{"id":19532,"date":"2022-09-09T22:30:43","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T02:30:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=19532"},"modified":"2022-10-28T10:45:01","modified_gmt":"2022-10-28T14:45:01","slug":"attitude-at-latitude","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/capitalcitiesusa.org\/?p=19532","title":{"rendered":"Attitude at Latitude"},"content":{"rendered":"

Linda Lou Burton posting from Little Rock, Arkansas; Chicago, Illinois; Frankfurt, Germany; and Nairobi, Kenya<\/em> \u2013Are climate and manners related? I mean \u2013 are people in warmer climes just naturally friendlier and warmer? Now, don\u2019t get huffy about stereotyping, just listen to this.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Son Rick and I couldn\u2019t do the \u201con-line check-in\u201d that United was asking us to do first thing Thursday morning. The SYSTEM said we had to have a seat number to check in online, but the system wouldn\u2019t give us a seat number until we entered all health information from our pre-school vaccinations to the latest COVID booster. Holy crap! We both had our QR Codes telling all; we had all our Visas; we had our Yellow Fever Card officially stamped by state health officials. But no matter what we scanned or what lengthy numbers we entered, some unknown gremlin would not RECOGNIZE us. You know that early-morning stomach knot when technology blocks tenacity?\u00a0Best to get to the airport early and ask a HUMAN for help.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I snapped a goodbye photo and said one last farewell to Katy Cat, then we were gone. Uber dropped us at Little Rock\u2019s Clinton National at 8:30 am and we bravely approached a CLOSED section of the United counter, where we spotted a young woman just getting ready to open up. No line. I leaned on my cane, and smiled at her. She smiled back. I explained our predicament, laying out all our official documents. Rick showed her his phone, with all the United refusals to recognize us. She made suggestions, then took the phone herself. She called someone else over to look. Now, two heads trying to figure it out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have everything you need,\u201d she said. \u201cThere is NO REASON this won\u2019t go through!\u201d A male employee approached, with a box of donuts in hand, a morning treat he was bringing to share with our kindly helper. Hugs all around, thank yous for the donuts, and soon, the man was drawn into our dilemma too. FIVE OF US, shaking our heads. AND THEN, our kindly helper started clicking away on her keyboard, and printed out four boarding passes. \u201cHere,\u201d she said. \u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. You are now checked in all the way through Chicago and Frankfurt to Nairobi.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat did you do?\u201d I asked. \u201cI overrode the system,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve seen your documents. Now, have a great trip!\u201d Rick and I just stared, bug-eyed. And then, RELIEF! We thanked our kindly helper. \u201cPlease come around the counter,\u201d I said to her. \u201cI want to give you a hug!\u201d She did. I did. The man who\u2019d brought the donuts came around too. More hugs. More thank yous. \u201cYou are an inspiration to me,\u201d he said. \u201cGoing on such an adventure at 83!\u201d He admitted to being in his 60s. \u201cI thought I was too old to travel,\u201d he said, \u201cbut you are proof I\u2019m not!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I\u2019d asked for wheelchair assistance for both myself, and for Rick, who is in his 60s and almost as bumbly as me. We had done the advance work of getting a KTN (Known Traveler Number) which SHOULD have made getting through security easier; at least, in the US. Still, it took a while, but our loyal Wheelchair Assistants kept pushing our chairs and pulling our bags, helping with absolutely everything, till we reached our gate as Approved Travelers. Our short flight north to Chicago\u2019s O\u2019Hare was pleasant \u2013 from my window seat I got shots of the \"\"<\/a>Mississippi River, then the Chicago skyline, and Lake Michigan. A beautiful day! Wheelchair Assistance was great there too; brisk, lively conversation as we were wheeled down corridors, onto trains, and through more security proving our travel worthiness. No hugs, but we were taken to our gate in plenty of time to meander to a restaurant for some Chicago pizza.<\/p>\n

Then it was time to board our Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt. Our boarding passes showed seats 47E and 47F, the worst of the worst, smack dab in the middle of the middle and far from 1st<\/sup> Class spaciousness. Plus we had to enter down different aisles. As I pushed my bag along (we were allowed one bag under 33 pounds and one backpack on this Globus Safari) the aisle got narrower and narrower. I finally reached row 47, where an attendant, dressed in a spiffy Lufthansa uniform complete with hat and heels, was standing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to put that bag UP,\u201d she said brusquely. \u201c I need some help,\u201d I answered (remember, Rick was in the other aisle, four seats away). \u201cWell, I can\u2019t help you,\u201d she said. \u201cThat bag looks HEAVY.\u201d\u00a0\u201cIt is too heavy for me,\u201d I answered. \u201cI can\u2019t lift it above my head.\u201d (Yes, I had my cane in one hand, and my backpack on my back.) She angrily took my bag and shoved it into the overhead. \u201cI am NOT supposed to do this!\u201d she shouted. \u201cI have a BAD BACK.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>I thanked her for her help and took my seat, climbing over the aisle seat to a seat that had a metal BOX installed under the seat in front. There was no place to store my backpack! No foot room! About that time Rick arrived via the other aisle, as the attendant complained to one of her co-staff \u201cPeople ask ME to lift things! I have a BAD BACK. People are so RUDE to me! We are NOT supposed to lift anything heavy. Then we get hurt and can\u2019t work and they dock us our pay! It isn\u2019t FAIR to ask us to LIFT THINGS!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Rick and I just stared at each other, as the plane continued to fill. He did have foot room, but barely room to squeeze his elbows between the arm rests. And NO belly room! This was to be our world for the next 8 hours. We shuddered, and gritted our teeth.<\/p>\n

