We want to say thank you to everyone who has written to us and added comments to the blog. It is so great to here what happening while we are away. We wish we had time to respond to all of them, but internet here is by the minute and remember dial-up? Well even that technology has not arrived here yet! But we do appreciate it! Also we have to say Happy Anniversary to my Aunt Norma and Uncle John. 56 years right?!? We are thinking about you!! Just incase we don?t have internet access an early Happy Birthday to my [View Full Entry]

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Living Between Two Worlds Traveling independently brings immense freedoms. There is no programmed time to be anywhere. You decide where you sleep, eat, and travel. You can change you mind on the lightest whim and find yourself in situations and new experience that would never be possible on a tour. Simply using the public transport network permits you a clearer glimpse into the daily lives of the people whos country you are visiting. Independent travel also means just that. During difficult times you often find that there is only yourself and your immediate traveling companion in wh [View Full Entry]

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A Moment to Reflect Before continuing to narrate the fortunate health and safety of our travels over he past few weeks, I must ask that we pause in the midst of our own lives to be with the lives lost in Dahab. Contrary to the experience of those back home hearing the horrific new of the bombings in Dahab,on the Sinai peninsula in Egypt, we ourselves have yet to catch what the television media is reporting, as ours was and continues to be receiving information first hand. I feel it is of great importance to know what it means to [View Full Entry]

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Exploring Egypt First and foremost, we're throwin' out a BIG Happy Birthday to Mom! Yes, she is a year older on April 14th but doesn't show it a bit! She doesn't sell her secret, but her recipes are occasionally negotiable for trade. So for all those in Akron, give her a big b-day hug for me! As some have gathered, but others don't know the blog entries thus far have been all thanks to Ryan's wit and charm, with occasional editing (only when time permitted) by me, Katelyn. However, Ryan is on vacation this week, and I will be your [View Full Entry]

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Welcome to Egypt We have made it to the bustling streets of Cairo. All the horror stories of Cairo that I have heard in my research of this place have been so very, very wrong. This is a wonderful city. Even before landing the flight steward on our flight in (on a brand new plane that was nearly empty, which made it very cushy) offered to give us lift into town. We landed after 5:00 and were at our hotel at 6:00. Not a single hassle except for the guy who wanted money for giving me a paper towel in [View Full Entry]

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Sorry this one will have no pictures due to the card being sent home with Kirt and Hilda for safekeeping Moving On This will be our final blog entry for Ghana. Soon we will board a plane late in the night and will awake in a new country. Our last weeks here have still been full. We celebrated Katelyn's B-day in style with over 100 kids. We then headed down to the coast to check out the castles and forts that supported the slave trade. Today (April 4th) we will head out of Ghana and into the ancient lands of Egypt. [View Full Entry]

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Personal Journal Entry: March 12, 2006 As we neared the waterhole I could begin to hear a subtle sound. Anticipation coursed through my body, as I desperately wanted to see the source producing the sound. Again I heard the splashing of water and this time a low rumble was added. Only the trees that lined the waters obscured my view. Finally the trees broke and I looked out with awe over the herd of enormous male elephants wallowing in the murky water. They sprayed them selves with a fine mist of water from their trunks. Despite their imposing size they [View Full Entry]

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Africa: The Complete Experience The past two weeks have been a mix of the greatest and worst aspects of traveling. Setting up a library in such a beautiful and friendly place as Teteman is one of the memories we will cherish. Throwing up repeatedly on the ride home will be, unfortunately, another memorable moment. In addition to some bad fufu it looks like I (Ryan) finally got the completion of any African experience: Malaria. Before our mothers worry much, it really wasn’t that bad and I am fully recovered and already looking for more trouble. Malaria may not be just [View Full Entry]

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Ryan's Personal Journal Entery: Feb 10th, 2006 I can hear the first few drops of rain on the tin roofs as I write this. In Ghana the rain does not come often, but it makes a grand show when it does. The rain now comes in full drenching quantities. You can here the music of the downpour as it beats down on the rusted roofs. While nearly deafening in decibels, it is the sound that sooths the thirsty ground and cools my sweaty skin. The tropical deluge continues to increase as the palm trees sway heavily in the winds. A [View Full Entry]

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Ryan's Personal Journal Entery, Jan 25, 2006 This day starts as any other here. Before the sun has even begun to warm the horizon we can hear the Arabic ramblings over the loud speaker calling the Muslims to prayer. This does not usually disturb anyone since the roosters have already been at it for some time. All this is quickly fallowed by the sounds of people fetching water for the day. In the dry season water is sparse and those who rise early get the most. The air is soon filled with sounds of palm brooms sweeping, children crying, and the [View Full Entry]

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