Trip on Ethiopian Airlines was uneventful, but a lesson learned. It is not a good idea to take a 13 hour flight that leaves the U.S. in the morning. Very little sleep during what are your normal daylight hours, and you arrive early morning local time (in Ethiopia) with no sleep and a full day ahead.
Having arrived, we were in store for newly invented delays, in spite of first class treatment by Ethiopian as business class passengers. They let us off the plane first, so at our first stop (obtain entry visa) there were only 9 people in front of us (and 200+ behind). It took the local Ethiopian authorities 1 hour to get to us and hand us our visas. Pity the poor 200 people behind us.
Next to the line for the bank. Again exactly 9 people in front of me, but took me only 45 minutes to get through this process. Many sheets of useless duplicative handwritten forms for each customer,
Ethiopian Airlines had specially marked our business class luggage and had it in a cart waiting for us, a new and delightful experience.
Now there is only one more obstacle to leaving the airport 2 hours after entering the terminal. Our bags need to pass thru an x-ray machine. I was slightly anxious as my new friend from Toronto, Dr. Mark Bernstein had a large box of surgical equipment confiscated upon his arrival 3 weeks ago. We passed thru the x-ray machine with flying colors, loaded our luggage back onto a trolley and began to leave when we were approached by a customs agent who asked what was in the large duffel. Surgical equipment of course, so that I could do surgery on his fellow countrymen. I explained this was my fifth visit to teach and train more neurosurgeons for his country. He proceeded to inspect each item and summarily throw aside numerous items ("they are outdated") and request an explanation of others. Finally with a dour look he uncovered my 45# trove of lumbar spinal instrumentation, worth somewhere between $50K and $100K. I explained to him that I would be using it to operate on the Ethiopian people unfortunate enough to sustain traumatic injuries to the spine. I used a spine model to attempt to illustrate to him and his supervisor how this could be accomplished.
After much dialog they had a few different proposals: 1) confiscate the equipment; 2) pay duty; 3) leave a large financial deposit at the airport and upon leaving the country with the equipment the deposit would be returned (would you trust them?); 4) produce a letter from the hospital inviting me to come and do the surgery (or course I did not have that); 5) you can't practice surgery in our country without license.
After interminable and unfruitful discussions during which daughter Janet was also attempting to help, I finally convinced them to call one of the local neurosurgeons with whom I was working to verify that I was legit. After 10 minutes on the phone with Mersha, he indicated that I was verified but there was still the issue of the equipment. I thanked him profusely for trying to help and asked if I might offer him
some tender for his efforts. I tried to hand him some money but he backed off while leading me back to the baggage area. He told his supervisor that it might be all right for me to proceed with the equipment, but he needed to talk with me further.
He led me back to his unadorned (i.e. primitive) office, and proceeded to lecture me about precautions and preparations that I should take when I return next year. He then extended his hand and said I could reward him if I wished. You will need to use your imagination as to what transpired next.
Finally after nearly three hours we exited the terminal to a lovely bright new day with all our bags intact to me met my a driver from our guest house.
Clever Rachel (12 year old granddaughter who was also with me) has come up with a wonderful idea for our left over food. We hugely over-ordered for our first evening feast, and had much left over. She asked for take-out containers and they obliged. As we walked home at night in the darkness, accosted every few feet by beggars, she rewarded a select few with a food package, that brought instant smiles and gratitude.
Finally, at my first day on the job, yet another of the intriguing encounters that continues to draw me back to this interesting and remote country. Some of you may recall from my posts in past years, the many unpredictable calls and encounters that I have had from strangers asking for help with an infirm relative.
One of the residents picked me up on a street corner this morning to drive me to the hospital. I typically take a present of equipment each day with me to the hospital. On this first day I had in hand a large model of the spine. As I emerged from the car with spine in hand, a caucasian fellow, who looked like he might be a visiting physician, emerged from his adjacent chauffeur driven car. He came over to me, handed me his card and we introduced ourselves. He was not a doctor, said he had a spine problem, and asked if I could help him.
