Saturday, August 30, 2008

Margarita Woes

I am a die hard Margarita fan and I am in a desperate search of an establishment that makes good Margaritas. I refuse to believe that I will have to find a new drink when I go out! I have been to Crooked Q's, Galileos and Slims but none of them have come close to the Classic Margarita. Does anyone out there feel my pain...please recommend a place that will quench my Margarita thirst.

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Video Footage - On the way to Cargo Terminal

I decided to take some video footage of our trip to the Cargo Terminal and along the way we came across a police road block (toward the end of the entire 12 minutes). These road blocks are all over Nairobi and the 'burbs so I though I would share it with you. This was my first attempt at using my new camera's video function and also the roads in Kenya are very unforgiving - a good bit of the video is bumpy due to potholes and stuff!

Update: Video could not upload due to connections speeds. Will have it up some time this week.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Joi's Saga

First stop after arrival - baggage claim - this place is a JOKE...the monitors don't work so you have to ask someone which conveyor belt you should go to AND couldn't get Jonathan to come help me with my bags because he was denied a "special pass" to come into the baggage claim area. I was told to find a porter and he/she could help me with my baggage. In addition, the immigration check is still on the 2nd floor so you have to go down two flights of stairs to get to baggage claim - no escalators here. The signs and paint haven't been changed since the 80s either...I understand the government is spending some a small fortune on renovations - they should just tear it down and start from scratch.

Let me get back to Joi. After my bags were handled, I decided to find a KLM office to find out what was going on with Joi and when he would be put on a flight. The KLM flight attendants did not know who I needed to talk to so I had to guess as to what I was supposed to do. My sister, Lils, accompanied me to the terminal where the KLM office was located but she was denied entry and had to wait outside the glass doors(crazy!). I spoke to Jamal Ali (KLM Mgmt) who helped me complete "lost luggage" paperwork (since Joi was checked in as excess baggage) and he also indicated that he would work with the Amsterdam officials to find out what was going on. Late the following evening I received a call that Joi had arrived safely and was waiting for pickup at the Cargo Terminal in Embakasi. Since it was really late, we decided to pick him up early the next morning and that was when the mayhem began...

Thankfully, my brother-in-law, Duncan, decided to be my spokesperson when we went to Embakasi. I'm thinking "spokesperson for what exactly?" and my sister said "carry some money" - again, for what exactly?? Ok, so this was my first real lesson on being a Kenyan and how stuff gets done:-) Duncan, looking foreboding in his attire (which I later found out was deliberate because Kenyans don't take anyone in jeans seriously...yeah, marinate on that BS for a minute)asked me to let him do the talking and I was happy to relinquish the reigns. We get to the Cargo building and there is a gate with guards who proceed to ask us for our business there and give up our IDs in exchange for some visitor passes. They direct us to the first building and with no signs posted we asked some dude what office we could pick up "lost baggage" from. He quickly indicates that we were in the wrong office and he kindly walks us to the third building, up about 5 or 6 flights of stairs (to the 2nd Floor - go figure). We get there and the KLM agent says, "who sent you here? This is not where you should be picking up your cat. Go back to the first office." After these first few minutes I'm already pissed that I have to walk back down those stairs and go back to building 1. The kind gentleman who helped us is still in tow and noticing our frustration says,"I'll help you guys" and I'm thinking, "Thank You Jesus!" What I am VERY unaware of is that this guy is on his HUSTLE and this is how he makes his money - offers to help because the system there is screwed and he knows that we could be there for hours. After going back and fourth from building one to three, Duncan is finally at his breaking point (I broke already and at this point I'm in a corner singing Kumbaya...ok not really but this SO could have been me). The only thing we have learned of Joi and his whereabouts at this point are that he is somewhere in the Cargo Terminal and that KLM decided to send him as "freight" rather than "luggage". What this means, my dear Watson, is that he has to be CLEARED through customs in the regular way product is imported into the country. Which means they put a value on him (like they care about a cat) and I have to pay Clearing Charges, Customs Excise Taxes, Handling Charges, Compound Fee & Agent Fees(agent=kind gentleman helping us out)! Can we say Nai-ROBBERY!!

