Thanks for coming back to your friends and relations with this great piece of personal journalism including your terrific photography, Paula. Please let us know how things ensue with you and Jeremy in the continuation of your Africa travels. All I can say at the moment is that I am thinking of you both! A big hug to both of you! Take care and keep in touch x x
How awful you had to deal with this Paula. Obviously terrible for the people involved in the accident. I hope you're both able to deal with the trauma effectively.
Thanks bro. And for the chats. You’ve seen such things so many times. We don’t forget that this a daily occurrence for lots of people in their jobs and voluntary work. See you soon xxxxx
Omg, that was f’ing bad to say the least! We always knew Africa would be a challenge,let’s hope that was the worst of it and you have better days ahead. Thinking of you both,stay safe.❤️
What a story. It seems to me you both did the very best you could. Even in my MSF years I never experienced anything this traumatic directly myself. Luckily you have eachother for much needed mental health support. And you guys are smart enough to ask for professional help if needed. Big hugs. Richard
Thanks Richard. We’re so aware that some people have to confront this kind of thing every day in their jobs or voluntary work. We are doing fine, and keeping an eye on each other. Hugs, and hope you and your boys are well xx
How awful. I can't imagine how you both coped and must be feeling now. Sending hugs and hopes that you'll be experiencing peace and calm very soon, xxx
Hi Ronald, it is frightening but these things can happen anywhere and we can’t let it scare us away from travelling. Just be as prepared as you can (caution and awareness, without paranoia!) and enjoy all the many, many positive things about this region.
That's quite the ordeal. We're glad you came through relatively unscathed, and are hoping that old axiom about trouble coming in threes doesn't apply here.
It really did. That’s one of the things we have been trying to get over, as we don’t want it to affect our way of travelling. We have always been acutely aware of the risks. But seeing it like that obviously takes it up several levels.
Hopefully, you have already recovered a bit after those highly stressful times. Sometimes it seems that one problem leads to more problems, always at the same time. But hopefully, all is fine already? Where are you atm? We’re in Benin, early next week crossing to Togo.
Hi, thanks. We’ve had time to recover pretty well and do some really nice things since it happened. It’s true it was a pretty intense couple of weeks, to put it mildly. We have just arrived in Ghana today - made it to the final country of this chapter! Here until 15 May. Maybe see you?!
So glad you are safe but what a horrible thing to happen and experience. It shows what a fine line you have out there but you are living your dream. Please take time and heal from all of this and I pray your journeys from here on out will be safe and pleasant.
Good grief! I'm grateful you two and Ivy (for the most part) made it out okay (minus the trauma you all faced). I hope your time afterwards was enough to reset your nervous systems. Hell, I'm still trying to process your experience myself. I know there were some isolated parts on the Pan-Am where, had an accident occurred, no one would have come for us, or help would have been extremely hard to get to. I think we were just fortunate that our "accidents" were either minor, or in the case of Tree's hyponatremia and encephalitis, which were life-threatening, we were at least in Lima. And yet I remember all too well how terrifying it was navigating that situation--the clock ticking as we moved from hospital to hospital looking for adequate care to save his life. And compared to the hospital in Bo, I think the Lima hospitals were probably very modern. Your experience reminds me how fragile life is and how much we in the Western World tend to take for granted things like ambulances. We couldn't get an ambulance in Lima either. We were told they don't come on time (the implication clear) so we had to take a taxi while Tree was vomitting and losing consciousness in the backseat next to baby Soleiil. Terrifying. Well, again, I'm happy you're relatively okay, and for the sake of all the people you helped, I'm grateful you were there, and even more grateful that you weren't in THAT accident. Big hugs to you, two. xoxo
Hi Stevie, thanks so much. Blimey I don’t remember all that drama with Tree in Lima. What an absolute nightmare. We don’t know how lucky we are with our (almost) functioning emergency services. We’re doing okay, thanks. This life does force you to keep looking forward! I think that’s good. Abrazos xx
What an awful experience. You should both be commended for doing all you could to help after such a traumatic accident. Your presence would have made a huge difference to those who were injured. I hope you have some time out to recover and look after yourselves. Very best to you both.
Horrifying for you both to go through that 😢 I hope you’ve managed ok since? x
Thanks Phil. A really difficult time, but we have been okay.
Thanks for coming back to your friends and relations with this great piece of personal journalism including your terrific photography, Paula. Please let us know how things ensue with you and Jeremy in the continuation of your Africa travels. All I can say at the moment is that I am thinking of you both! A big hug to both of you! Take care and keep in touch x x
Thanks Jeff. Lovely to hear from you! We’re doing well here. Sending hugs back xx
How awful you had to deal with this Paula. Obviously terrible for the people involved in the accident. I hope you're both able to deal with the trauma effectively.
xx
Thanks Louise. We’re doing well xx
Nightmare, but great you and the doc were there to offer some assistance or the consequences could have been a lot worse.
