All I want is a bed!

Somehow four hours passed between a very soft landing in Entebbe and laying down my head.

My traveling companion found his bag was back in Schiphol, so that required red tape. The hotel needed a reminder to pick us up. Then came the conversation with reception at the hotel.

This is the Imperial Beach Resort Hotel on Lake Victoria, one of three and all in a row. For this conference there were 400 bishops and nearly as many hangers on. Many rooms taken, but I had sent in my money and was assured of a reservation.

That's not what the clerk told me, but he arranged for us to go to hotel number 3 where we would have a room. He said that hesitatingly. There at reception at #3 I was told to wait. This was after 30 hours of travel. Wait? All I wanted was a bed.

Instead I was called to the phone to speak to the conference coordinator who wasn't sure I was registered after all. In spite of e-mail confirmation.

With expressions of regret I was told I had a room - with two beds, one for that other guy sitting at a nearby chair.

They were embarrassed, I was thrilled. I had a bed in a room with a shower and a pillow. And my roommate's 13 year-old daughter had sent him with chocolate chip cookies. They were wonderful.