Snowed in...

Greetings from the UK.

Quick recap: I went to Kenya for a little holiday. I laid around, drank actually cold drink and ate 4 meals a day. My room had air conditioning. I went swimming in the "adults only" pool. I met up with some classmates from Eastern. It was amazing.

I flew back to Kampala, went bowling with the SP office staff for our Christmas Party (I smoked 'em). Then headed back to the airport to get to London, then Philly for a quick trip home.

I arrived at 7am to find all flights canceled for the day. I found a group of Americans were also coming back from Uganda. I crashed on the floor of their hotel room. A hot shower, a bacon burger, chips and a coke at a local pub and a nice spot by the heater and I was set. I headed back to the airport the next day via a local bus because I was able to rebook a different flight which too got canceled. hung out at the airport all day just for fun, watched the Office as I ate peanuts and laughed.

BA says contact us through a phone number or through the website, both of which are useless. Thousands are stuck. Thousands are trying to get through to reschedule flights. According to BA, all parts of my ticket have been flown so I can't make any changes. It's a lovely perdicament to be in.

I would walk through the terminals and look around to see people making all sorts of awesome forts- as if it's one big homeless camp or as if we're in Haiti post-earthquake. Cardboard, aluminum space blankets, luggage, carts: all being used in ingenious ways to offer a bit of quiet, warmth or privacy. I walked around in amazement but couldn't help but smile and I found myself laughing out loud at just how ridiculous of a situation I was in. I am completely powerless and 100% dependent on outside people or system. It's so crappy it's funny.

I have however witnessed a wonderful side of humanity. Strangers are chatting with one another, each one sharing their own story or a little piece of their lives. I've talked with Americans returning from a study abroad, a married couple heading to Capetown to visit their daughter, a Mexican trying to get home for the holidays. One employee of a train service listened to my predicament and offered me a coffee from the employee lounge. I am currently staying with my boss, his wife and his parents in Essex. I took the train out and they have been so kind in feeding and clothing me. It's far from ideal, but a warm shower, 24-hour electricity and Top Gear eases the pain.

And so I wait. I will keep trying to call BA to get them to reschedule a flight for me. I keep praying and I know prayers work but I keep saying them and nothing happens. No questioning, but learning my plans aren't always God's.