Welcome Back Cotter…
Hey there - remember me?!
I’m pretty certain the only audience I have left at this point is comprised of my creditors and people in need of organ transplants who were guiltily hoping only my kidneys would emerge from West Africa intact.
On the contrary - I made it through in one happy piece (break out the good champagne, VW Credit Union!) and am very well despite the 40 hours it took to fly from Mopti, Mali to Paris (a span that featured innumerable delays in airplane hangars, crowded hostel rooms and on an Algerian tarmac. Good times.).
We’re Thinking About Starting a Band
I did cry yesterday, however, after my flight to Doha fell through and I realized I was “stuck” in Paris for three days. As my saintly parents put it when I broke down and called for a pep talk after discovering that Qatar Airways (it’s really supposed to be a lovely operation) had no record of the ticket I had booked and confirmed online, my distorted perspective was compelling evidence that a little mental health break was in order.
After adapting to all the entertaining but draining challenges of travel in Northern Mali - endless delays, breakdowns like clockwork, hitchhiking at night, disappearing vehicles - I thought I’d attained some kind of Zen-like state of patience. Apparently I still have limits.
So as usual, good ol’ mom and dad were right - time to slow down, stock up on supplies and take advantage of first world conveniences is just what the doctor ordered.
And now I sit in one of the greatest cities on earth, trying to get everything done and relax as economically as possible, and I feel like I have one foot in civilization and one back in Africa and I am so eager to fly on to Kenya tomorrow afternoon….after a should-be-interesting overnight layover in the United Arab Emirates airport.
I’m really sorry my communication has been so poor lately. The pace at which I have been trying to move and the region I’ve been in just didn’t allow much access to computers.
But to those of you who hung in there anyway and are still checking this languishing blog, thanks for your patience and for sticking with me on this crazy ride - I’m working fervently to finish another couple of posts so I can share all the encounters, opportunities and near disasters of the past few weeks.
Miss you guys!
Tags: Travel
March 25th, 2006 at 10:52 pm
Erica,
I stumbled upon your invitation to follow your adventures earlier tonight, and have had the great fortune to tour Spain and West Africa with you over the past hour. Suddenly my 5-night get-away to Las Vegas last weekend seems less exciting. My biggest challenge was convincing the NYNY pit boss to comp dinner for my 4 friends (turns out it only takes foolishly gamling away the grand you were once ahead. I digress).
Thank you for the inspiring mental images you’ve painted and the daunting challenge you’ve laid before all of us to live.
My current blog highlights:
Line that made me laugh out loud uncontrollably - “I will love you till destruction! I’m not exactly sure what that entails, but it sounds like a major commitment. ”
Description that most haunts me - “Like really tough beef scented jello, I guess. Let’s never speak of it again.” Oh, and sorry to speak of it again.
Most important takeaway - “I learned on day two to remove my watch and slow my internal pace. Of all the lessons I received in Ghana, that has been the most valuable still. ”
Thank you. I look forward to more of your instinctive observations of the world.
March 28th, 2006 at 3:47 am
John, that is likely the kindest, most thoughtful comment I have received yet. Thank you!
Hear that, people? John just raised the bar.
You’ve all performed impressively ’til now - are you really going to let him waltz in and show you up?
PS - And by the way John, don’t sell yourself short. Pit bosses still sound very exotic and intimidating to me.