Up and on the road after breakfast. Looking toward about eleven hours of "potholed" roads to Kara. Most popular mode of transportation is 125cc motor bike, which shares the roads with pedestrians and cars and very old semi trucks. Jon let both Shane and I drive at times and we rated each other by how many of the pot holes we missed or how bad the ones were that we hit. Some paved, some two lane dirt and mountainous roads with no guard rails. Many broken down trucks and some tipped over with cargo strewn about,
We reached the Ghana Togo border about noon and made it thru immigration and customs with no problem. Only casualty was chicken that zigged when it should have zagged. Score one for Jon.
Arrived safely before dark and Heidi had supper ready for us.
Hard to get pictures when bouncing around
Brought some of Ghana back to Togo. Everything along the road is covered in brown dirt from passing vehicles. Passing is a challenge and even getting out of second gear is difficult at times. I forgot what it was like to have no traffic signals, no speed limits and no real road rules.
Woke up first morning at Jonathan's with Cocks crowing and a beautiful sunrise.
The neighborhood consists of handmade brick and block homes with thatched or tin roofs and no indoor toilets or water or electricity next to two story block homes with all three. Most live very simple and the markets are usually booths along the roads. Refrigeration is not for the common man and that means shopping every day for meat and vegetables if you can afford them or eating what you have grown yourself.
Chickens, dogs and goats roam freely everywhere. Pets are uncommon as everything is potential dinner. (see thanksgiving dinner at Jon's)
Went to market and watched butcher preparing unidentifiable meat for sale. Did buy some vegitables and some cloth to have clothes made to bring home. White people are an attraction and little children are either drawn to you or frightened because you are different. Brought back memories of Nam, as children are alike all over the world. Reminded me of why I like children more than adults.
Isabelle shopping for apples. Should mention that she received two proposals for marriage before we got to Kara and by the time we left Africa we had lost count (at least twenty). We had to tactfully tell those interested that she had to go back home to her father in America and was not available for marriage yet.
This is an iron in one of the tailor shops at the market. Hot coals provide the heat. Most sewing machines are old treadle Singers and the finished work is better than most in the states.
Back home for a nap and supper followed by games with the family and then bed to rest for tomorrows adventures. Already I had fallen in love with Africa.
Good night.
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