Friday, June 17, 2011

We made it back to Takoradi safely.  I will fill you in on the rest of our trip beginning with yesterday.

On Thursday morning, Dan, Brian, and Nathan took Kristine to Bingerville so that she could check on her house and visit some of the church people.  A couple guys from the church there went with her.  It poured down rain there all morning, and she was completely soaked; but, she had a great time.

I did some more packing. The kids each got to fill their own box full of toys to take back.  It was funny watching Danny trying to get as much as he could in that box.  He had things sticking out of the box every which way.

About 11:00, we headed into town to go get Kristine from Bingerville. Jennifer, Justin, and Isaac went with us.  On the way there, it was raining, the water had come over the road in several places.  We drove through some three-foot swells on our way back into Abidjan.  We went to Akle for lunch.  I think it was the poor waiter’s first day on the job.  He was very nervous.  The chicken strips and poutine were delicious, as usual.  From there, we went to the Ghanian Embassy.  They said that they had been in meetings all day and that they didn’t know if we would get the visa that day or not.  They told us to come back in a little while.  So, we went to a store called Gifi and looked around a little.  Joe went to the coffee shop in the mall next door and got some coffee.  Then, we loaded up and headed back to the embassy.  The visa was ready, praise the Lord!  When we tried to get on the autoroute (like the interstate), it was closed due to an accident.  We had to take an alternate route.  We went through a section of town that had been heavily hit by the war.  We saw lots of bullet holes.  Things seem to be returning to business as usual.

We headed back across the bridge to meet Dan and the other boys at a new ice cream shop called Nice Cream.  It was fancy, and the ice cream was delicious.  We all had a good time of fellowship there.  

We then went to a new little store at the Orca shopping center.  They carry some of the Magic Time items too, and they were about half the price there compared to what we have been paying in Takoradi.  I got some macaroni and cake mixes.  The boys all went to the pet store while the girls looked at Cafe Do Brazil.  The major attraction for the boys there was the bullet holes in the windows.  A bullet had come in an upper window and knocked a tile off of the ceiling.

We headed back home so that we would be home before dark.  On the way home, we passed through a smoky area.  Gilbert asked why it was so smoky. Joe said that someone was smoking fish.  Danny’s eyes got large and said, “They are smoking a fish?”

We had grilled hot dogs for supper.  We got the car loaded up and ready for our 6:00 A.M. departure.  The kids played as long as they could.  Danny cried and cried when it was bed time.  He said, “I sure like those Post boys.  I’m sure going to miss them.  I’ll never see them again.”  Joe said that Uncle Dan is one of his best friends and that we would be back.  Bonnie said, “Do you know who my best friend is? Justin”  Gilbert said, “He’s my best friend too.”  Danny said through his tears, “Well, my best friend is Mommy.”

A man from the church in Bassam needed a ride as far as Aboisso.  So, he was there this morning to go with us.  We had said our goodbyes and were ready to go.  The car wouldn’t start.  The connection that warms the glow plugs had come loose.  Joe and Dan fixed it with a piece of wire, and we were off.

We made it to the border without any problems.  We didn’t get stopped at any checkpoints.  It took a while on the Ghanaian side to get the car papers.  

As we were driving along, a car coming in the opposite direction hit a pothole and started to spin.  It came to a screeching halt in front of us.  Danny was trying to reenact the sound that the car made.

The boys were both asleep, and Bonnie was sitting in Kristine’s lap.  Bonnie leaned forward.  I was just about to offer her a drink when she threw up all down my seat.  She got a little carsick.  I got it cleaned up as we kept going.

We tried a new restaurant when we got back into town.  It is called Delicious Fried Chicken.  The only problem was that they didn’t have half of the things on their menu. Joe went to the restroom, and the sink came unhooked inside the wall and sprayed all over Joe. Then, it was time to pay, the prices on the menu that they had given us were less than the “new” prices.  I don’t think we will be going back there. 

The Siekberts arrived in Takoradi yesterday.  We saw Mack in town.  We invited the family for supper tomorrow night.  The kids are excited about that.

We stopped to renew our internet minutes before heading home.  While we sat in the car waiting for Joe, Danny asked for a drink.  When I opened it, it exploded all over me.  When Joe came back, the car wouldn’t start again.  The wire had come loose.  He got it reconnected.  We dropped Kristine off.  Then, we headed home.  When we got home, the power was off.  It was off for about three hours before it came back on.  

Kristine is going to move into the basement guest room so that she won’t be all by herself across town.  She got some of her stuff and came over this evening.  

I think that just about sums it up.  I think everyone will be ready for bed early tonight.

A demain,

Joe, Laura, Gilbert, Danny, and Bonnie