You Can Take My Privacy, And My Freedom, But Not My iPod

I've decided that this is a far easier format for updating those who might care about my life than to send out mass emails. So, if you love me, leave me a comment. But if you really love me, then send me email. I could have used my mad HTML skillz to properly customize and format a more sophisticated blogging tool than blogger. But I am lazy. And busy. Oh, who am I kidding - just lazy.

God is clearly laughing at me. I suppose it's only my just desserts for post-poning my trip to Africa two times that I have had to fly on one of the most miserable flight days of the year. I mean, what are the odds that the very day that I chose to fly to Nairobi would be the day that a major terrorist plot was uncovered? I don't know how many large terrorist plots are uncovered on a daily basis that we never hear about, but nevertheless I feel that the odds are low.

Because of the increased security, they made me check my data collecting equipment. They weren't allowing any bags with wheels past the security checkpoint. Now, I was warned about the liquid and prepared accordingly, but this came as something of a surprise. This means that my $5,000 piece of equipment that I need in order to collect the data that I have spent $1600 and (thus far) 6 hours of my life may not make it through okay. The thought of this makes me want to burst into uncontrollable sobs, so I have decided not to think too closely about the possibility. I also think that it's unfair that they confiscated my equipment, but provided me with a metal knife and fork with my meal. But, whatever. CNN claims that the terrorists were going to use an mp3 player to detinate said bombs. You know, they can take away my shampoo, they can make me check my expensive equipment, but the day they try to take my tunz from me is the day they find out what angry really is.

Also because of the terror alert, my 11:50pm flight was delayed. We did not actually lift off until 1:42am. Luckily Thee Boy was around to distract me with text messages, and Wild-Eyed Rose lent me a very funny book, so I managed. We got into beautiful Schipol airport an hour late, leaving me a mere 6.5 hours to make it to the gate for my next flight. It wasn't even listed on the departure listings when I arrived in the airport.

I meandered around in a sleep deprived fog for a little while. I found the meditation area with some large, reclining chairs, so I tried to nap. Eventually, I gave up on this and went to find information. At the very least, it was my hope that I could find a shop that sold something other than tulip seeds and ugly porcelain figures of little blonde girls and boys kissing. I pulled out an information card from the "self-service information center" (seriously, if I could help myself, why would I need information?) and immediately one icon cut through the haze.

Wi-fi.

In Lounge three.

I vaguely remembered a "lounge 3" sign back near the rack of wooden shoes, so I hurried eagerly back to the lounge....

.... only to have to pay the semi-exhorbitant fee for internet useage.

Bastards. I think it's unfair that airports take advantage of the fact that they have a captive audience to charge three Euros for a tiny cup of coffee and 6 euros for thirty minutes of wireless, or 10 euros for 24 hours of wireless. I almost shut the computer off in a huff, but then I remembered that I have six hours to kill so I charged the ten euros to my grant.

Luckily the Wi-Fi is in a non-smoking area. Of course, it's sandwiched between a bar and a restaurant, both of which allow smoking anywhere so I'm not really sure what the point of all of that is. I also seated myself conveniently near a plug, only to remember that all of my adapters are in the case with my data collection equipment. So I moved upstairs to Sandwich Island - the very same place VF and I whiled away several hours the last time I was blessed enough to land in Schipol - bought another expensive cup of coffee*, and set about wasting time.

Yeah, still not really excited for this trip.**

EDIT: And now my flight to Nairobi is delayed. This is so not fair.

* and by coffee, clearly I mean espresso, because NO WHERE IN EUROPE CAN YOU GET PROPER FILTER COFFEE. Except at Starbucks and other American chains. Ahem.

** Please forgive all grammatical errors. I have been awake for nearly 24 hours at this point. Cut me a little slack.