I am on the plane now to Casablanca. I wish I could see the famous city. I am on Royal Air Maroc. The diversity of people and culture begins. Turbans, burkas and a few like me. Men and children stare at me and women glare. I try not to notice but it’s kind of funny. I smile sometimes.
I was so tired when I boarded the plane. I knew I had a row to myself so I quickly got my pillow out and spread out. I covered by rear end with a scarf. It’s bad enough to point the soles of my feet at someone, I tried to be discrete. I slept like the dead for an hour or so. Then some chicken. No hormones in this chicken, must be African. Tough stuff. This will probably be an eat to live first part of the trip. Not expecting anything exciting to please the foodie that I am.
I think it will be a 24 hour day of flying. Which is a reminder that you can sleep when you are dead! A favorite saying of mine
Interesting that when I went to get my boarding pass, they said I could get one upon arrival! What a waste of time, money and stomach acid.
Boarding soon to Accra.
I might have to change the word ‘gorgeous’ to grueling’ today
A few minutes after I arrived at the correct terminal, Asante found a solution! He had a guy that we think can get me a visa today. I booked another ticket. This time to Accra Ghana from London. It’s a 14 hour trip stopping in Casablanca and arriving at 2:50 am. I never could cancel my hotel in Accra so hopefully I only lose one night. Cancelled the cool hotel in Tunis and those flights. Yes, Mom, I lost some money! Ha ha.
The visa should arrive in 10 minutes, if it doesn’t, then I go back to plan B and go to Tunis!
Many people know my most hated song in the world, “You can’t always get what you want….” And today proves it, I hope.
Other cool signs in this restaurant, “To travel is to live.” And “Of all the books in the world, the best stories are found between the pages of a passport.”
Lovely flight Charlotte to London. Too short. Hard to watch a movie, read, eat and enjoy the 180 degree beds all in 7.5 hours.
Cosy
The configuration has changed again, now some beds face backwards which was a strange feeling.
Flat whiteA book suggestion by a friend
Asante is working on getting a visa upon arrival. He has connections. But it’s Sunday. So in a couple hours, I will fly to Tunisia. I booked a very old palace that was built in 1620! It has beautiful Islamic architecture. I was smart to just book one night just in case the Ghana visa comes through. Had trouble canceling the Ghana hotel, no response from their virtual assistant. But they do respond for other things. But if I get to go to Ghana, I have three days booked. The driver for Togo and Benin wasn’t happy. At least I didn’t pay him and he doesn’t have anyway to charge a credit card. I did book a three day trip with someone else starting in Togo. The flight to Togo arrives at 2 am so I’ll need to figure that out. It’s hard to book in advance for a hotel that you will arrive so late. Ask me how I know!
I am currently in the air on my first leg of the trip. I will arrive shortly in Charlotte.
Earlier today I flew in from Las Vegas. My daughter/ business partner and I had a dental photography class at a friend’s dental office. We stayed the night at Aria and went to see Shania Twain. She was fantastic, especially at 59 years old. Since I was with three 30 something year olds, we pretended that they were my triplets. It was funny. Too many drinks were had and 5:30 am came too soon. We flew back to San Diego
At home I finished packing and went to the airport. I arrived two and a half hours early and it was lucky that I did!
As I checked in, they asked me for my visa. I promptly said that I could get a visa upon arrival. She said no you can’t and read me a statement that said the same thing. I left the check in area and looked it up. Sure enough I needed a visa. Now you can be sure that I did my research, but what happened was that during December and January Ghana wanted to encourage visitors so they allowed visa upon entry. It ended January 15th!
I considered my options. I called the embassy, of course closed on the weekends. I called visa services that could expedite, but no they couldn’t in a couple hours. I texted Asante who is in Ghana to let him know my problem.
I went back to the counter and asked if they could just cancel the last leg. Nope. I had to call American Airlines and change it. I tried too get to Johannesburg and Addis Ababa, but it just couldn’t be done. Should I cancel the whole trip? I never buy insurance and they wouldn’t cover that anyway.
I looked up a flight to Togo, I had that visa but not until Feb 12, 2025. I love London and the theater. I could hang out there a bit, but I didn’t have warm clothes. Hmmm I could fly to Lesotho? I haven’t been there. Algiers? Back to Marrakech? What about Tunisia? Yes! I booked a flight from London on Sunday to Tunisia and then to Togo. I cancelled the hotel in Ghana, will cancel my driver in Ghana unless he can meet me in Togo.
So back to the ticket counter. They were happy for me. TSA lines were short. No problems with my name this time. My passport and driver’s license do not have my two middle names anymore but the airlines does. They wanted me to get a notarized name change. Nothing even has my legal name on it except my tax returns and trust. How I digress. All this in time to have a little Sparkling Wine in the lounge. First Class baby! With miles, of course!
People think that I am crazy! Maybe I am! Patient appreciation party at my office tonight. Tomorrow a very quick trip to Vegas for a little special education at a friend’s dental office. He is a fantastic dental photographer and my daughter and I hope to glean some insight from him and then spend a couple hours in Sin City and see Shania Twain. Less than 24 hours. Home at 8 am and my flight to Africa is at 1pm. Mostly ready. My daughter and her boyfriend will stay at my house except when my best friend from high school will be here with her two friends to thaw from the cold Midwest. So it’s been fun getting ready for their visit too. Maybe I am crazy!! But I am having fun and happy!
Packing as I write. It’s been quite an experience already getting most of the details booked for this upcoming adventure. I am not one to like to make travel commitments, but sometimes and some places, one needs to.
This trip will start in Ghana and end in Victoria Falls. Two weeks filled with adventure! The initial impetus was to help an inspiring Coronado local. This young man is a few years older than my children. His family is from Ghana Africa. He is American. As usual, I may not have my facts correct but basically, he is a Silver Medalist in the Olympics in Water Polo. He wanted to go back to his country and teach water polo, but what he found was that few people knew how to swim and that drowning was way too prevalent.
So I want to see how Rotary and I can help.
And have an adventure too!
Where is Ghana, you ask….West Coast, middle of Africa.
Most of my blogging is solo adventure or with a close friend, so I haven’t written about this current trip! I am in Costa Rica with dear friends. There are seven of us now and soon we will have four more.
Breakfast
We are so fortunate to stay at the gorgeous house that is owned by Tom and Emily Hammett. Tom’s parents are on the trip. It’s been a week so far and we are having the time of our lives. More to come….
Travel Pig 