time zone, I went
to sleep at noon and woke up at 11:30pm, and I am checking out at 5am. I am
sorry, I probably have been calling you in the middle of the night this whole
time, but I have absolutely no concept of time write now (it doesn't help that I
don't have a watch, my hotel room doesn't have a clock, and even if I did have
those things, I have no idea what the time difference is.. ;)
>
> I am so glad that I got the chance to talk to you today, and email you! It
makes it easier, I am already starting to feel pretty lonely. I am kinda a
paradox right now though, I love being able to be out on my own-to be
"Independent Stacie" and figure things out on my own, but at the same time I
miss everyone so much already it hurts. I love being able to strike out on my
own, but I like having someone to share it with me too. Traveling alone is
difficult because you have no one to lean your head on in the airplane, you most
likely will get squished between two big men with body odor problems, you have
no one to help you figure stuff out, and you have no one else to help recount
about how freaking hot it is outside and all the creepy men that stare at you.
>
> Okay, so to wrap things up. I am almost there, I am so close until my real
adventure begins (which is kind of frightening, seeing how this has been an
adventure all on its own, what does that mean the "real" adventure will be
like??)
>
> I miss you, and everyone else too. Please tell them so.
June 15, 2007
Stacie called at 12:30 am this morning from Dubai. It was
11:30 am, she had just checked into a motel and was really excited about having
a real breakfast and getting to sleep in a bed. Emirates Airline gave her
vouchers for a motel, three meals and a taxi to and from the airport because of
the flight fiasco. She will get on a plane for Entebbe at 8:00 am Saturday the
16th and get there at 2:45 pm. She will be picked up and taken to her village
where she will begin her volunteer work.