KoffeeKlatch Gals is Still Missing - Can the HubNugget Team Find Her in Time?

After looking through the brochures that ripplemaker found stashed underneath the hat, the team decided to start with Morocco. Flights were booked and the team trooped off to the airport with tickets in hand.

RedElf and Enelle were humming the tune "Road to Morocco" (as sung by Bing Crosby and Bob Hope,) and laughingly pantomiming riding on a camel. The ignored the strange looks from other travelers asking why they were allowed to fly economy class instead of in carriers.

Patty and Simone made sure the luggage was properly tagged so that it would arrive with the team, while ripplemaker and ladyjane1 canvased the ticket counters with Gals' photograph in the hopes of finding an agent that had seen her.

Maddie had thoughtfully booked their seats together so the team could discuss Gals mysterious disappearance without disturbing the other passengers.

"According to these brochures Gals had an interest in Tangier and Casablanca of all places!" Simone said.

"Wow, two movies with one admission!" RedElf purred, still humming Road to Morocco. "We'll have to charter a flight to Casablanca after we land in Tangier."

"Good idea, RedElf," ladyjane1 said. "I'm sure a ticket agent will remember Gals. Then all we have to do is follow her trail!"

As soon as the plane landed, ripplemaker and ladyjane1 made the rounds to all the ticket agents and car rental kiosks to see if anyone had seen Gals. Within minutes they returned, beaming from ear to ear.

"Gals chartered a flight to Casablanca! I managed to get us seats on the next flight - sorry, not much time to sight see, the plane leaves in an hour." ripplemaker said.

"There's a small bazaar just outside the terminal," Enelle purred. "I'm sure we can satisfy our curiosity quite nicely, and have plenty of time to catch our flight."

For the next forty-five minutes, the team enjoyed the sights and sounds of the bazaar. With carry-on's bulging at the seams, they tumbled into their seats minutes before take off.

They had just settled in to enjoy the in-flight snack when Patty's new phone buzzed. Opening it, she found an email from Jason with the first six HubNugget nominations with a note reading, These just forwarded from Gals...

"I don't think Gals is in Casablanca," Patty said. "Simone, what other brochures did you find?"

Simone leafed through the pamphlets and pulled out a brochure for the Serengeti National Park. "This one looks rather interesting," she said. "It says this park is regarded as the best wildlife reserve in Africa. I wonder if Gals went there."

"I think we are going to have to ask everybody at the airport when we land again! Gals certainly didn't make it easy to find her." RedElf said. "Not that I mind...this has to be one of the most exciting trips we've been on for a while."

Once their plane finally touched down and everyone had collected their bags, the team once again made the rounds of the terminal employees. Sure enough, a travel agent remembered arranging a trip for Gals to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania.

"I can do the same for you," he remarked. "You are in luck, the last plane leaves in fifteen minutes. You should arrive at the park before nightfall."

Paying the man, the team scrambled back to the tarmac and boarded a rickety looking, four engine plane.

"Looks like no in-flight snack on this trip," Enelle said. "I think this might be a bumpy ride," she said as she unsheathed her claws. "Just in case I need to hang on," she said, in answer to Patty's questioning glance.

After a particularly bumpy flight, the decrepit aircraft jounced across the ground with her passengers clinging to their seats for dear life. When it finally came to a stop in a swirl of dust, the team tumbled out the door into the simmering heat. A range rover sat idling near a small windowless structure on the side of the field. A large African gentleman sat grinning behind the wheel, his rifle resting across the folded down windscreen.

"I trust you had a good flight?" he said as he watched the team stagger across the dusty ruts. "My name is Umbwana and I am your official greeter and guide," he said. "Welcome to Tanzania." He helped stow the luggage then slid easily behind the wheel. "I suggest you hang on, it is a rather bumpy ride to the park gates," he said, putting the rover into gear.

After an amazingly dusty, bone jarring ride filled with incredible scenery and wildlife, the team reached their destination. A pride of lions lolled indolently beneath a canopy of trees in the distance, watching a herd of gazelles and zebras grazing near the gates.

Umbwana helped the team climb out of the rover and unloaded the luggage, which was whisked away by a group of porters.

"Come," Umbwana said. "I will show you to your rooms. You will want to freshen up after your long trip. Dinner is at sun down in the main building over to your right. The gates will be closing soon, and will remain locked until morning. Your safari tour starts at six, shortly after breakfast, and I will see you then. Don't worry about the night sounds, you are perfectly safe here. I hope you enjoy your evening," he grinned.

