surf-matic

Graham (that's I) stands with the factory supervisors.

Okay, so I’m still in washington airport because despite running down corridors and sprinting up stair steps (an activity I take an unusual liking to in airports– even when I’m not late), I missed my flight to Newark. So, I used the 4 hour setback to spend some time in the United Red Carpet Club, where I met a really interesting screenwriter. We chatted for almost 2 full hours and then I headed back to the gate for my new flight (sprinting up stairs, of course).

Upon arriving to this gate, I found that the flight was delayed. What’s another hour of waiting after all the hours of traveling I’ve endured after leaving Sri Lanka 30 (!!!) hours ago.

Standing just across my new gate was a man eating a pint of Ben and Jerry’s ice-cream. A pint! I do like ice-cream, but I’d really struggle to eat an entire pint at one time. But where did he get it? In the land of airports everything comes in miniature.

That funny scene reminds me from another airport absurdity in Dubai. At the country entry station, there are men with shirts on that say “May I help you?”. And apparently these men don’t speak Arab because the Arabs call them, instead of a name, “mayIhelpyou”. So it was not uncommon to hear “MayIhelpyou get over here to set up the new lines.”

This is the RCC in IAD airport where I've spent the last couple hours.

Burger King dubai style. Also, you can see the sandy texture to Arab air.

I guess I should give some details on my trip from Sri Lanka and the last couple days there.

Everyone in the factory was so nice and by the end of the trip all the workers had some sort of informal relation with me– even if just an exchange of smiles. Many of the workers pooled for gifts for me, which was heart-touchingly kind. The supervisors too were particularily heartwarming, for they’ve seen photos of me since I was a baby and in that way have tracked my life. And of course I’ve heard so much about them from my dad. So finally meeting was really special.

This is one of the smiling workers in the factory. In the photo she's working on a mast sleeve.

Here are all the Ezzy Sails workers lined up behind the main factory building.

More updates soon!