Author Archives: Ken Crocker

Airlines Are Strange

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I’m at the KLM check-in for my international flight to Amsterdam. But my ticket was purchased through Delta, my boarding pass says Delta, with a Delta flight number. Once checked in, all references to Delta evaporate, and I’m on my way to board a KLM flight at a KLM gate with a new (to me) flight number. At least the departure time stayed the same!

What’s the difference between TSA Pre and TSA Pre Touchless entry? I stood in the touchless line because it was shorter. I figured that they would tell me where to go if I was in error. The agent asked me if I was touchless and I responded that I didn’t know. She looked at my boarding pass and passport and told me to have a great day. I still don’t know what TSA Pre Touchless is, but I like it! If anyone wants to educate me, please leave a comment. Did I violate some sacrosanct code of conduct? If so, be gentle in the comments!

Complications!

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My bin has been filled and is ready to go! Sorry, I forgot to take additional photographs — you’ll have to trust me on this. I went to register with the US State Department regarding my time at GEM and learned that Uganda is at Level 4 as of May 18th. The US has also added restrictions that the point-of-entry must be one of Washington-Dulles International Airport, Houston’s Bush Airport, and Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport. My return ticket is currently non-stop from Amsterdam to San Diego.

So, now I wait… I’ve been told that the airline will, in its own time, change my return ticket automatically to return through one of the three approved airports. There will most likely be a long layover and a hotel stay, but that is unavoidable. They will absorb any ticket costs, although I may have to absorb the hotel stay. If I were to change the return flight myself, I’d likely be out-of-pocket for about $750 — plus the hotel stay.

You say, why are you still going, if the government says “Don’t go!”? The short story is that the risks have been greatly mitigated by GEM. The May team is currently in country and our team leader is in constant contact with them as well as the GEM director. We’ll be picked up at the airport in Entebbe and transported directly to The GEM Foundation property, and have limited exposure to anyone that may have Ebola. So far, Uganda has been very responsive to control any Ebola spread within its borders. The Democratic Republic of Congo — not so much.

And So It Begins…

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Our team is preparing to visit The GEM Foundation, which is an orphanage for special needs children in Uganda. One of the things that we are privileged to do is to collect needed supplies. To that end, we will be bringing one bin from each of us as checked luggage. That’s a potential for 450 pounds of needed supplies!

Here’s a before photo of my bin along with all of the items that need to fit:

And here’s a photo after unpacking from the Amazon shipping boxes and placing the items in the bin:

At about 1/2 full and 27 pounds, I have more to do. Stay tuned!