Thursday, July 31, 2008

Curious Coincidence

I guess it's not so strange to sit on a flight beside a total stranger. But what are the odds that you sit beside the same person on the very next flight you take? Strange isn't it? Yet this is exactly what happened to me yesterday.

On the way back from Nairobi a week and a half ago, I had sat beside a Ghanaian policeman who is posted with the UN peace-keepers in Dafur. With the five hour delay we had - and with one of those hours sitting in the plane - we had started complaining about Kenya airways and then moved on after a while to just chatting. He told me a bit about what it was like to be living and working with the peacekeeping mission in Dafur, missing his family and friends yet within the midst of the war, just trying to appreciate the differences in culture and context that he had now found himself.

Just talking to him reminded me about the Ghanaian peace-keepers to whom Daillier had refereed to constantly in his book (on the Rwandan genocide). He always 'spoke' about the Ghanaians on the mission with such high respect and as being one of the forces that had stuck with the mission through thick and thin. Though not Ghanaian, I did feel a sense of pride - acquired patriotism? I wonder.

Anyway, I digress. So there I was waiting to do the usual immigration check when this guy in the line turns around and looks at me a couple of time. Didn't take too much note as I was busy chatting on my mobile. Then when I was finished this guy turns around again and says to me ' Are you Denise?'. We were on the same flight again, and even more strange seated beside each other. Curious coincidence indeed.

Landed in a cold, gray and rainy Nairobi. Reminder that I still have to post the off-line blogs on the experiences we had on safari a couple weeks ago. Won't be spending much time though and will just spend a couple of days before heading on to Addis for ten days. Was only briefly in Addis about a month ago and am looking forward to going back and linking with some of the Jamaican massive there. Jah Rastarant(love the name!) is a must and am already salivating about the home cuisine that is on the menu.

Big discussion on the CNN news show The Situation Room about Obama and the race card he is allegedly pulling (according to the McCain team). Off to watch it as opinions seem quite heated.

An aside: having been thinking that a really entrepreneurial travel agent should start marketing a Ba(ra)ck to Africa tour! Hmm, the possibilities and the market are endless.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

mom that was cool so missing you now love ashes

Denise said...

Oh! A comment from my daughter on my blog! Now this is way cool.
Missing you too Ashes.
Love you lots,
Mommy

Kajsa Hallberg Adu said...

Its a strange and small world, the same person seated next to you and your daughter commenting on your blog...I always wait with great anticipation on who turns up next to me whenever I take a flight. I get joyous when I get to hear someone's story and disappointed if the person goes to sleep instantly. Once, a person sitting next to me became a good friend. We still keep in touch!

posekyere said...

Hi Denise,

Hope you are up and about having a nice time in East Africa.
While at it,don't forget to chill us out with a much needed update.

Cheers.

Denise said...

Hi Kajsa, sorry for the late response on this one, but yes you know what happened with my access to blogger over the last couple of days.
We did spend a part of the flight catching up on what he had been doing since coming home.

It was also cool to see my daughter on-line. Another way of keeping in touch when I am traveling for work.

BTW - when is our next meeting?

Denise said...

Hi Posekyere, I actually have a good reason why I was quiet - see the latest post! Needless to say I am glad to be connected again.