Always in the deep woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is an ancient fear of the unknown and is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. What you are doing is exploring. -- Wendell Berry

The TRIP: GUINEA - wonkifong --> MALI - bamako, djenne, douentza, Dogon Country --> Burkina Faso - ouagadougou, bobo-dioulasso, bala, ouagadougou --> GHANA - tamale, mole national park, tamale, yeji, volta lake ferry, akosombo, accra, green turtle lodge, elmina, cape coast, accra, hohoe and wli falls --> TOGO - kpalime, atakpame, lome --> BENIN - cotonu (transport stop) --> NIGER - niamey, tahoua, agadez, camel trek in aiir mtns, niamey --> BENIN (abomey, grand popo, ouidah, ganvie, cotonou) --> CAMEROON (douala, buea, top of Mt Cameroon, limbe, sangelima, yaounde, kribi, douala) --> MAURITANIA (nouakchott, atar, chinguetti, camels into the sahara, terjit, choume, ride the coal train, nouadhibou) --> MOROCCO (western sahara, dakhla, agadir, essaouira, marrakesh, imlil, summit of jebel toubkal, fes, chefchaouen) --> cross the Strait of Gibraltar --> Malaga, Spain --> fly to Geneva, Switzerland --> Les Grangettes, France
Click for a map. Updated April 30, 2007

vendredi, avril 20, 2007

Happy Easter (April 8, 2007)

I spent this Easter in the Togolese town of Atakpamé. So far, one of the highlights of this West African tour has been visiting Peace Corps Guinea people who are now in other countries. The town of Atakpamé is very near to the new village of my good friend, Jeanne, and being able to spend Easter seeing her new site and celebrating with other PC Togo volunteers was a lot of fun.

An extra bonus was the arrival of the first true rain of the season. It rained almost the entire day before Easter, which was beautiful. I have not seen rain since the beginning of November (pretty abnormal for someone who has spent the last several years in Portland, OR). The rains also cooled the temperatures down into the upper 70’s, now quite cold for me.
I hope you all were able to spend this weekend with good friends and family

posted by Frank @ 4:14 AM