Unraveling While Traveling

Traveling in Benin is never easy. I don't care what anyone says it's a whole lot easier to get from point A to point B in the states or the rest of the developed world for that matter than it is in Benin. Most of the time it's being frusterated with the system, or rather lack there of. Taxing is always hell due to lack of organization. Taking the bus is sometimes a hassle if you're starting from a town without an office for a bus line, sometimes the buses are full and you don't know that until they arrive in your village and you also can't really reserve a space before hand with confidence. I'm sure you can call the company but I can also see where you would end up talking to the guy who loads luggage instead of someone with actual athority.
But this last particular trip was a little different. Everything that went wrong wasn't because of an already stupid system. Nope, this time it was me. The night before I left I thought while I was in bed, 'Do you have everything you need?' I made a mental list of things that I had to pack last minute, cell phone, check for cash in wallet, reading glasses, etc. Then just as I was about to fall asleep I thought to myself 'Check to make sure your IPod is in your bag' I then fell into a deep sleep. I woke up realizing that my alarm hadn't gone off. Damn. I had 30 minutes to get out to the bus station. I put the things I had put on the list into my bag and went out the door. I got on a bus soon after and then just as we were driving by my house on the way south to Cotonou, a 7 hour drive, I realized I had left my IPod at home. When I travel my IPod is my sanity. There was nothing I could do about it at that point, I'm just along for the ride. I just had to travel like a normal Beninese person, without music of my choice. I had a long boring non-music-filled trip down to Cotonou. I arrived in Cotonou without much fuss, the bus went really fast as it was mostly full when I got on. I participated in a review of the last training class and then my plans were go to up north to the Alibori region to visit a friend of mine.
I got my bus ticket to go in advance, when I don't do this and try to catch a bus without a ticket it does bite me in the butt and I end up taking a really crappy bus line. While I'm waiting for the bus I'm mentally preparing myself for the longer non-music filled bus ride of my trip. This trip was 12 hours in one day. I'm not kidding I watched the sun come up on the bus, and then set while still on the same bus. No music. At least the person sitting next to me wasn't obnoxious, she was actually really nice. But it was still 12 hours of bus. After arriving at my destination I was needless to say very tired and at the end of my sanity. I then go to get my large bag from underneath the bus. It's not in sight. We move everything around and for 15 minutes I'm freaking out. That bag is my everything. Without it I'm pretty much sunk. That and I really like my backpack. I finally find it after 15 minutes of looking. Then I reach for my cell phone to call and ask someone where the volunteer house is. My cell phone is also missing. I run back to the bus which door is closing as I run up to it. I look for my cell phone. It is not in or around my seat. I then get handed a flashlight (thank you lady sitting behind me the whole time) It is between the seat and the outside of the bus. Thank goodness. I then thank the bus line and everyone on it for waiting for me while I frantically looked for my cell phone. I then begin to dial my friends number. No reception. My zem things he sort of knows where the place is. In reality it is my responcibility to know where I'm going, not his fault. So I get on and we find it without much fuss. But of course at this point my nerves are shot my patience for anything is gone, and I'm tired. The guard then has me go through this overly complicated sign in (no other workstation does this including the one in Cotonou) and hands me a key. He must have seen my face at this point and he takes me bag, leads me to the door, unlocks it, and puts my bag inside and tells me to sleep well. ha ha at least I got here OK. oh yea, my phone is missing again. It'll pop up by morning I hope... Nothing I can do about it now.