Sounds like you had the hump! Hi Mike and Eric,
Sorry but I sit here chuckling away at once again a great read. I am sorry its been a while since I wrote but I am glad that you are still safe and having a great time. Just to say that I will look forward to speaking when you get the chance. Let me know if you are able to get text messages, because I have sent a couple, but got no reply. Everything is fine here and once again the rumours of work continue with the latest view and bets on me being sent to Northern Ireland for a project there.
So lets have a look at the old score board.. Liverpool drew last Saturday away at Sheffield Utd 1-1 and were lucky to get a penalty which Fowler put away. The Alex were drubbed 3 zip at Home to Bradford City and in midweek actually won 3 zip away to Grimsby in the League Cup. Liverpool got through to the first round of the Champions league after drawing away 1-1 so it gave them a 3-2 agg win (I made a mistake last week because they won rather than drew which I reported) All is well in Crewe and our Pete has changed his shift and is back on days which I think is much better. Anyway your epic journey is drawing to a close as must I as the links of Troon beckon. Enjoy the rest of you time and relax on the beach then come back safe.. Love always Ar Kid.
Congratulations! You did it -- Timbukto and back! We all had quite a laugh at Michael's expense. Too bad you didn't have the camera out sooner, but we got the picture in our minds. We can't say anything else but wow! What an amazing trip. Take care and see you soon, Julie, Mark, Kevin, Eric, and Scott.
Hello, another very interesting and wonderful adventure you two have just gone through. Glad to hear you made it back to Mopti safely and given yourselves a day to rest. Enjoy your days left and the beaches of Senegal and the serenity before you head on home. We all know that you both deserve it. Mike, love the turban photo of Eric, where is yours???? enjoy and continue to stay safe. Love, your friend, Lucille
Wait...is that....Ali G? Haaa....Eric, when we opened to the blog tonight, Gia was SURE she was seeing a photo of Ali G! I think the turban suits you quite nicely, however. Good to hear that Timbukto was mystical, magical and exciting....makes the long journey there all the more special, doesn't it? Michael.....good going - taking no sass from camels! Glad you escaped injury, dignity notwithstanding. Curious about your personal belongings, considering that you've been deluged with sand and rain, a few times....how's all the gear holding up? Thanks for the fabulous journalism - the colorful details make everything come alive. Really makes me want a similar adventure....even half as exciting would be fine! Anyway, take good care of yourselves on the next part of your trip....be safe and be well. Can't wait to hear everything when you get back! love, Suzie and Gia
hey, oh my god sounds like you guys had one heck of a night. by the way mike, nice move with the camels. i wish i saw him buck you. glad to here you guys are safe. eric you look pretty pimpin in the turban picture you took. i was wondering how you guys are taking showers in the middle of the desert and all. wouldn't want to be spending the days with you two!!! ; ) well must be getting up early in the morning. lots of love Deveney and Williams crew
Formidable! Hey, I'm so happy to hear you made it! The dessert sounds magical, and I would love to see you both in turbans... Looking forward to seeing you back in boring old Boston soon.
Much love, Almitra
Spelling I was looking at a map of Africa to see how far you have gone and I realized there was no Timbukto. Until of course I figured out that is not the way it is spelled which I am sure everyone else knew that but me. Anyway it still is an amazing trip you two teachers have taken and you will have amazing stories to tell. I am jealous. Stay safe and enjoy. Bet you can't wait to hit a soft bed!!!!!
What a wonderful experience! I do hope that you two teachers are at least trying to keep a journal on the whole trip. It just must be so almost unbelievable to be doing all these things that most of us have always seen just on film movies, news etc. I just can't imagine how wonderful it must be at the same time being so uncomfortable and somewhat scarey too. I do hope you have pictures of it and no slip ups this time Mike Pleasssse! I am really going to miss these blogs when you return to your real world. Again stay safe and healthy. Look forwarding to hearing more. Love Auntie Donna, Mich and NIck
Fantastic ! Great going .. look forward to your blogs with great anticipation and have been rewarded by reading of your exciting adventures. Eric - I print your blogs and pictures for Lisa. She loves reading them and is as excited as the rest of us. I thought I should get a place for everyone to meet when you get back and just spend an evening listening to the verbal narrative of your trip. Would save you having to repeat it 100 times. Anyone know of a place in Medford or surrounding area for this.