Since we are now officially screwed and figure out that these guys will hold on to the cat until we show them some $$, Duncan demands that the agent dude tell him what fee he intends to gain upfront and that he wants proof that Joi is alive and actually on the compound. Agent takes us to the animal compound where he had earlier indicated that the "Vet" was examining and monitoring all the animals and all I'm thinking is "please don't touch my cat!" We enter some concrete cells and only two seem occupied but no sign of Joi. We inquire whether they have proof that Joi was really brought here and they motion to one of the cells and say, "isn't that one yours?" I take a few steps closer to the cell and sure enough, I see orange fur but the kennel is not Joi's but I decide to take a look inside just to make sure. JOY, it is JOI (corny, so what?). I question as to why he was in a different kennel than the one I specifically bought 2 days previously for the flight. I went to the TSA and KLM website and got a kennel to their exact specifications and he arrives in another kennel???? Pray tell, what happened to the kennel he was in (that had the food and water bowl they specifically asked for) and the one with his toys? Which other critter has been in this kennel and could there have been any communicable diseases passed between the kennel exchange? This is INSANE. Truly, it's like having lost luggage and when you get to the airport to pick it up, it is a different bag altogether with your contents in it - I mean, really, where's the sense in that? Oh, Oh, and get this...when I identify the cat as rightfully mine, the "vet" asks me "where is his paperwork?" and I almost lost it. Err, let's recap. The original paperwork that KLM and the Embassy of Kenya approved, was attached to the kennel per their requirements when we left Atlanta. Mmmh, new kennel has ZERO paperwork because it is not my kennel! How very convenient...thank God my vet in Woodstock makes a card for each animal that contains ALL the pertinent info - vaccines, microchip tags, weight, etc. Boo-ya!

We go back to the KLM office in building 3 and even cool, calm and collected Duncan has "had it with these guys" and he states that we would like to lodge a complaint against KLM. We are ushered two desks down to the "complaints department" and Duncan tells the lady that he would like to know what the SOP for lodging complaints. OH brother! This would have to be re-enacted it was SO very painful...in short, we go back and fourth and the lady gives us (customers) the # to someone in Amsterdam so we can call him ourselves. She also gives us email addresses to God knows who and repeatedly asks us to CC her on the communication. Ok, why the hell is the department called the complaints department if all she does is hand off customers to other people? She never once picked up a phone to find out what had happened in terms of why Joi had been left in the first place, why he was in a different kennel, why he had been sent as freight and why I was being asked to pay to get my cat out of that hell-hole they called "animal compound." No, she just kept on saying that we (the customers) would have to call the guy in Amsterdam and that she had nothing to do with it even though she is the complaints department for KLM. Go figure! After wasting about 30 minutes TRYING to lodge a complaint we leave her desk and guess who's waiting outside the door? No, not Joi but the hustler - Mr. Agent, ready to cash in on his fee.

We were there for about 4 hours before we gave up the good fight and succumbed to the idiotic system and paid roughly Ksh9,000(~$130). It's the principle and not the amount of money! I had already paid for Joi's license, excess baggage fees and vet charges before we left just to ensure I had done everything right! Needless to say, I have filed my complaint against KLM and will be expecting reimbursement. I will keep you posted via the blog:-) As for Joi, he was happy to be reunited with his mommy but only to be thrown into a world totally foreign to him. Meeting my sister's very fiery Spitz, Scooby, and a live hen has proven to be more than he can handle. These days Joi spends his day walking stealthily around the house as if avoiding land mines, hiding under my bed and planning his escape back to the land of milk and honey where his days consisted of looking for the best sun spots!

Flight Risk

D-Day: August 17, 2008

Travel Day was very eventful and I’m happy to have had the real “Traveling Pants” Duo, Jaco & Tia, with me! These guys do a lot of international traveling so they are well versed in ways to make shit fit in your suitcase even when you think your bags are already busting at the seams. My pal, Rozi, was there as well and discovered a hidden talent – TSA lock prep extraordinaire:-) Needless to say, I still paid $400 in excess baggage fees but it was ok – at that point, I was just ready to get out of dodge! The lady at the KLM counter was very helpful and she looked over Joi’s paperwork and set him on his way after he and his kennel received special “inspection” from the immigration folks. They tagged his paperwork, food and kennel and sent him on his way to the air-conditioned van to await flight boarding. We even had a lot of extra time to eat at Houlihans and ponder on how I was going to get my heavy carry-on bag into the overhead cabin (this thing weighed almost as much as I did)! Of course, even after all the boxes I shipped, I was still overweight when we got to the airport and had it not been for these guys, I probably would never have had my bags ready to be on the flight.

