Since I have been in Ghana the electricity supply has been off more often than it is on. The current ‘power crisis’ has been going on for over a year now and shows now signs of improvement, despite several political promises.
Category: Ghana
Categories
Day 42: Sierra Leone Visa
I received an email from Street Child today with a letter of introduction for my visa application. Due to power; cuts so nobody able to print it for me, I took a chance and went to the consul with it on a memory stick. Fortunately they agreed to print it for me. I should be able to collect my passport thursday or Friday.
For those that do not geocache. Please check out www.geocaching.com.
I introduced Hussain to geocaching today. In the whole of the city of Accra there are only 3 caches. Hopefully now the Ghana Scouts will rectify that by hiding some more.
Categories
Day 40: A Dam Good One
I picked up Hussain this morning and we went up to the hydro electric dam at Akosombo. It is across the river Volta and provides much of the country’s electricity and that of neighbouring countries. I was expecting something huge but, although big, it was not massive. There is a natural gorge there so the hills form part of the dam.
Categories
Day 39: I found a KFC!!
Kentucky Fried Chicken is a big vice for me. I hate their animal welfare standards, I hate they use shop much grease, I hate the fact that their chips are sometimes limp and soggy. But I LOVE the spicy coating. At home my regular order is a 3 piece variety meal. So to see my first KFC since France about a month ago was huge temptation. But I did not go in and order!! Am I cured? Is it a bit like AA in that you are never truly cured? Time will te─║l.
Categories
Day 38: Lifes a Beach
Nice chill out day today. This morning I did a few housekeeping chores such as washing and walked down the road to buy a few things such as fruit.
This afternoon I picked up Hussain and we went to the beach for the afternoon. I was probably the only white person out off hundreds of people but people were polite enough not to stare.
A couple of people asked about my arms. Because I have been wearing t shirts mostly, my face and arms are VERY brown. My upper arms and torso are VERY white. It must have been a revelation to one man who asked when i explained the sun makes me brown. I remember when i was a child and thought that people in Africa were brown because they were sun burnt.
On the way back we stopped off at Hussains house. His wife had prepared food for me took take back to my hotel. Yams with a tasty sauce. Mmm. I could get used to this. Ôÿ║
Because I am here for another week, I am hoping to do some touristy things so will do some research tomorrow of places to go.
As you will have guessed from my posts over the last few days, I have been wrestling with a choice between continuing East then South to Cape Town and fly home, or to go West then South to Sierra Leone and then North back through Europe. It was not an easy choice to make but I am now 100% confident I have made the right one. I am going to Sierra Leone.
Nothing has really changed apart from my route. My final destination has always been to get home safely. Cape Town in South Africa was just part of the route. The journey and meeting people’s was always the real goal. The number of kilometers travelled will be similar because I am at the halfway point.
Changing the route has the following advantages:
I miss the trouble spots of Nigeria and Boko Haram. The border between Nigeria and Cameroon is still officially closed, although some people are getting through.
I miss the physically difficult stages of the Congos where there is little tarmac and lots of deep rutted roads. I am 51 years old. 😆
I get to go visit the Street Child projects in Sierra Leone.
I save myself about £2,500 in air fares and shipping to get me and the bike back to the UK.
The downsides of changing the route were:
Missing the wildlife reserves in Southern Africa – but I have walked with lions; plus they have some reserves here in Ghana that i plan to visit next week.
Letting other people down. This was especially brought home to me by the look on Hussains face when I told him my decision yesterday. He looked crushed and he explained that he wanted me to achieve my goal of getting to South Africa. We have had long discussions about it since then and I hope he now accepts that reaching South Africa was never my goal. My goal was to travel by motorbike to see the world and meet people. I will continue to do that, just by a different route.
With the new route in mind, I needed o get a few more visas.
Burkino Faso was first on my list this morning so dropped off my passport there and completed the forms. I was asked to return at 3pm to collect it so next went to Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea and Sierra Leone embassies to find out what was needed for them.