Gabe / Dad
Well Done Guys, You Did It Hello, so glad to hear from you and that you both made it there. The journey sounds interesting, amazing, unforgettable, etc. Hope you did well w ith t he camels and the sandstorms. Please bring the turbans back- can't wait to see photos of you two in them and on t he camels. Of course don't let Mike near the camera/computer though. Not much time left, but enough to enjoy the desert and timbukto and your journey back to Mopti and then onward home. You both have accomplished so much this summer. I am and I know your other friends and family are very proud of your accomplishments and even maybe envious of some portions of your journey although maybe not all. I look forward to daily lunch chats of your journey(s), we have 180 of them to go through give or take a few. Looking forward to seeing you both soon. Continue to enjoy and stay safe. Thinking of you . Love
your friend,Lucille
Enjoyed hearing your voice Eric it was wonderful to hear your voice. Your travel to Timbukto adds yet another colorful chapter to your adventure filled summer journey. My heart over flows with excitement for you as I know you so deserved a break from the routine of Medford and a trip such as this is a wonderful reward for all you have accomplished. This trip is something you will talk about for your entire life. Seems you will return to us a new man overcoming two very big obstacles in your life, one being your fear of heights the other is being able to let down the sides of the box (I think you know what I am referring to!). Hope you continue to have memorable interaction with the people and enjoying the culture as your trip winds to an end. Safe journey HOME. Did I hear a hint of desire for lobster dinner when you get home? Love MOM
Mike thanks for protecting Eric's sleeping quarters hope you enjoyed the extra stretching room!!!
Bonjour Hey Eric, hey Mike! I'm at my aunt and uncle's house in Cape Cod. It's really nice, and there's a Liquor store underneath it.
For these past few days, I just can't stop writing poems! Not only that but my poems are (If I do say so myself) great!
I'm getting used to my new haircut!
My aunt and uncle also have this really friendly and smart dog Samantha! She'll catch a ball if you throw it in the air, and will return it in between your knees! They also have cats Yin and Yong? Yang?
Their cats are soooooooooooooo friendly.
Uggh. My mom is reading over my shoulder.
Okay, she's gone.
It's raining in the cape today. We were gonna go on the bike trail. Oh well. You win some you lose some.
Write to you later!
-Kylie
P.S. My lip gloss tastes like grape, and I'm licking it off my lips! (It tastes really good!) You should try it!
Hi! Sounds like you're having fin! (Except for all the toxic fumes and the early wake up call and all that. Come to think of it, most of the stuff didn't sound too enjoyable. I'll stop trying to explain my thinking before I forget what I was going to write)
Ruby and I went kayaking (did I spell that right? I've never used that word before) and it was really fun, though your legs get wet, and it's hard to cooperate in a two-person kayak. On our way to this island, there were a bunch of teenage boys who were swimming, even though they weren't supposed to be, and when Ruby's mom told them so, they shouted endless swears at us as we paddled away, oh, and they mooned us. I didn't see it, but Ruby says that the guy was fat.
Earlier that day, I finally decided to cut my hair. Bailey kept telling me that I should, and I decided to, when I saw the movie 'The Parent Trap' where these twin girls met, and one had long hair, and one had short hair, and the cut one of the twin's hair, and she looked really pretty!
My hair is about shoulder length now, and let me just say that I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! I think it looks really awsome! But I'm still trying to figure out how people with short hair brush out the tangles, when you can't comb it from the back when it hangs over your shoulder.
But enough about hair, which I know, considering where you are right now, probablly isn't the most exciting thing to talk about.
I'm getting more and more poems to put in my poetry book. I have 26 so far, that I think are good, but I think I need at least 30, minimum, for a decent sized book.
I'm also under time crunch for the summer reading list and math, though I'm doing okay.
Oh, now I remember the entire thing that I wanted to say in the first place!
I was just thinking about how, when we left fifth grade (and fourth grade for that matter) how much of a close-knit family we had become. We were all such great friends! I'm really going to miss everybody in middle school. But, like Izzy always says, 'Go with the flow!'
I've promised myself that I'll be totally optimistic and friendly in middle school. I want to make as many friends as possible, find silver linings in the worst of circumstances, and show bullies that they won't get to me. That (along with the new haircut) is my new image for middle school.
