Part One: The Edge I walk out the gates that creak in the colour orange. I don’t know if its the rust binding the brackets or if its the ever present sand that causes the creak, or causes the colour I hear it in. My sandals land over the rocks that have emerged from the worn down path. It’s not the sun, but the air, that causes me to sweat. Drips instantly begin to build along my shoulder blades, and the nape of my neck. Soon, my hair will … [Read more...]
Lariam Dreams: Malaria or Madness?
John M. Edwards wonders whether taking the world’s strongest antimalarial drug might be worse than getting the dread eldritch disease itself? “I dared to dream with my eyes wide open. . . .” --T.E. Lawrence, The Seven Pillars of Wisdom In Nairobi, Kenya, a man from Philadelphia loses it and leaps from a hotel’s second-story window. . . . He is now a paraplegic. At a Waldenbooks store, an ex Peace Corps worker goes … [Read more...]
Volunteering at YCC Ghana
When you volunteer at YCC Ghana (Youth Creating Change) its of course about the children but in addition its about the family, the family of volunteers that you live with and get to know very well. You are all working towards common goals and the bonds that you will form during your time here are strong. YCC Ghana is located next to the small town of Sogakope about an hours drive from Accra and only about 35 minutes from where the Volta River … [Read more...]
Kakum Rainforest, Ghana – June 2012
Kakum Rainforest, Ghana - Kakum National Park is located about 30 kilometers from the town of Cape Coast. Cape Coast has an abundant number of guesthouses. Depending on traffic and the number of potholes allow about 45 minutes to the park entrance. You must have a guide to enter the hiking trails, you are not allowed to walk the trails by yourself, which is a shame. The main attraction is the virgin rainforest and the world's longest canopy … [Read more...]
First Greeting – Ghana, West Africa
The soft roar of the electric fan wakes me in darkness. A cool breeze pushes back the mosquito netting and lifts the thin sheet off my feet. We are fortunate to have such luxury in this tiny rural village of Apimsu in Ghana, West Africa where an electric appliance often costs more than a year's income. My husband lies next to me, and our son Casey, who has called this place home for many months, sleeps on a floor mat a few feet away. It's been … [Read more...]
Three Days in Apimsu – Ghana, West Africa
The brilliant sunlight stings my eyes as we make our way out of the airport in Accra, Ghana, but it's the view ahead that has me fighting tears. Our son Casey has been waiting at the entrance gate. Since he entered the Peace Corps in West Africa his father and I have been separated from him for many months and 7,000 miles. Now, just fifty feet across the courtyard, I see that his pale northwest skin is shades darker, his brown hair cropped close … [Read more...]
…A Quick Injection of Vitamin D
We all have those moments in life, myself more frequently during the winter months, during which we just want to leave everything behind and run away or hide to clear our heads. Last week I did just that... Cabin in Tulum to which I have frequently run away to I have never been one of those people who can run a hot bath, soak and be magically refreshed and focused for the following week of my life - simply not me. I was always a shower … [Read more...]
Week in the Life Series
Thanks to Nora at The Professional Hobo for posting our "week in the life" slice from our trip to Ghana & Cote d'ivoire from last month. Nora spotlights a number of travelers who write about 1 week from one of their trips or ongoing travels and she has a variety of good travel content from her own trips as well as other travelers. … [Read more...]
Unity and Help: The Lesson of the Tortoise
Chances are that you've heard the story of the tortoise and the hare before... at least you've heard ONE version of it. In this classic Aesop folktale, the speedy, cocky hare challenges the slow-poke tortoise to a race, and the tortoise shockingly agrees. The race begins! Halfway through the competition, the hare becomes so overconfident at his giant lead that he takes a nap, dreaming of his glorious and easy victory. When the hare … [Read more...]
Photos & Video
I've put some photos online from the trip so far: Ghana: www.davestravelcorner.com/photography/gallery/international/ghana Cote d'Ivoire: www.davestravelcorner.com/photography/gallery/international/cote-divoire Here is a video I shot from my time volunteering at YCC Ghana. … [Read more...]