Meeting the lady at the Cote D’Ivoire embassy was a strange experience. I still don’t know if she was taking the piss out of me, or we misunderstood each other, or what it was. Anyway it would take 3 days and they were unclear as to whether I could get Laisee Passee for the bike. I decided to go around that country not through it.
Guinea was a totally different experience. It turned out the guy that opened the main gate and let me in was not your usual security guard. He was the deputy consol. He explain what I needed, he even wrote it down for me and said it usually took 5 days. He gave me his personal number before i left and said to call him any time. I definitely want to visit Guinea.
Next was Sierra Leone, again a friendly reception, explained what I needed to do and told me the process takes 3 days. I also need a letter of introduction from Street Child Sierra Leone. I will be emailing them later to ask for this.
At just after 3pm i had my passport back and was on my way to the Guinea embassy again. I expected to drop off my application and go back next week to collect it. No! Our friendly deputy consol greeted us (Hussain was with me this time) and he did it all there and then. I walked out with my passport complete with a multiple entry visa (it was expensive though $200).
Time for the beach Ôÿ║ we spent the rest of the day swimming and lounging around on a private beach managed by those great guys at CPS Security. Tomorrow i have been invited to a music record launch party at the same beach.
A great day was completed by Hussains wife cooking me another great meal.
Categories
Day 36: Back to Burkina Faso
The Ghana customs have confirmed that my TIP deposit cannot be transferred to another border post so I must return to the entry point to get it back.
I had expected that reply but i am extremely grateful to everyone who tried to make it happen. Your efforts are greatly appreciated.
Now I need to consider my next move. I need to get another Burkina Faso visa as my other was single entry; so I will start that process tomorrow morning. Then I either go for an Ivory Coast or a Nigerian visa depending on whether I head East or West from that point. I can delay the decision until Friday or even longer if I wanted to.
Going East would be keeping my original destination of Cape Town. Going West would be heading towards Sierra Leone which I was disappointed to have bypassed on my way down.
I know some people will say the goal is Cape Town but those that have followed my planning from the start will know my goal is to travel and to meet people. My destination was originally my brother in Perth, Australia but world events meant the destination and route has changed several times. With this in mind, my journey continues even if the destination changes.
On a brighter note, Hussain’s wife cooked me dinner tonight and we ate at his house. He has a beautiful wife who is a great cook and two lovely children. As he arrived home his little daughter came running up to him to give him a big hug. She then honoured me with a hug too. That was the most important part of the day.
The average European has:
A house with separate bedrooms for the children.
A safe and reasonably reliable car.
Access to good education
Access to health care
Electronic gadgets
The average African has:
A community of people willing to give close support
A large group of friends
An extended family who live close by
An appreciation for the few material things they do own.
Knowledge of where their food came from.
I think most Europeans would say the African is richer. But most Africans would say the European is richer.
Categories
Day 35: Markets and Media
We went to the local market this morning to get some cord so I can do woggles with the local Scouts tomorrow. The transport system is similar to that used throughout West Africa where you flag down a minibus or taxi and share it with others going in the same general direction as you. The vehicles are a little better and a little newer that’s is the main difference.
This afternoon we went to the offices of the National newspaper for an interview. Apparently the interview I did for National TV has been aired as well. I hope the media coverage will benefit Scouting here. Back in ghe UK West Wales Online have printed an update about my trip so far.
West Wales Online
The Ghanan Scouts here have been trying to get my customs deposit transferred from the border post I entered, to the Togo border. I have decided to use that to determine whether I move forward on to Nigeria and Cape Town or use that as an excuse to turn back from here and make my way back to the UK following the South Coast route to visit Sierra Leone and Liberia. Distance wise, it is similar as I am at the half way point. But time wise it is a shorter and easier route home. Plus I will save a lot of money not having to ship myself and the bike home from Cape Town. I keep telling myself it is the journey not the destination.
So currently I am waiting to hear from Ghana customs. I can say that I really do not mind what the decision is. I am happy with both directions of travel. I can also say that if the decision is I must return to the point of entry to Ghana, it will not have been through lack of effort by the Ghana Scouts who have been magnificent.