Many more stories from just day one, but they will need to wait until later.
Regards to all.
Having arrived, we were in store for newly invented delays, in spite of first class treatment by Ethiopian as business class passengers. They let us off the plane first, so at our first stop (obtain entry visa) there were only 9 people in front of us (and 200+ behind). It took the local Ethiopian authorities 1 hour to get to us and hand us our visas. Pity the poor 200 people behind us.
Next to the line for the bank. Again exactly 9 people in front of me, but took me only 45 minutes to get through this process. Many sheets of useless duplicative handwritten forms for each customer,
Ethiopian Airlines had specially marked our business class luggage and had it in a cart waiting for us, a new and delightful experience.
Now there is only one more obstacle to leaving the airport 2 hours after entering the terminal. Our bags need to pass thru an x-ray machine. I was slightly anxious as my new friend from Toronto, Dr. Mark Bernstein had a large box of surgical equipment confiscated upon his arrival 3 weeks ago. We passed thru the x-ray machine with flying colors, loaded our luggage back onto a trolley and began to leave when we were approached by a customs agent who asked what was in the large duffel. Surgical equipment of course, so that I could do surgery on his fellow countrymen. I explained this was my fifth visit to teach and train more neurosurgeons for his country. He proceeded to inspect each item and summarily throw aside numerous items ("they are outdated") and request an explanation of others. Finally with a dour look he uncovered my 45# trove of lumbar spinal instrumentation, worth somewhere between $50K and $100K. I explained to him that I would be using it to operate on the Ethiopian people unfortunate enough to sustain traumatic injuries to the spine. I used a spine model to attempt to illustrate to him and his supervisor how this could be accomplished.
After much dialog they had a few different proposals: 1) confiscate the equipment; 2) pay duty; 3) leave a large financial deposit at the airport and upon leaving the country with the equipment the deposit would be returned (would you trust them?); 4) produce a letter from the hospital inviting me to come and do the surgery (or course I did not have that); 5) you can't practice surgery in our country without license.
After interminable and unfruitful discussions during which daughter Janet was also attempting to help, I finally convinced them to call one of the local neurosurgeons with whom I was working to verify that I was legit. After 10 minutes on the phone with Mersha, he indicated that I was verified but there was still the issue of the equipment. I thanked him profusely for trying to help and asked if I might offer him
some tender for his efforts. I tried to hand him some money but he backed off while leading me back to the baggage area. He told his supervisor that it might be all right for me to proceed with the equipment, but he needed to talk with me further.
He led me back to his unadorned (i.e. primitive) office, and proceeded to lecture me about precautions and preparations that I should take when I return next year. He then extended his hand and said I could reward him if I wished. You will need to use your imagination as to what transpired next.
Finally after nearly three hours we exited the terminal to a lovely bright new day with all our bags intact to me met my a driver from our guest house.
Clever Rachel (12 year old granddaughter who was also with me) has come up with a wonderful idea for our left over food. We hugely over-ordered for our first evening feast, and had much left over. She asked for take-out containers and they obliged. As we walked home at night in the darkness, accosted every few feet by beggars, she rewarded a select few with a food package, that brought instant smiles and gratitude.
Finally, at my first day on the job, yet another of the intriguing encounters that continues to draw me back to this interesting and remote country. Some of you may recall from my posts in past years, the many unpredictable calls and encounters that I have had from strangers asking for help with an infirm relative.
One of the residents picked me up on a street corner this morning to drive me to the hospital. I typically take a present of equipment each day with me to the hospital. On this first day I had in hand a large model of the spine. As I emerged from the car with spine in hand, a caucasian fellow, who looked like he might be a visiting physician, emerged from his adjacent chauffeur driven car. He came over to me, handed me his card and we introduced ourselves. He was not a doctor, said he had a spine problem, and asked if I could help him.
Many more stories from just day one, but they will need to wait until later.
Regards to all.
