We've Arrived! July 7, 2004 Note from LassiterHi there! We made it in one piece. 24 hours of airports and flights for me -- 30 for Amy. All 13 boxes and suitcases made it with us, though a few were quite the worse for wear. Two boxes were entirely split open with contents pouring out, so we really don't know if everything arrived or not. We won't know until we get to Takoradi and unload. Aisha and Emmanuel and Jake (city planner) met us at airport. They had a small truck, and it took 8 people to load our stuff onto the truck bed securely, and we filled it entirely. The equipment I shipped via Adcom (29 boxes) is still in customs, and Emmanuel is at Ministry of Education this morning getting ( I hope) the duty-free documents. My great hope is that we'll make it to Takoradi tonight with a cell phone and all equipment before dark. (This is admittedly ambitious-- and doubtfully accomplishable in one day-- but we can always hope!)Emmanuel and Jake and driver Eric are warm, charming and extremely helpful. Haven't met the Mayor yet, maybe tomorrow in TAkoradi!
I am at this very nice hotel with purported fast internet access. Fast -- not exactly. So email is going to be more and more difficult once we get to Takoradi. Please forgive if I can't get back to you right away. Also, please try not to send or forward documents to me -- as that slows down my access considerably. I forgot to set my "away" email settting. Will try to do so after sending this message (and will include same message about sending documents). We will wait to get to Takoradi to figure out how to express ship us stuff. Susan we'd like to do an experimental shipment -- send little stuff -- to see if it works. Will send you info as soon as possible.
Mike, could you set my voicemail to the away? My password is 114255. Record a message saying I'll be back in office on \July 23 and that in my absence if message is urgent, please call you or susan. Thanks-- I forgot to do this as well.
Amy has torn tendons in her ankle (she did this in CAlifornia just before she left) and she left her crutches behind (in retrospect a mistake), so one task at hand for today is to find crutches or a cane for her.
Haven't seen outside world yet, will report as soon as we can on all. Weather is hot and humid as advertised!
Miss you all already.
Lass