My flight was supposed to leave at 4:40pm so I said my goodbyes and headed to the terminal. However, due to some unknown reason, our flight was delayed until 5:40pm so that was cool because I was able to make my last minute calls to some of the friends who had been blowing up my phone all day! When we got on the flight I made sure that Joi had made it as well and was surprised to find out that the lady sitting behind me was allowed to carry her cat (Orange Tabby, 8Ibs) on board! Mmhhh, I had been informed that during an international flight, no carry-on animals were allowed on board. The lady’s cat was agitated the entire flight and cried most of the way there however since she was a kitten, the cries were barely discernible. Believe it or not, the whimpering provided solace to me since I was wondering how Joi was faring amidst all that luggage...I really felt like a bad mommy:-)

We made good time and made it to Amsterdam by 7:40am. It was a rainy, dreary day out but being at the Schiphol Airport makes you forget how crappy the weather is outside. Schiphol is one of the best planned out airports and it operates on a one terminal concept where all the piers and departure halls are all interconnected. The airport is also the lowest commercial airport and sits 3m below sea level. Schiphol has large shopping areas that are accessible to even those who are not flying. In addition, the free luggage trolleys are a welcome (At Atlanta Hartsfield you have to pay to get those trolleys) and trust me…I needed to off load my carry on luggage - my bag was so heavy that if you stood it up, it toppled over due to the weight. I was very lucky that both times I needed to get the bag into the overhead cabins, I had really tall and strong people to help me…a lady actually helped me on the flight from Amsterdam to Nairobi.

This however, is where the drama begun. As I did in Atlanta, I made sure to ask the flight attendant to ensure that Joi was ok and that he had boarded the flight. She comes back to me and says, “they say there is a problem but 'they' cannot tell me what it is at this point!” She indicates that she will check to find out what the issue is and report back to me. Needless to say, she does not come back so I flag down another flight attendant and ask whether Joi was on board. He tells me that he does not know of any animal on the flight but will check. Sure enough, both flight attendants come back and tell me that the cat is not on board but the airport authorities were checking on his “paperwork” because something was missing. I inquired what 'they' thought could be missing seeing that I got the requirements from the Embassy of Kenya in DC and the KLM Customer Service Agents. The flight attendants goes back to check on the progress and that is when I hear the captain’s voice on the intercom indicating that we were going to be delayed. I think to myself, “Yes! They must be finally loading Joi (because he is SOOOOOO important)”. WRONG. We were delayed due to an influx in air traffic - the usual reason for a delay in the absence of bad weather. Hey, I knew that…I was just trying to be optimistic about the situation. Well, 20 minutes later, we are pulling out of the gate and I flag down the flight attendant (everyone else is buckled in at this point) and she says, “I’m sorry to report but your cat is NOT on the flight. He has been held by Animal Control and someone will give you more information when you land.” I’m thinking, “SHIET! Is she kidding? Does she know where we are landing? Does she know that where we are landing, not too many people care that I have imported a cat into the country? Does she know that people will probably be laughing at me instead of sympathizing with me? OMG…I could not believe it! I think she sensed my distress and comes back after 10 minutes to assure me that my cat will be okay and that the animal compound in Schiphol is a top grade animal compound and that the cat will get VIP treatment. Although I'm doubtful of anything referred to as "animal compound", I felt a little better (throwing big words around like VIP) but was still pretty bummed out because I can only imagine how agitated Joi was (think about this – he had been in the kennel for about 11 hours at this point since we left my front door!). I think anyone at that point would just slit their wrists if they could – good thing cats cannot do that because Joi would totally off himself!


The flight comes to an end with little fanfare and we touch down in Nairobi at 7:40pm. I'm not sure if this happens on every flight but as soon as we touched down, tons of people were clapping. I didn't know what to make of this - were they happy that the pilot had landed the plane safely(!?) or were they just happy to find out that an African country had an actual runway and we didn't land in the "jungle?" Errr, not sure what the clapping was about...Anyway, as we taxied to the gate, I couldn't help but notice that it was DARRRRKKKK outside. I know it was 7:40pm but aren't there white, yellow-white, red or blue lights that line the taxiways? Didn't see nada but that was when I knew I was really in Kenya...maybe someone had thugged the lights on the runway or maybe there was power rationing going on. Ok, Ok, I know...that is not a good assessment of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport but I'm being honest about the million things that were running through my mind at that very moment!

Thursday, August 14, 2008

I bid you Adieu

Yesterday, I spent most of the day at the SSC (Home Depot Store Support Center) saying goodbye to my friends and colleagues (sob!). I wanted the day to go in slow motion so I could take it all in and brand it into my memory...but alas! the day flew by! Here are a couple of memories I will take with me ...

