Take Off and Landing

Airport

When I got to the Airport, it made me realise how far I'd come in my journey to

get overseas and start this

Adventure. I remembered taking both Phoebe and Hilary in the previous months and walking up through the bridge between the car park and the airport terminal (which is one of my favourite parts of Melbourne Airport) i was filled with excitement. I was looking forward to sitting down and having a drink with my friends and cousin before I left, and getting

to savour the moment. However, in true Jessica Moussi fashion, it wasn't to be that simple.

I was checking in for my one way ticket to Lebanon and the lady asks if i have an onward ticket from Beirut. Of course i didn't, i hadn't any idea that, that was necessary. I mean really, when you think about it, most people are trying to get out of Lebanon to go and live other places, not trying desperately to get residency there. This meant that i had to purchase a $1800 (fully refundable) ticket from Beirut to Melbourne just to get myself on to my booking of my flight there was something that I had inadvertently missed. I can definitely say it was a bit of a stressful experience, but i didn't really mind. I figured that if that was the way that my Adventure was going to start then so be it.

I said a teary goodbye to my good friends and my beautiful cousin and off i went through to Customs and to rush to get to my flight in time. I ran down to my gate and had about 10 minutes til boarding time. I thought that I'd finally get a chance to sit down and relax before i got on the plane, but that was also not to be. I had left all my jewellery at the scanners, so i had to run as fast as my legs would take me just to get them back and then get to my flight in time.

Most of the flight was as is usually expected for a 14 hour flight. Long, and increasingly

uncomfortable as the hours pass. I sat next to a Belgian woman who i briefly spoke to about her son and him living in London and where i was going. Besides that, nothing too exciting.

We arrived at Abu Dhabi Airport at about 6.15 am - just enough time for me to lose my head,

forget my jacket in the overhead locker and wait for an hour and a half for my next flight. I bought a giant cup of coffee for about $6US which only helped my sleepy state a little. I must say that with the lack of sleep and feeling a bit disorientated, i did pass two Bedouin men in one of the Duty Free shops and almost thought they were statues until i remembered that i was in the UAE and they were perfectly real.

I then got a truly Middle Eastern bus transfer to the next plane. The bus went left and continued driving for about 10 minutes and then did a u-turn, drove all the way back and across the other side of the tarmac for another 10 minutes until we finally reached the plane. I did think for a minute that the bus driver was attempting to drive us to Beirut he was taking so long! But Abu Dhabi looked stunning in the morning light and i was glad that i was now only a few short hours away from being home. I got a couple of hours decent sleep because I had two free chairs next to me.

Arriving at Beirut airport, I didn't have any hassles getting in to the

country and in fact I didn't even have to pay for a visa - I spoke to the officer in Arabic and explained where I was from which perhaps was why he didn't charge me anything. I walked out to see my beautiful mother and childhood friend who lives across the hall from us waiting for me. It was so surreal to be there with them but I was enjoying every moment. And so it began.

Anything goes in Lebanon, including smoking at the airport - or anywhere for that matter. Amongst all my other little mishaps during my flight over, i couldn't just have it be 2 things, i had

to add a 3rd. In all my excitement in getting to Lebanon and seeing my Mum, I left

my laptop at the table that we sat at. I'd been holding all my things and knew what I had, but once everyone else picked my things up, it unsettled me. It took me a day to even realise that I didn't have it, and we phoned the airport to see if they had it, and fortune was with me. Someone had found it and handed it in. I don't think i'll be doing that twice!!

The drive home is the introduction that any traveller should get when coming to Lebanon. They drive on the right hand side of the road. There are

no rules. If there are 3 lanes, they may be extended to 4 or 5 at the will of the drivers on the road. You may overtake at any time, from any side, at any speed. Beeping is an essential part of the process, for without this, you won't get anyone's attention. We nearly died about 7 times, but i'm pretty sure that they like it that way here, because that happens nearly every time you go out on the roads.

I drove up the road on my own a couple of days later to go pick up some passport papers and that was enough to last me a little while. It was a scary experience and generally speaking it had nothing to do with the other drivers on

the road. After all, I am Lebanese and i have it in me to drive like they do. It was the switching sides of the roads and not being used to the dimensions of my mum's car that got me. I nearly hit a guy walking near the church I was passing (on a Sunday) because I ducked into the right too much, but we both survived and I got home in 1 piece. I might attempt this driving thing again, i'll be sure to post again about how it goes.

Our home in Lebanon sits on the Mediterranean in a little village called El Bouar. There is a beautiful and open view of the sea from our balcony and in a storm you can see the water crashing up against the rocks threateningly as if it's saying that it could swallow us whole if it wanted. Most mornings it is very calm and if there aren't any clouds it is just magnificent.

In the last week, I've been out and done some great things. I went up to the property that my mum has been building up in the mountains of Lebanon. It is absolutely stunning up there and we spent

most of the day picking potatoes that mum had planted with another guy from around the area. Our maid Elyssou came up with us as well and helped out. In Lebanon, it's not uncommon for families to have maids. I will say that it took me some time to get used to the idea and to work out how I felt about it. I have come to realise that she is happy with us and lives a good life here. She comes from Madagascar and her family are very poor. She's very sweet and has a lot of cheek. Very willing to learn other languages and she makes my bed, and tidies my room which I'm still not used to - however I'mvery appreciative and there's something special about her that I can't put my finger on. I feel like there's a reason she's with our family. She has spark in her personality, she's not just a robot like some of the others, and sometimes it even feels like she's my little sister.

Other than all these things, I've done a lot of eating of wonderful Lebanese food and spending time with my mum at home and relaxing. We've been out a few times, and i've been out clothes shopping which is an entirely different experience to Australia. Wages in Lebanon are very low, and a lot of people working in shops seem to be unhappy. I know it seems like a generalisation, and I still

have time to see if I am wrong. They don't ask if you need any help, or if they can do anything for you. They generally stare at you blankly as if to say "what do you want" and until you say something, they don't really bother. Usually though, if you smile at them and make an effort, they smile back.

The weather hasn't been too cold so far, but there have been lots of storms and rain so I haven't been out a whole heap yet. Phoebe will be here in a week and I'll have a lot more to share very soon.