For years the two of us have been harboring a dream, to take a year off to travel together with our son, Brook. We're delighted to now be fulfilling that dream. In July 2011 we began the trip of a lifetime, traveling around the world. We are learning from and adventuring amidst other cultures, schooling Brook along the way, and creating fantastic family memories. Please share your comments and questions! - John and Eydie

Friday, August 12, 2011

Robbery and Zany Moto Taxis (Kpalime, Togo)


First thing this morning, Eydie discovered that the credit and bank cards in her wallet were in disarray and $200 in cash was missing.  We quickly recalled that we had left the wallet-holding bag in the back seat of the truck when we had our passports stamped at the tiny Ghana border station.  There was the cousin of a friend of Tony, our trusty driver and owner of the Mountain Paradise Lodge, who remained in the front seat of the truck when we went over to the counter.  He must have reached back to access the bag and returned it without our noticing.  Although we're happy that we had only $200 in there, and that he did not take any cards, it still feels violating to be robbed.  

Today we checked out the market here, successfully retrieved Brook's passport back at the Togo border station, sought shelter from a heavy passing rain storm, and shopped around for a new cell phone and a universal USB modem for our laptop.  This was a comedy, as it took multiple trips on moto taxis (me on one, Eydie and Brook on another), darting about the city from one shop to the next.  Motorcycle taxis are everywhere, and extremely inexpensive here.  The first shop would say "No, we don't have what you're after, try this or that other shop," and on and on the succession would go.  We could not help but laugh as the wild goose chase progressed.  We must have taken at least ten separate, short trips, which Brook especially enjoyed.  Adding to the zaniness of the experience was having to conduct all of it in French, greatly challenging my computer and cell phone related vocabulary!
- John

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