Paroikos

November 25, 2009 – 8:20pm – Lome Togo

Choir in Lome Togo singing in church

Leave it to the French to make things difficult. I arrived in Lome Togo today after only a very brief stint in Ghana. It really amazes me how different the two countries are although put together I do not think their combined width is even 150 miles. One of the differences is the outlets. Its true that everywhere I go has different outlets from the UK to Nigeria to India. Here in Togo I have found generally the same two round holes like in India, BUT they are inset into a round cavern with a single flat vertical protuberance coming out of the wall, so that they not only need the correct sized metal protuberances sticking out from your plug, but the shape of the rubber housing on the plug itself must all fit within certain parameters. This made me very doubtful as to the usefulness of my ingenious American made plug of all countries. However if I underestimated the French flare for uniqueness, I also underestimated American cleverness, my handy little international plug did indeed fit just fine without any problems. It seems France and America can indeed work together. (more…)