Friday - April 20 - Agome Glouzon Togo

Although the indicated distance from Lome is a medium length trip of 95km, the village is in the mid-eastern area of the country where roads have to be seen to be believed. To the village was 2.5 hours there and about 4.0 hours back as we stopped off at Lake Togo and swung by the port area of Lome. BIG mistake. Words cannot express the vehicular bedlam in the port area where the complete road infrastructure is being re-built. The whole area was under road construction and there were semis broken down, motorcycles coming and going in all directions without any sense of coordination at all - no lanes, no north, south, east or west, on temporary parched sand roads, a million horns, people yelling and gesturing at each other. And not a cop in sight. It was absolutely the most insane - and I feel comfortable in saying - PRIMITIVE traffic experience I have ever had. Glad it happened!

Kit distribution (500) was smooth as usual with the team operating in harmony. Funny thing happened, and apparently this has never happened in Togo before. As I was putting the gift package on a 6 or 7 year old girl, she shrieked and ran away in apparent panic associated with this white stranger! The assistants and her dad immediately got her and all was in order in a few seconds but the adults in the area found it hilarious.

Stopped for a peak at Lake Togo - water is about 85 degrees. The stopping point was a lakeside resort that looked wonderful. EVEN HAD A POOL! Too bad our group leader did not plan to have us saty for an hour and take advantage of it ant the bar. Grrrrr.

By the end of the distribution all, including or Togo partners at TSE were pooped, however I cannot say I was looking to the drive home at >3 hours - bit as Vonnegut says, , , "so it goes"!

After a shower at home base, hopped on the back of the cooks motor bike and did a bit of grocery shopping. What a mad and wonderful multi-sensual experience that was!

Closing thought at end of day?


You know you are in a third world country when a quick glimpse at a shiny new Toyota Corolla looks like a Mercedes 450!




One of the local volunteers that worked with me at the distribution station.

Are these a beautiful people or what? On of the older students helping out.

My attempt at some form of a meaningful photograph.

Gifts of thanks upon departure , , , more fruit!

view of the beach and resort on Lake Togo.

Traffic at the port. No that should read FU*KING TRAFFIC at the port!