Franklin Road Days:
  • Being able to park 2 steps away from the office and no garage to deal with!
  • DSM-sponsored cookouts in the walkway between the two buildings
  • Hurricane Team - all the late nights, conference calls and SAD stories that had us sobbing like little girls (we really bled orange back then!)
  • Halloween - we actually used black tarp and really decked out our cubes. It was fun seeing the kids come through and get really scared when they went through Emilie's award-winning area packed with guts, coffins, skeletons....wow, I really miss that!
  • Success Sharing Celebrations - the money tree and the MONEY, MONEY, MONEY song blasting from the stereo?
  • The intercom - I hated getting paged during POSMs!
  • Potlucks - we made up every excuse back then to bring food to the office and once had a "diet dessert" day! Really, who were we kidding?
  • Computer Issues - Kev and Craig were right there...no line to call into, no tickets...
  • Stores and Vendors - we knew most by the sound of their voice and memorized their store #s and actually knew what was going on in their store!!
  • Tickets - concert, sports and show tix were always in abundance

SSC:
  • 3 entrances to the parking deck but still takes 15 minutes to get in and out of those orange gates
  • Main street events - great deals on books, jewelery and vendor-related items
  • Fire Drills - these were a killer when I was on the 15th floor. I guess I should have been going to the gym more often(!)
  • Affinity Group Events - got to meet/see a whole bunch of personalities: Jasmine Guy, Nadia Bilchik, Frankie Beverly, Ambassador Andrew Young and Dr. Cornel West among others.
  • Team Depot and Kaboom volunteer opportunities - always great to see a whole field of orange shirts building a playground, building a house...power tools rock!
  • Panera within walking distance - their Turkey Artichoke Panini and Iced Green tea are to die for.
It's been a great ride and even though I'm sad to be leaving, I am definitely ready for the next phase.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

The Art of Microwave Cooking

When I shipped my entire house, it didn't occur to me that I would have to live frugally for a little bit. I was on a natural high the day after the shippers arrived to pick up my stuff....my house looked exactly like it did the day I moved in...clean, clutter free, Zen-like. Then it hit me, "oh, no...what I'm I going to eat now that my refrigeration options are nil? How can I survive without my frozen grapes or my crushed ice or my brie and figs? But being a self-proclaimed "foodie" and a once-struggling college student (think PB&J sandwiches), I knew all hope was not lost! I took one look at the microwave I hate SO much and said, "it's you and be baby!"

On my way to Publix, I contemplated getting a family-sized jar of Jiffy, a loaf of bread and then it hit me..."who was I kidding...I love peanut butter but not that much!" I was definitely going to have to be creative. First stop - produce aisle to get fruit. I love cold fruit but believe it or not, fruit is sweeter and juicier when it sits on your counter. Second stop - canned goods - this is a no-brainer (think Tuna, Chicken, Salmon, Veggies and even Eggplant Tapenade!). Third stop - grains because a girl needs some carbs! Picked up some Couscous and also found these microwavable 90-second Uncle Ben's rice packets (Wow! Rice is so easy to make I never imagined anyone needing microwavable rice). Okay, so at this point, I'm thinking what I'm going to do for dessert (damn the eggs and milk that spoil the party). So this is going to sound pathetic but I remembered seeing a commercial for those warm delights from Betty Crocker (why couldn't I remember neat things like the Pythagoras Theorem...oh, because I can't eat that!) Anyway, the warm delights come in a little bowl with a little pouch of brownie mix and a fudge packet. The recipe - mix with water, stir and nuke for a minute and ta-da! Warm dessert...ok, it's not like real cake but desperate times call for desperate measures and you can't beat the fact that they are 150 calories each!

After a little experimentation with these microwavable foods I must say that I now qualify to be a bachelor - isn't this how they eat anyway?! Here is a sample dinner:
Nutty Couscous with Eggplant-Olive Tapenade and Sliced Nectarines
Couscous - in microwavable dish, bring to boil some water and set on counter (or use stock because Couscous needs all the flavor you can impart), add the Couscous and cover for 5 minutes and it's done. To make it nutty, I took a couple of nuts and crushed them and sprinkled on top of the Couscous along with a pinch of salt, pepper and parsley. Then, pop the lid of the tapenade, empty into microwavable dish and nuke for 30 seconds. Serve on top of the Couscous. For dessert, slice up one nectarine into a microwavable dish, squeeze a lime on top and sprinkle some cinnamon sugar and nuke for about 15 seconds. Voila! Dinner's served.

Disclaimer: Although I found some good microwavable stuff to quell my hunger, I would not recommend this diet as a lifestyle - these foods contain way too much sodium (not to mention tons of preservatives). I'm definitely going to need to detox after this! Mmmh, good thing I'm going to Kenya because my juicer will be working extra hard that first week.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

Intercontinental Moving

Moving is overrated and only exciting once it is done. Moving to a different continent (Atlanta to Nairobi) is unique and hardly a process that I would sanely recommend to anyone...but here I am doing it! It would have been so easy if it was just me and 2 pieces of checked luggage but no, I had to be attached to my stuff and my fiery cat, Joi. Needless to say, there are some things that I had to become very familiar with such as shipping companies, pet import licenses, temperature Embargos...yikes.