At least we had a screen, with games to play and movies to watch. However, we were instructed to wear our MASKS for the entire flight. I put myself into ENDURANCE MODE, playing the same Trivia Game answering the same Trivia Questions, over and over. I memorized ALL the answers. (Yes, the Orinoco River is in Venezuela.) No more contact with our attendants except during what was called \u201cThe Dinner Hour.\u201d I had let my mask slide off one ear by then. \u201cPUT ON YOUR MASK!\u201d the attendant shouted, withholding my COLD FOOD package until I did.<\/p>\n

And yet, we made it to Frankfurt. Daylight Friday morning in Germany. There was one wheelchair waiting outside the door of the plane. I inquired about the requested assistance for two. A tall, pale woman in uniform said, \u201cI\u2019ll take to you it.\u201d She PUSHED the single wheelchair up the ramp, instructing me to walk behind her. I said, \u201cIf you are going to push the wheelchair, may I sit down in it?\u201d \u201cJust WAIT,\u201d was her answer. Eventually we reached an elevator, and went up a floor. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to walk much farther,\u201d she said, holding tight to the empty wheel chair.\u00a0We reached the main hallway and she directed us to a waiting area. \u201cSit there,\u201d she said. \u201cWe don\u2019t do wheelchairs.\u201d And she pushed the empty wheelchair away.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Two young men driving a cart approached, spiffy in black suits, skinny ties, short haircuts. \u201cWe\u2019ll drive you to the bus,\u201d was their instruction. Several more cart switches, drivers, transfers to a bus, a long drive to a different area, listening to employees discussing with each other the atrocities of work. Bragging about the efficiency of Frankfurt\u2019s airport over anything else in Europe.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>We were finally deposited at the gate for our Nairobi flight. We were starving! We took turns watching our luggage as we found restrooms. Then we began looking for food, or at least, COFFEE. One small shop, near. At least fifty people in line. A barista. Rows of coolers with drinks and sandwiches.<\/p>\n

I approached the barista. \u201cIs the line for all purchases, or is it the coffee line?\u201d was my question. \u201cThe line is the line,\u201d was the answer. \u201cNow, go get in it, lady!\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cI just need a cup of water,\u201d I said. She handed me an empty cup and pointed. \u201cThere\u2019s a fountain over THERE.\u201d<\/p>\n

I found the fountain. I got some lukewarm water. I took my morning meds. Rick and I agreed \u2013 we\u2019ll never fly Lufthansa again.<\/p>\n

Of course, we had to. We had another 8 hours of Lufthansa from Frankfurt to Nairobi! Once again, we had middle-of-the-middle seats. Once again, we had crappy food. I did have room to put my feet, and our screens were better for gaming and for watching our progress as we flew south over the vast continent of Africa.\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

And then we landed in Nairobi, 70 miles SOUTH of the Equator. Our Wheelchair Assistants were there! \u201cWe have TRANSPORT to our hotel,\u201d I told our Assistants. \u201cGlobus Tours.\u201d We were rapidly wheeled through all the customs and security areas, how could there be so many SMILES? Smiles everywhere! Excitement! Welcome to Kenya! Welcome! Welcome!<\/p>\n

The outside door of Jomo Kenyatta Airport! Hundreds of SIGNS waving. We finally spotted OUR transport vehicle, our driver.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cMy name is Douglas!\u201d he said, in greeting. \u201cJambo! Welcome to Kenya!\u201d He instructed our Assistants as to where to push our wheelchairs. He pulled his van to that spot. He helped us in, made sure our luggage was loaded. We told our Assistants goodbye, (large tip to each). Our energy level popped up about 50 percent, even though 30 hours had passed since we started at Clinton National. We were finally here!<\/p>\n

It was a 30-minute drive to Nairobi Serena Hotel. It was 10 PM, dark. Strange territory. But Douglas was all lightness, and cheer.\u00a0\u201cThere are THREE WORDS you MUST know in Kenya!\u201d he told us. \u201cJambo<\/em> is the most important. It means HELLO<\/em>!\u201d He made us say it, back and forth. “The next most important is Asante<\/em>, which is THANK YOU<\/em>! And last, Karibu<\/em> which means WELCOME<\/em>. You can use it to welcome someone, as I welcome YOU, or, to say You\u00a0 are welcome<\/em>, if someone has thanked you with Asante<\/em>.”<\/p>\n

We practiced, as we rode along. Douglas pointed out the sights. \u201cNairobi has a NATIONAL PARK within the city limits,\u201d he said. \u201cThat is part of it to your left. Look for zebras! They are easy to spot at night.\u201d We looked, but saw only darkness under the trees. Still, good to know.\u00a0Douglas told us about the 42 tribes in Kenya. \u201cI am Kikuyu,\u201d he said, and our new PRESIDENT is Kikuyu. He will be inaugurated Tuesday! We are so happy to have one of ours in office now. I have SUCH HOPE for our country!\u201d He went on to tell about the scarcity of jobs in Kenya, and how the new President is promising to increase opportunities for Kenyans.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>And then, we pulled into the driveway of Nairobi Serena Hotel. Douglas gave the necessary paperwork to the guard, the gate opened, we pulled to the entry. A doorman in a gold-trimmed white uniform opened the door of our van.<\/p>\n

\u201cJambo!\u201d he said. \u201cKaribu!\u201d<\/p>\n

I felt right at home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have an idea for my first post,\u201d I said to Rick, as we rested in the lobby while Douglas got us checked in. \u201cI\u2019m going to name it Attitude at Latitude<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

FYI Airports<\/p>\n