After an exhausting packing trip to Istanbul, we were back home with Kuzu - yeap, you heard me correct!!! I brought my cat after a veryy long trip.
Actually I had planned for everything and all the plans turned upside down!! I talked to the Airlines and made the reservation for her days in advance. As I was told that she needed a separate and special cage for the cabin, I almost forced my dad to search ALL petshops on Bagdat Street to find the required cage in sizes 45x35x23. Fortunately, my Kuzu was light enough to fit into cabin since she only weighed 5.5 kg with the cage while the limit was 6 kg.
During the flight, she was supposed to sleep at least half of the time. However, she woke up even before I was on board. While going through the final security control, she did not want to come of the cage and the security girl was understanding enough as she let us by-pass the x-ray. :)
On the plane, the hostess was welcoming with a question: "poor dear, what are you supposed to do in Nigeria??" :)))) We received the sympathy of almost everyone as my Kuzu was silent and curious sitting in her cage. After we took off, she started screaming as she did not want to stay in it. It was OK since she just slept on my knees under the blanket until the last hour of the flight. Needless to say, there was again a delay with Turkish Airlines and we could not take off for two hours & waited in the plane.
Just before we arrive Lagos, Kuzu got nervous and uneasy trying to go off my knees. I did not get it first but then it was obvious to me that she needed to pee. My poor baby tried her best to wait until she found the litter but just before we landed, she peed in her cage. It was a desperate moment for me since it started smelling pee in the cabin (although I cleaned it all) and I did not know what to do. It was the moment where I understood moms travelling with babies to a certain extent. :))
Then we moved to the end of the business seats and waited there for the plane to land.
The story did not end even after we landed. While waiting for the luggage, this time she continued and it started smelling even worse. 12 hours of travel with a cat and long-waiting hours for luggage, I was a real walking dead.
When I thought that we were ready to go after I got my luggage, this time we had another problem - the Quarantine guy asking for the papers for import allowance of the car. I was like WHATTTT?? For 10 minutes, I tried to explain him the cat was not to import and sell here, instead to live with me. I think he saw my desperate face and started asking famous question in Nigeria: what does your husband do (because all the girls at my age are married with at least 1 kid) and whether I'd like to get married in Nigeria after I told him that I am not married. :)))))) Then he let me go after I paid him 100 USD. Hillarious!!!
It was a way long trip but guess it was worth it as we are getting used to Lagos together with my sweety and happy to say "so far so good" :)
Enjoying my bed and the blanket under which she was hiding at the first few days:
Actually I had planned for everything and all the plans turned upside down!! I talked to the Airlines and made the reservation for her days in advance. As I was told that she needed a separate and special cage for the cabin, I almost forced my dad to search ALL petshops on Bagdat Street to find the required cage in sizes 45x35x23. Fortunately, my Kuzu was light enough to fit into cabin since she only weighed 5.5 kg with the cage while the limit was 6 kg.
During the flight, she was supposed to sleep at least half of the time. However, she woke up even before I was on board. While going through the final security control, she did not want to come of the cage and the security girl was understanding enough as she let us by-pass the x-ray. :)
On the plane, the hostess was welcoming with a question: "poor dear, what are you supposed to do in Nigeria??" :)))) We received the sympathy of almost everyone as my Kuzu was silent and curious sitting in her cage. After we took off, she started screaming as she did not want to stay in it. It was OK since she just slept on my knees under the blanket until the last hour of the flight. Needless to say, there was again a delay with Turkish Airlines and we could not take off for two hours & waited in the plane.
Just before we arrive Lagos, Kuzu got nervous and uneasy trying to go off my knees. I did not get it first but then it was obvious to me that she needed to pee. My poor baby tried her best to wait until she found the litter but just before we landed, she peed in her cage. It was a desperate moment for me since it started smelling pee in the cabin (although I cleaned it all) and I did not know what to do. It was the moment where I understood moms travelling with babies to a certain extent. :))
Then we moved to the end of the business seats and waited there for the plane to land.
The story did not end even after we landed. While waiting for the luggage, this time she continued and it started smelling even worse. 12 hours of travel with a cat and long-waiting hours for luggage, I was a real walking dead.
When I thought that we were ready to go after I got my luggage, this time we had another problem - the Quarantine guy asking for the papers for import allowance of the car. I was like WHATTTT?? For 10 minutes, I tried to explain him the cat was not to import and sell here, instead to live with me. I think he saw my desperate face and started asking famous question in Nigeria: what does your husband do (because all the girls at my age are married with at least 1 kid) and whether I'd like to get married in Nigeria after I told him that I am not married. :)))))) Then he let me go after I paid him 100 USD. Hillarious!!!
It was a way long trip but guess it was worth it as we are getting used to Lagos together with my sweety and happy to say "so far so good" :)
Enjoying my bed and the blanket under which she was hiding at the first few days:
Morning glory :)
Working with me on the dining room table :)
Cok sekersiniz ikiniz de :)
ReplyDeleteMerhaba,
ReplyDeleteKediniz çok şeker gerçekten :) benim de bir kedim var Zeytin, ben de onu Kuzu diye seviyorum bazen. Tıpkı sizin gibi ben de yurtdışında çalışıyorum ve zaman zaman uzun süreli olarak eve Istanbul'a gidiyorum.
Kuzu'nun aksine Zeytin in yeni problemi yaşadığımız ülkeden Istanbul'a ailemi ziyarete gitmek. Çünkü Zeytin'in orijini Istanbul değil.
Yazınızda Kuzu için Bağdat Caddesinden bir kabin tipi kutu bulduğunuzu okudum. Ben yurtdışına bu sadece THY'ye ait olan boyutlarda bir transport kutusu bulamıyorum. Ama ailem Istanbul'dan alıp bana yollayabilirler.
Rica etsem eğer hatırlıyorsanız, hangi petshop'da bulduğunuzu yazar mısınız ? Yerini de belirtebilirseniz harika olur, zavallı yaşlı anne-babam petshoplarda gezmemiş olurlar :)
Çoook sağolun şimdiden, Kuzu ya ve size Lagos'da mutluklar dilerim.
Melike
melike.ozberk@gmail.com