Airfare Tickets:
Shopping for and buying your tickets in advance will ensure that you get the most competitive airfare. Ask around and find out if any of your friends have a wholesale travel agent that they have dealt with before. These travel agents normally have the lowest tickets and you do not necessarily have to buy your ticket in advance. If you wanted a ticket for the next day, they can get you one (at that lowest price) as long as there is space on that flight! I used Loise Sauer, who was recommended to me by a friend. Loise is easy to talk to and will definitely find you the cheapest tickets around! Her number is 305-439-0390.

Shipping:
If you decide to ship your belongings to Kenya, please research your shipper and ensure that the company meets all of your requirements. I used Shipping Logistics but I am not endorsing the shipper so if you decide to use this company understand that you are doing it on your own recognizance. The process is loosely described below:
  1. I purchased Extra Large boxes (l got mine at U-haul), tape, bubble wrap, etc and packed all my boxes
  2. Labeled all sides of my boxes with a sharpie and numbered the boxes (helps when you are clearing the stuff in Kenya)
  3. Shipping company came to my house and picked up all my boxes. In addition, they shrink wrapped all my big items (appliances, sofas, beds)
  4. Shipping company detailed my shipment on an invoice and gave me a copy for my records
When my shipment gets to Kenya, I will definitely have a post to review the shipper on shipping integrity, tracking method, damages, clearing costs, etc

Pet Importation:
The government of Kenya is a pet friendly country which means that your pet will NOT be quarantined nor is a microchip a requirement (all European Union Member countries require this). However, before you and your furry friend can travel, you need to do the following to build your Pet Passport:
  1. Current Health Certificate from the Veterinary Doctor - The pet must be vaccinated for rabies at least 30 days prior to travel to Kenya and not more than 12 months prior to travel. Rabies vaccination is not required for Dogs and Cats entering from a rabies free country such as the United Kingdom. DHPP vaccination is also required. The veterinarian is certifying that that the pet is healthy, free of parasites and that there is no evidence of diseases communicable to humans. .
  2. Kenya then requires that you send them an Import Permit Application (The Embassy website did not have any forms attached so I Googled and found this and other vet forms at Pet Travel Store) along with a processing fee of $50.00 US. Money Order or Cash only, payable to Kenya Embassy (for other countries, please check with your Embassy). Include a return self addressed prepaid envelope (FedEx, USPS, DHL, etc) - they promise to send your permit back to you in a few days. I just sent mine a couple of days ago so I will keep you posted on the turnaround time.
  3. Five (5) days or less prior to entering Kenya, the vet must complete the APHIS form (USDA Form 7001). Vets normally have this form and I have been informed that Kenya (or other country) may not require it, however the USDA export officer at the airport or the airline may require it. The vet must complete this and send to USDA for a valid stamp. There is a $24.oo charge for this and you must also send a return self addressed prepaid envelope.
  4. Kennel Requirements - check with your particular airline to make sure you are adhering to their standards on the type and size of kennels that are acceptable. Here is an example of the information as posted on the Northwest/KLM website.
  5. Day of Travel - Pet(s) CANNOT be sedated/tranquilized, etc. If you are traveling in the summer, make sure you understand the "Summer Travel Embargo" - these are temperature restrictions that may be prevent your pet from traveling with you if the temperatures are too cold/hot. Check with your airline. Here is an example from Northwest/KLM.


Wednesday, August 6, 2008

First Post is food related - shocker!

This was supposed to be my first blog entry...but as I've learned, blogger does some maintenance stuff that shuts everything down. That is what happened and I got shut down trying to post that night. Then today, this post magically appeared in my post list and I was like, "what the hell, I'll post it anyway!" Trust me, I have quite the relationship with food so I'm sure this is the first of many food-related posts that will grace these pages:-)

Not much to say for this inaugural post because I am watching the Food Network (big surprise there?) and Alton Brown is doing his usual skits that I absolutely love. This one is really funny because he has taken the "hissing" cell scene between Hannibal Lecter and Clarice but the show is on "Power Trip" aka nutritional power bars. Anyway, the person portraying Hannibal takes the power bar and sniffs on it saying something like, "mmhhh high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, etc" and maniacally tears into the bar. Meanwhile, Clarice (Alton) is running down the hallway in search of the real nutritional bar. Hilarious. If you don't watch
Good Eats then you won't get it - you kinda have to like Alton's humor and his deconstructed cooking show.