Naddel Vom Theelshof

(this should be after Nairobi National Park, I'm not sure why it is here)

We drove into the airport to pick up Naddel, knowing we had to go to the cargo terminal. After trying to interpret directions from at least 3 people, all of which included vague hand gestures and words like 'there' or 'that way', we turned down a road in the most likely direction. Finally we found the terminal. At the gate we were asked to get out of the car so they could search us. Hmm. I had no idea it would be this secure. I hadn't even brought my ID. After being frisked by a woman who was clearly not very excited about her job, I played dumb when they asked me for my ID. As Joerg waved his UN passport and said I was with him, I jumped back in the car.

After we parked we went back to the gate and signed in. Nothing was said about visitors passes. We walked toward the main office, and a man who was just standing outside came up to us smiling and asked if he could help. Joerg was so excited he just yelped "I'm here to get my dog! Where is she?". The man gave us a look indicating that he understood completely, and proceeded to run us to about 5 different locations all over the terminal. Joerg greeted everyone with a huge smile and "I want my dog! Where is she?", but no progress was made. Soon we understood a) our guide had no idea what he was doing, and b) he was going to want money. He took us upstairs to talk to a Lufthansa representative who was very helpful, and just as we were coming back down the stairs she called us back up. At this point we were running. When we got back to her desk she called out the man who had been "helping us" and told him that he should tell us up front what he was going to charge before we continued. It turns out he wanted a minimum of $100. This seemed absurd. How hard could it be to pick up your dog? We said sorry, but no thanks and went down to figure things out.

In the main office, where we would have gone if no one had intercepted us, we were told that the plane had not yet arrived. We had seen it land. We pestered them a little more and suddenly it was there, but the dog was not ready yet. They were still waiting for her to be processed and for the paperwork to be sent up. They estimated that would take at least an hour. Someone told us we could get coffee somewhere (again vague hand gestures). The next person we talked to about a place to sit and eat just laughed and shook his head. We walked down to the end of the terminal to see if we could spot her somewhere. A man on a forklift stopped us and asked us for our visitor badges. Huh? We don't have those. This was not good news, and resulted in us being half-heartedly searched again. Once more I didn't have any ID, so I hid behind Joerg as he flashed his UN passport. We decided at that point that I would be his wife from now on if anyone asked, and that we needed to get some visitor passes.

Back at the main gate they told us they were out of passes. They gave me a funny look when I explained that we were being searched and interrogated for not having them, and finally one guard walked across the parking lot to the other gate to get some. We waited around for the paperwork, and eventually it came. We went upstairs to speak to a customs official, and after Joerg flirted a little with the receptionist we were allowed into his office. He looked over the paperwork as if he knew what it all was, asked a few questions, and then told Joerg he would tax his dog as if she were worth $1000. Fine, whatever, please can we go now. As we were trying to decipher various suggestions on where to go next and who to pay what, a nice gentleman who Joerg had been joking with offered to help us free of charge. He led us out of the terminal, through another gate, and into another parking/building area where the vet office was. As we approached the building we heard pitiful howling coming from within. That's her!

Inside her crate and behind metal bars sat Naddel. When she saw Joerg running towards her the whole box shook and more heart-wrenching yowls came forth. I sat with her and tried to calm her down through the bars while he went to get his health certificate stamped. She was biting and scratching at the bars with all her might. My heart broke a little. He had to go back to get other papers signed so I said I would stay with her. After about a minute I couldn't take it anymore and crawled in the kennel with her so I could let her out of the crate. That wasn't good enough, she wanted Joerg, she wanted out! A woman came into the holding area and asked me if everything was ok. I explained what I was doing and asked her if I could walk Naddel around. "Of course" she said, "she probably has to relieve herself". Indeed she did. It had been a long trip.

Naddel and I walked around the holding area, got a big drink of water, and waited for Joerg to get back. I suspected she was hungry when she started eating grass and rocks. Eventually I called Joerg and he said he would be half an hour. One hour later he was back. Naddel exploded into a writhing frenzy of licks, squeaks, and wiggles. She clearly remembered him. So, was everything all set? Hah. There was another office he had to go to, and it would not even be open for another half hour. Ugh. I saw his stack of paperwork and receipts, and it looked like he had been stamped, taxed, and charged by at least 6 different offices.We sat in the doorway and Naddel fell asleep on his fleece. When he had to leave again she cried but then went back to bed.

All in all it took about 5 hourse to get Naddel out of the airport. I held her on my lap the whole way home, and she struggled to stay awake. Joerg struggled to keep his eyes on the road. We hit the evening traffic, so many of the street vendors had a chance to meet Naddel through the window. They were very intrigued by a person holding a dog, and such a funny looking one! One of the guys said she reminded him of a goat.

Naddel (aka susse maus, kleine madchen, leibsein, feine hund) has been here for almost one week now. It took her a few days not to cry when Joerg left the house, but either Cassandra, the maid, or I was always there to watch her (the maid has been hired full time to watch the dog). She is unbelievably cute, very well behaved (except when Joerg is teaching her how to bite my leg and chew on my skirt), and one of the warmest and cutest cuddlers ever. Joerg let me sleep with her all night on Monday! Definitely adorable. And she can do no wrong. She has huge soft ears, a long nose (which Joerg "loves every millimeter of"), and long gangly legs. She points at birds and bugs. She eats purina puppy food, jerky, carrots, oats, beef bones, beef heart, tripe (which is rumen by the way...who knew?), chocolate, cheese, sausage, and anything else Joerg thinks she might like. So spoiled. So worthy though. I am going to miss her a lot.

(for pictures go to http://www.picasaweb.google.com/julia.littell)