In the Zone. Shop ‘Till You Drop – 6/25/22

Did you ever get the feeling that something was missing? In this case, something actually was. Mimi’s luggage. Just another exquisite folly in the air travel saga and one that needed to be rectified prior to our heading into the bush. There are no stores out there and our expected temperatures were to range from the high 30s to the low 60s.

Fortunately, the Jo-Burg Airport has an REI-esque shop and we have a Emily, a world-class shopper on our team. It was Go Time from the moment we cleared security, with approximately 25 minutes on the clock to acquire virtually ninety percent of all of the clothing a person would need for over two weeks in the bush. Also fortunately, I was there, a world-class coat rack.

Emily moved through the store like a textile consuming predator, at one point occupying two salespeople and dragging Papa through the store at a pace that got his Crocs smoking. Time was the enemy.

The rest of the crew headed to the gate, which was, of course, somewhat of a distance and was one of those that required a bus to get the the aircraft. The shopping crew had gotten to the register when an ominous text from Christopher came. “Where are you.” Time was running out. I gave up my clothes racking duties and headed with Mimi to the gate, while Papa and Em put a dent in the credit card.

Of course, this plane was on time, but the advance crew was able to convince the gate agent to just hold on for a little longer. When I asked her if I had time to use the lavatory her one word answer spoke volumes. “No.”

Fortunately, Em and Papa’s smoking Crocs made it just under the wire.