Left and Leaving -- ish?

Last night I hung out with some great friends to really embrace my last night in Canada. Took in some McDonald's, went to church, and was sure to shower (hygiene is not usually of importance to me, but since I hadn't showered for a week, I figured it would put me over the top to add two full days of air travel grease). I didn't get to bed until about 3:30 am and was up at 4:30 am. My departure was 7:45 am and was meeting at the airport early with my Dad and Dean. Alissa drove me to the airport and as we drove I glanced at my ticket.

Departure 745PM

PM!!

PM!!

So we turned around and headed back to Alissa's. So much anticipation -- destroyed. What a great way to start off my trip.

I hung out with my Dad and Dean for the time leading up to my ACTUAL departure. We shopped. We were done shopping and got to the airport to check in.
Lynn (the director of Forward Education) told me I could collect all my paperwork and bring it with me to South Africa to obtain a visa. That's exactly what I did. Apparently, that wasn't good enough. They wouldn't let me in. The airline lady said that South Africa is extremely hard to get into. She told the story of an executive doctor man who flew to South Africa without a visa. As soon as he arrived, they imprisoned him for 2 days, charged $10 000 and flew him back right away after.

This was serious business.

We tried to figure out my options. What made my options difficult was the ticket that I had purchased. I received it through a travel agency and it was called an IT (International Tariff). Apparently this is a super highly discounted ticket and the airline has NOTHING to do with it. There are major restrictions that have to do with it, and the airline cannot change it.

Shoot.

BUT somehow, the lady worked her magic and they changed my flight so that I would come back August 21 (3 months is the longest stay allowed without a visa). So I'm coming home August 21.
But not actually.
As soon as I get to South Africa, I need to try and change my ticket. The airline lady couldn't tell me if this would even be possible. She said, "You'll just have to deal with it there."

So welcome to my first day.

I shouldn't have eaten buffalo chicken fingers for supper.