Travel Journal

Accra - Brussels - December 9 - 15

Last day in Accra and I meet up with Lukman to go visit the National Museum. It is one of the oldest museums in Ghana and opened on March 5th, 1957 as part of Ghana's independence celebration. The fairly large museum contains some fascinating exhibits that are part of the country's historical past. You'll find objects of archeology, ethnography as well as fine art. I preferred the ethnography gallery where you can find chief's regalia, indigenous Ghanaian musical instruments, traditional textiles, stools, etc.
Said goodbuy to Lukman after a nice lunch together and a last tro-tro ride. My stay was coming to an end and I was happy to go home.

Apart from my relax and pamper day (sauna etc...) with Saskia (my sister) which passed by waaay too quickly the 6 days that followed where spent running around to see friends and family and get ready for my trip to LA and Mexico as Harald and Laila invited me for the Christmas Holidays. As Laila wrote in my book months ago: "Life is Good". Looking forward to seeing them.
I was surprised at how quickly I adjusted to everything at home again. Sometimes it seemed like I never left, at other times I just keep noticing the differences. I surely do not miss the noise but I do miss the sun and the heat. Am also a bit sad that I didn't see 'my' kids anymore as I was too sick to walk around. But Danielle had them all draw a picture for me and prepared a book for me with them and some comments from friends. Thanks Danielle. I really like it.
I enjoyed my first trip to the grocery store and finding all those veggies. Yeah, more than just tomatoes, onions and the occasional carrot. Thanks mom for a very veggie first meal. And no bargaining but I later heard that prices have gone up a lot. Didn't pay attention to that. I also was surprised that I didn't feel cold at first (I guess I soaked up enough sun before I left) but that unfortunately changed.
Packing up is the last thing to be done and as usual the place is a mess. I never seem to be able to do this without taking over whatever place I stay in. Thanks Dominique for putting up with this again.
Next log I'll be in warmer places again.

• prettige feestdagen by saskia (Tuesday 18 December 2007)

  Nog niet vel te vertellen,
  
  prettige feestdagen,
  
  
  saskia, anke, jessica en femke
  
  [ Reply to saskia]
  • Haha by Karin (Wednesday 19 December 2007)

    Dag Sas, Jullie ook, prettige feestdagen . Gaan jullie nu naar Patty? En wie gaat er?? Liefs en knuffels, Karin [ Reply to Karin]
• Hi there ! by Souhem (Sunday 23 December 2007)

  It's a real pleasure to read about your whereabouts. So you're back to Belgium? I wanted to wish you a merry Christmas. I hope you're doing fine! Keep enjoying yourself with your exciting trips around the world!
  
  Keep in touch,
  
  Souhem [ Reply to Souhem]
  • Whereabouts by Karin (Saturday 5 January 2008)

    Hi Souhem,
    Was only in Belgium for a week. Spent some time in LA and Mexico since. Will update soon. Hope you had a Merry Christmas and wishing you the best for 2008. Can you send me your email address.
    Take care and keep in touch, Karin [ Reply to Karin]
    • Bonne Année !!! by Souhem (Sunday 6 January 2008)

      Hi Karin,
      
      Happy new year! Like we say in France : bonne année et surtout bonne santé ! Here's my e-mail : souhemm@yahoo.fr
      
      So where's your next destination?!
      
      Take care,
      
      Souhem [ Reply to Souhem]
      • Destination by Karin (Sunday 6 January 2008)

        Hi Souhem, Leaving LA today, flying to South Africa on the 8th. Bisous, Karin [ Reply to Karin]
• prettige feestdagen en heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeel veel ontspanning by rob (Sunday 23 December 2007)

  meer hoef k niet te zeggen. [ Reply to rob]
  • Ontspannen by Karin (Saturday 5 January 2008)

    Wat is dat????? Hey, blij wat van je te horen. Ben heeeeeeeeeeeel ontspannen terug gekomen uit Mexico. Was fantastisch. De rest lees je maar. Knuffels, K [ Reply to Karin]
• travelingpat@yahoo.com by PAT MASON (Sunday 30 December 2007)

  December 30th, 2007
  
  Happy New Year Karin!
  
  I have been trying to email you but it won’t go through. The first time, I wrote a long message and it wouldn’t send. It said it didn’t recognize the address. So I asked a couple of friends to give me options on how your address might be changed and accepted. One suggested “www”. Another suggested something else. And I tried another way. All addresses were returned as undeliverable. One of them didn’t come back as undeliverable until a week later. I thought I had finally contacted you…but…no.
  With all your traveling, I don’t know when you’ll receive my letter!! When you do, you email me, and then you’ll be in my email system.
  I have a friend in Oregon whose email wouldn’t take. She emailed me and now I can email her without any problem.
  Home is: travelingpat@yahoo.com
  Work is: patricia.i.mason@usps.com
  
  Okay, so on with actual communication.
  
  I appreciate your thinking of me by sending a Lighthouse calendar. How great. One of the lighthouses reminds me of the lighthouse in Marken, by Volendam, that we saw.
  
  When the calendar arrived, I was getting ready to go to Spain with my brother. We went on a 10 day tour that went from Madrid to Toledo, Cordoba, Seville, Granada, Peniscola, Valencia and ended in Barcelona. It was really nice. I wouldn’t mind going back to Spain. In fact, there is a 14 day repositioning cruise that takes the cruise ship from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean. It starts in Barcelona and ends in Miami, hitting every port along the way, including Morocco. It isn’t as expensive as the regular cruise tours because they are just glad to have people on the ship for its repositioning.
  
  Last year, my brother and I went to Ireland. That was a good trip also. He wants to go to Scotland in 2008.
  
  March of 2007, I had an opportunity to go to China with some friends. The whole trip was really reasonably priced. It was organized for American business people and/or investors, but wasn’t exclusive to just these people. Anyone could go. I actually walked on the Great Wall of China! Imagine that.
  Did you know that in the building of the Great Wall, if a person died, he was mortared right into the wall?? That makes it a big mausoleum. That’s not what they say…it is would I decided it was.
  
  How are you doing so much traveling? If you are doing volunteer work, you aren’t getting paid…or are you?
  Did you win the lottery or something? Or maybe taking care of the two year old in Pa. paid really well.
  
  I’m in Maryland at this moment. I came to visit my sister and her family for Christmas. I leave tomorrow, the last day of 2007.
  
  I just realized something. You didn’t give me an email address, you gave me an internet site so I could see what you have posted in your travels. I think I’ll check it out before I write another sentence!
  
  Okay then...I feel dumb!
  
  I'm glad I finally figured this out!!
  
  Are your travels going to take you anywhere near Salt Lake City?
  
  Happy New Year!!
  
  Love you Karin! Lord Bless You! Happy Travels!
  
  Pat Mason [ Reply to PAT MASON]