I remember at summer camp one year with Julie, there were these really vicious bullies who called my friends and I dweebs, geeks, nerds, and were outright obnoxious. I'm not going to put up with that in middle school. I don't mean that I'll be vicious right back at them, but I'll tell them it wasn't very nice, tell a teacher, and ignore them!
It's getting late! Gotta go!
-Kylie
Mars email Glad to hear you are both having such great experiences. Eric, I just received your email about the Mars viewing. I don't think the information was correct. Someone else emailed me to say it was a hoax, happened a few years back, ... Sorry to disappoint. It would have been an awesome site from the beach. Both of you take care and enjoy the rest of your trip. -- Julie
hey mike and eric, sorry i haven't been able to write. computer troubles. i'm so glad to here that you guys are still alive!! nice move slippy glimer... u should let eric handle the camer for now. so far your trip has seemed extreamily adventures. the stampeeds of people seem a bit rough to handel thoe. i hope you don't get car sick and don't fall off any bridges! love always
Deveney, Little Richie, Cheryl and Big Richie
P.S. gia told me that this is a kerrbie ^_^
P.P.S. i have just survied a week of ballet boot camp
Timbuktu Great to hear from you again and that you are going to make it to Timbuktu. I know that is one place Eric spoke with me about wanting to get to and we discussed the depth of the journey to get there. Can't wait to hear all about the journey there and back and Timbuktu. Glad you are both feeling better. You will probably get this when back from Timbuktu but be assured that I was with you both there and I am still on this trip with you both. Enjoy, enjoy and enjoy and stay safe.
Looking forward to the remaining journals and any photos if possible . The most important thing is that you have the real photos in your mind and all these wonderful experiences and they will be with you both forever. I can visualize and imagine from both of your vivid descriptions without pictures, which I am quite used to doing. Looking forward to many lunch time discussions and descriptions of your travels.
Love your friend,Lucille
Will miss your blog for the next few days! I get disappointed when there is no word from guys so I won't go running to the computer the next few days. So glad to hear you are having a great trip. It is really too bad about the pictures but at least we have your stories. I do hope you get some photos of the rest of the trip. Maybe you should just retrack your steps and do the photos over ha ha! I bet you both would love it wouldn't you not having to come back to reality. Well again stay safe healthy and enjoy look forward to hearing more and hopefully seeing more.
Love Auntie Donna, Mich and Nick
WOW!!! Sounds like you're having fun. Too bad about the pictures, but you are both doing a great job describing what you've seen. Good thing we have the blog to see some photos and you still have time to take more. What lion poop? Did you see the lions? Have fun in Timbuktu. You will be the only people I know who can say they went to Timbuktu and back.
See you soon, Kevin ( Eric and Scott say hi too)
Timbukto I believed that Timbukto was a place my mother referred to in an angry way from time to time... never honestly thought it was a real place. My geography is very poor.... safe home. See you soon.
Hey Hope you guys are having a great time. Had no idea you were going to be there this long. I'm sure this trip has been absolutely amazing. I haven't posted before this but I certainly have been keeping up with this incredible journey. I still can't help but think of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom when I look at those bridges!
Eric, look forward to hearing from you when you return. I hope you both have a wonderful end to your incredible vacation.
J
Cool that Timbukto is ON! Great to hear from the tech wizard again....the name isn't Slippy for nothing, eh? :) Sounds like some good stuff coming up and I am very glad that Timbukto won't be missed. So it's a short stay - at least you'll be able to say you were there! Hey, thanks in advance for the presents - can't wait to see what you have! Was at the apartment today Michael...plants are still alive - how amazing is that?! Got some laundry sitting here too and maybe....maybe....a spiffed up place will greet you upon returning :) Will do my best - or our best, as Gia will surely help out. Well, text if possible and have a fantastic time in the next few days! Be safe, be well.....love, Suzie and Gia
Mental Images Mike your erasure mishap will be forgiven as long as you both continue to provide such lucid and descriptive accounts of your adventures. The mental images we all percieve are probably closer to what you feel in seeing these many wonders then what the camera could possibly capture. For it is through the lense of your eyes that we get the true "feeling" rather then that of the camera. These blogs will long be saved by many of us and re-read with pleasure in years to come. Good luck and safe passage on your long journey to Timbakto (you're probably reading this when you are back at Mopti).
Elvis
non-member comment
to Eric
Eric sei fantastico, come un vero AFRICANO ti aspetto presto ad Augusta per disegnare di nuovo ..... a terra ciao