The little group followed after their guide to their rooms. As they were deciding who would sleep where, Patty's phone beeped with another message. This time it was an email from Maddie with a note saying "Here are the next six HubNugget nominees, courtesy of Gals. I'm guessing you haven't found her yet."

"I'm beginning to think this adventure was planned," RedElf stated as she groomed her fur. "The safari hat, the brochures, the travel connections...I don't know about you, but I have never taken a trip where everything went this smoothly."

"I'm not complaining," Patty said, "But obviously Gals isn't here, so it means we have to look for another destination. Simone, do you have any other brochures that might give us a clue to Gals' whereabouts?"

Simone leafed through the pamphlets again, studying each one. "You know," she said, pausing to look closer at one brochure in particular, "I think Gals went to Cairo. This leaflet is more worn than any of the others and it looks like there are marks beside the pyramids."

"What do you bet that when we ask the desk clerk in the morning whether he has seen Gals, he says 'of course...I booked her a flight to Egypt!" ladyjane1 said, laughing.

"I'll take that bet, ladyjane," ripplemaker added, "...And raise you a trip to the pyramids!"

Laughing, the team headed across the compound to the dinner hut and the promise of another full day of sight seeing and travel.

Sure enough, when ladyjane and ripplemaker checked with the desk clerk in the morning, the man remembered booking a flight to Cairo for Gals, and just happened to have an opening that afternoon for the team on the last connecting flight to Egypt.

The little group packed their bags, to be collected later by the porters, and headed out for their safari tour.

It was an exciting day! They took reams of pictures, (thank goodness for digital cameras,) and enjoyed the cool of the morning safe and sound in the range rover. Umbwana showed them herds of giraffes, zebras, wildebeest, gazelles and various other wildlife, even managing to catch a family of cheetahs lounging in a copse of trees watching a herd of elephants enjoying a dust bath.

All too soon, it was time for a quick lunch and then back to the park to catch their ride to the airfield for their flight to Cairo.

After another bone jarring, dusty ride to the airfield, they boarded another rickety looking, four engine plane and headed to Egypt. They watched the plains melt away, replaced by rivers, mountains and more plains, dotted with lush green valleys. Soon the landscape turned to miles and miles of sand dunes. They could see the great Nile river and the beginnings of the cities that dotted its length.

A sharp bank to the left showed the airport out the windows, signaling an end to their flight. No sooner had they cleared customs than a man wearing a brightly striped tunic and black turban stepped forward to greet them.

"Greetings fellow travelers," he said, bowing low. "I am Hussain Al Akbarr, and I have a message for one called Patty Inglish."

"I'm Patty Inglish," Patty said, stepping forward.

"Ah," Hussain smiled, "Please to accompany me. I have your car waiting. Come, come."

The team followed Hussain through the terminal to a waiting limousine where they were whisked away to an unknown destination. "This is for you, Miss Inglish," Hussain said, proffering a sheaf of papers.

Patty studied the sheets and was surprised to find the last six HubNugget nominees, along with a note that read, "see you soon..."

The limo pulled up in front of a large, beautifully decorated tent surrounded by hitching posts where six camels were tethered. Hussain graciously opened the limo doors and one by one the girls climbed out to stand in front of the tent.

Hussain ushered them inside, and gave each one a turban, tunic and sandals. "You may change in here," he said, drawing aside a hanging rug. "Be sure to wrap your faces to protect them from the sand and wind," he said.

When everyone was changed, they trooped back outside and were escorted to the camels, that were now kneeling in the sand. Hussain helped them to mount the kneeling beasts and they set off single file into the desert.

The pyramids loomed in the distance, but they were headed towards the most prominent feature in Egyptian history - the Sphinx. As they drew nearer and the Sphinx grew taller, they could see a draped figure sitting on a camel between the Spinx's great paws.

Breaking into a gallop, Hussain rushed to greet the garbed figure, with the other camels following suit. Sliding to a halt, he waited for the rest of the group to arrive before bowing low before the turbaned stranger. The stranger unwrapped the facial protection, and there, beaming at the rest of the group was Gals!

"It's about time you got here!" She exclaimed. "Did you enjoy the mystery? You all seemed a little down and funked out, so I figured a road trip was just what the doctor ordered!"

Once the rest of the group recovered from their surprise, they were eager to have their questions answered.

"We'll catch up along the way," Gals said. "Right now, we have the Sphinx and some pyramids to explore, courtesy of our guide, Hussain. Are you up for some more mystery?"

Smiling from ear to ear, the reunited HubNuggets Team members trooped after Hussain to enjoy their Egyptian tour.