Long Overdue Update...

I apologize for not posting in so long. I've been pretty busy with end-of-the-semester activities, studying, traveling, etc. Since I last posted I've fallen in another ditch (this time putting about a 3-inch gash in my shin and a huge lump; both have since subsided), traveled to Togo and Benin (the countries east of Ghana), taken 2 of my 5 finals (next final is Dec. 3rd), and I am currently in Tamale in the norther region of Ghana waiting for a bus to Mole National Park. Although I don't have much time to elaborate on the trip now, I will give a brief summary of the nightmare of the past 24 hours for Brandon and myself. So, we left campus around 8:30 a.m. yesterday after I picked up my laundry, which I wanted to do earlier, but the laundry people were late (a recurring theme as you'll soon find out). We took a tro-tro into Accra to catch a bus up to Tamale. When we arrived at Circle, we found that all the morning buses for Tamale had left about 20 minutes earlier and the next bus wouldn't leave until 12:30 p.m. With no other option, we purchased our ticket, bought a soda, and waited at the bus terminal. Of course, the bus was late leaving because they had so much stuff to pack onto the bottom of the bus (that's the problem with trying to make a passenger vehicle into a tractor trailer of sorts). So, we ended up leaving Accra around 2 p.m. in what was supposed to be our "air-conditioned" bus to Tamale, a 12-hour drive north. The bus was so hot that people were sweating just sitting there and the windows didn't open, of course. We had to ride in the bus for about 4.5 hours until we reached Kumasi where we had a rest stop. The 15 minute rest stop turned into two hours because they were working on the engine of the bus. They finally fixed the AC and we took off again around 8:30 p.m. Then, out of nowhere, the bus started rocking back and forth uncontrollably and the driver had to pull over to the side of the road...the axle was bent because the weight on the bottom of the bus wasn't evenly distributed. So, we had to drive back to the station in Kumasi (about 30 minutes away...1 hour of lost time total) to switch buses. We had to wait at the station for another hour and a half for the next bus to arrive and for them to transfer all the cargo over. If that wasn't bad enough, the nex bus was smaller so they had to put some of the cargo in the seats in the back, aisles, and overhead compartments, meaning our bags had to sit on laps for the rest of the trip (approximately 8 hours)! Oh yeah, the air conditioner on the new bus worked a little too well and it was blasting cold air on Brandon and I because the vent about us was broken and couldn't close. We barely had any leg room, so needless to say, neither one of us got much sleep. Fortunately, the last leg of the trip went relatively smooth (despite our uncomfort) and we arrived in Tamale at 6:00 a.m. (4 hours behind schedule). Because we were late, we missed the morning bus from Tamale to Mole and we have to wait until 1:00 p.m. for the next bus. From there, it is another 4.5 hours to Mole. So what was supposed to be a trip with 2 days at Mole is going to only be 1. I better see some elephants! I might cry otherwise. Well, that's all for now. We're going to go find some breakfast because we haven't had a substantial meal since yesterday morning. If anybody is still reading this (I would be suprised due to my lack of recent posts), please pray that our return trip is a little less disheartening. All I can say though; this is Ghana...

More Pictures...(Hopefully)

So the last time I tried posting pictures on the blog the Internet was acting up and once I got the first two uploaded, it completely freaked out and I couldn't put anymore up. I'm going to try and post some more now, but I can't make any promises...

Me and Albert outside the Chief's Palace in Jamestown

"Heaven on Earth" - Maranatha Beach Resort in Ada Foah

Mary Beth and I sporting my awesome "mosquito suits"

Southern Wall of Cape Coast Castle, built in 1653 by the Swedish Africa Company and was later used by the British as a major trading post for their Gold Coast colony

Crocodile in the pond of the Hans Cottage Botel; I was about five feet away when I took this picture (a little close for comfort, but at least the picture turned out well)

Elmina Castle Church - built by the Portuguese in 1471 (2nd oldest Christian Church in Ghana)

Me and some of the boys from the Kumasi Children's Home

Top of the Boten Rock formation in Techiman; the view from up there was amazing

Beautiful Ghanaian sunset

Mona monkey from the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary; that's a banana that I'm holding in the foreground to feed to the monkey, which ate from my hand

Waterfall in the Volta Region

Typical classroom at Mr. Evans's, Golden Child Complex School in Asamankese

This picture reminds of me of "Where's Waldo?," but instead it would be called, "Where's the Oboruni?"

Me in traditional African dress

Children after classes let out for the day at Mr. Evans's school

Well, that's all for now. Hopefully I'll have some more to post soon. This is just a small sample of what I have to show everbody when I get home. Can't wait to share my adventures with everybody! 6 weeks and 2 days remaining...