See you soon xx
Thanks bro. And for the chats. You’ve seen such things so many times. We don’t forget that this a daily occurrence for lots of people in their jobs and voluntary work. See you soon xxxxx
Omg, that was f’ing bad to say the least! We always knew Africa would be a challenge,let’s hope that was the worst of it and you have better days ahead. Thinking of you both,stay safe.❤️
Thanks Ben. We’ve already had lots of better days, I’m glad to say. Looking forward to seeing you soon x
What a story. It seems to me you both did the very best you could. Even in my MSF years I never experienced anything this traumatic directly myself. Luckily you have eachother for much needed mental health support. And you guys are smart enough to ask for professional help if needed. Big hugs. Richard
Thanks Richard. We’re so aware that some people have to confront this kind of thing every day in their jobs or voluntary work. We are doing fine, and keeping an eye on each other. Hugs, and hope you and your boys are well xx
How awful. I can't imagine how you both coped and must be feeling now. Sending hugs and hopes that you'll be experiencing peace and calm very soon, xxx
Thanks Di, hug received! We’ve already done lots of calm and restorative things in recent weeks xx
What a story! Scary and makes me feel sick also. We hope this will not happen to us when we are there. I hope you’ll have a save trip.
Hi Ronald, it is frightening but these things can happen anywhere and we can’t let it scare us away from travelling. Just be as prepared as you can (caution and awareness, without paranoia!) and enjoy all the many, many positive things about this region.
We Will enjoy ourselves for sure! Happy travels
Well done you two for pitching in like that. I guess you always thought Africa would be challenging but hadn't quite bargained for moments like that.
Indeed we are very aware of the risks here but of course you hope you’ll not have to face some of the stark realities. We’re doing fine xx
That's quite the ordeal. We're glad you came through relatively unscathed, and are hoping that old axiom about trouble coming in threes doesn't apply here.
Thanks Scott, we’re doing okay xx
That is awful. Thank God there was a doctor there. Maybe it would have been worse without?
Carpe Diem.
Absolutely. I think that doctor saved a lot of people from worse outcomes including infections.
I’m sure you did too. After I commented, I was reflecting on how vulnerable it must have made you both feel, especially after the first accident.
It really did. That’s one of the things we have been trying to get over, as we don’t want it to affect our way of travelling. We have always been acutely aware of the risks. But seeing it like that obviously takes it up several levels.
Hopefully, you have already recovered a bit after those highly stressful times. Sometimes it seems that one problem leads to more problems, always at the same time. But hopefully, all is fine already? Where are you atm? We’re in Benin, early next week crossing to Togo.
Hi, thanks. We’ve had time to recover pretty well and do some really nice things since it happened. It’s true it was a pretty intense couple of weeks, to put it mildly. We have just arrived in Ghana today - made it to the final country of this chapter! Here until 15 May. Maybe see you?!
Good to hear that you’ve had some ample time to recover. Yes, we’ll be in Ghana in less than a week, so we could maybe see you. What’s your route?
So glad you are safe but what a horrible thing to happen and experience. It shows what a fine line you have out there but you are living your dream. Please take time and heal from all of this and I pray your journeys from here on out will be safe and pleasant.
Thanks so much Carol. We’re doing okay and have had a really nice few weeks of positive experiences. Xx
Merde alors! Is all i can express as no other words seem to do in my head at this point after reading about it all. Glad you are both safe and sound.
Thanks Anne. We’re doing okay. Hope to catch up properly soon. Back in Belgium over the summer a bit. Will be in touch when we know some dates. Xx
Good grief! I'm grateful you two and Ivy (for the most part) made it out okay (minus the trauma you all faced). I hope your time afterwards was enough to reset your nervous systems. Hell, I'm still trying to process your experience myself. I know there were some isolated parts on the Pan-Am where, had an accident occurred, no one would have come for us, or help would have been extremely hard to get to. I think we were just fortunate that our "accidents" were either minor, or in the case of Tree's hyponatremia and encephalitis, which were life-threatening, we were at least in Lima. And yet I remember all too well how terrifying it was navigating that situation--the clock ticking as we moved from hospital to hospital looking for adequate care to save his life. And compared to the hospital in Bo, I think the Lima hospitals were probably very modern. Your experience reminds me how fragile life is and how much we in the Western World tend to take for granted things like ambulances. We couldn't get an ambulance in Lima either. We were told they don't come on time (the implication clear) so we had to take a taxi while Tree was vomitting and losing consciousness in the backseat next to baby Soleiil. Terrifying. Well, again, I'm happy you're relatively okay, and for the sake of all the people you helped, I'm grateful you were there, and even more grateful that you weren't in THAT accident. Big hugs to you, two. xoxo
Hi Stevie, thanks so much. Blimey I don’t remember all that drama with Tree in Lima. What an absolute nightmare. We don’t know how lucky we are with our (almost) functioning emergency services. We’re doing okay, thanks. This life does force you to keep looking forward! I think that’s good. Abrazos xx
Indeed it does! Thanks for taking us on the road with you, two, again 💃🏽
What an awful experience. You should both be commended for doing all you could to help after such a traumatic accident. Your presence would have made a huge difference to those who were injured. I hope you have some time out to recover and look after yourselves. Very best to you both.
Thanks Richard, we’ve had a really nice few weeks of positive experiences, quiet times and lovely people. So we’re doing well. Safe travels xx