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Ghana Togo Benin
  • Deannisa Hilman

Ghana Togo Benin

West Africa was never on my bucketlist until I learned about Voodoo and the history of slave trade. This time I will spend roughly 2 weeks in Ghana (Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi, and Tamale), Benin (Cotonou and Ouidah), and Togo (Lome). Read more
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  • Trip start
    June 24, 2019
    Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Kigali Transit

    June 26, 2019 in Rwanda ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Layover in Kigali.

    Went to the immigration, they told mw Rwandair have to give me a hotel. Went to thw transfer desk and was in a queue for 30 mins, they said Rwandair don't give hotel.

    I went to immigration, showed them my booking again, and now they agreed. I passed the immigration, I went outside, the taxi guy already left I guess.

    I asked one official if I can use his phone, but instead he asked one Rwandair official to walk me to the hotel which is only 500 meters away.

    Booked a 15 usd room but they gave me 20 usd room. They said 15 usd is finished. I dont mind. I just wanna rest. I have morning flight tomorrow.    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Coming to Accra. Akwabaa

    June 26, 2019 in Ghana ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Akwabaa (or welcome, in Twi language).

    YES!! I finally made it to Ghana 🇬🇭 (being my first West Africa country ever!). After all of the hassle, tears, and of course money. As a not-so-adventurous person, traveling alone to West Africa would be soooo challenging especially when you don't want to splurge. Lucky, my best buddy is in Ghana. At least he can fill up the gap of a few information available on the world wide web.

    Visa. Visa business is terrible. As you know, living in South Sudan has made me even harder to make Visa directly to the embassy. That's why my bucketlists are country which have Visa on Arrival or free Visa policy for Indonesian ordinary passport holders. Then I stumbled upon Ghana, which has a Visa on Arrival policy. YAY! This is the best time to leasr about slave trade. Apparently Ghana has misused the term of Visa on Arrival. The VoA here is the pre-arranged VoA. Meaning that I had a friend working on the visa to the immigration, sending all of my docs, and have it approved before I arrive to Ghana.

    When I arrived (with my pre-approved and paid copy of visa) I have to fill up the departure card, then went to the VoA counter for them to double check (?) and print the visa sticker.... And this process took 30 minutes of my time!! Can you imagine? But after that we can pass the passport control because they already stamped it in the counter.

    Oh and the pre arranged visa cost me 150 usd for a single entry! Can you imagine? And since I want to cross the border and come again, I have to make abother re-entry permit for... 75 usd (plus 25 usd bribe to make everything faster).

    Welcome to Ghana, I guess ?    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Leaving Accra

    June 26, 2019 in Ghana ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    Yes. I just arrived to Ghana via Accra but now I'm leaving Accra to Tamale. Man, it was stressful. Lucky I have Ernest (Prince's friend) who helped me transfered to the domestic terminal, buy me simcard (also activated it), and help me send my passport to the immigration for the re-entry visa. I didn't think I would make it if it wasn't because of him.

    Anyway, Tamale will become my first challenging experience with Ghana. I have no Ghana Cedis (the money changer closed because the lady was having lunch, and it was at 3.30 pm!!!), I have no escort, no friends, non uber, nothing. I don't even think the hotel has the pick up service for me. Plus I have little knowledge of Tamale. There's not much to do. I actually want to pass the northern part because of the Larabanga Mosque, one of the oldest mosque in Africa. But I will see the possibility of looking around the city.

    Prince is going up and down to help me and coordinating with his friends. See if he can find someone in Tamale. I hope he'll find someone 😭.

    So my flight would be 1 hr from Accra to Tamale and cost me 77 usd. You should spend more if you don't have too much time. But it's better than 12 hrs bus ride.

    Let me sit back, relax, and enjoy my flight to Tamale. Herewith is the picture of the banana chips (with spices YAY me likey), juice, and water as the meal on-board.    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Day 1 Tamale Sucks

    June 26, 2019 in Ghana ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C

    So everything kind of overbudget and I had a trade in of the budgets by... Finding a cheap hotel. Which is a disaster.

    Safui Memorial Lodge. The name of the hotel. They have one of the worst service. I asked for a shuttle, they agreed. But then noone came. Prince have to call one of his colleague to pick me up at the airport. Capt Evans, he dropped me here. The hotel is very outskirts even though they advertised 0.8 km from the city center (which is a lie).

    I went for a check in, the manager doesn't even have any idea who is checking in. No document asked. No apologize for the shuttle that didn't show up. Then in the evening I found a restaurant nearby, and I just thought to have a dinner there. It needs 30 minutes until I cancelled the taxi because it didn't fucking come! And I'm no longer hungry.

    I remember Capt. Evans told me to call him, but calling someone just because you need a dinner? Nah...

    Please don't come with expectations when you come to Tamale..    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Northern Ghana

    June 28, 2019 in Ghana ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    There's not much things here.
    I'm sure I'll find similar things in other regions.
    Was planning to roam around the town but to tired.
    And Larabanga mosque was... Small :/

    I planned to: visit the central Mosque, central market, stadium, etc. But seeing the township... Hmmm.. I think I will just pass. The journey to Larabanga was exceptional tho. Got a guy helped me get a minibus van to Damongo and then take a short taxi ride to Larabanga.

    Minivan was 12 ghc (24 ghc return) and taxi was 60 ghc. It was ok. The mosque itself located in the middle of the community. And the vicinity area was like a small village. Plus they asked for donation here and there.

    Also there's a mystic stone... Basically a stone.
    Well... But this was ok for a first visit. The climax should be kept safe for the last.

    K. En route to Kumasi today!    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Kumasi at last

    June 28, 2019 in Ghana ⋅ 🌧 24 °C

    And meeting Prince that has been missing in action, at last.

    It was a 6 hours ride in a Yutong Bus from Tamale to Kumasi and I was sitting next to a young guy, a Ghanaian study in the US. Wisconsin. Taking dual degree, computer science and international study. He came back home to Kumasi during his internship in Tamale because he just got a news that his stepmother passed away in the morning. We spoke the whole way.

    He gave me some of his music recommendation. Khalid, and... Other i couldn't remember 😂 he was a nice guy, we didn't even exchange number nor phone. This is a kind of relationship I want with a stranger.

    Lieutenant Iddi Fahad picked me up in the bus station and took me to my hostel. TUMI hostel. Nice hostel with a women empowerment program. 35 USD a night for a single room with ablution. And they sell traditional clothes as well with a very reasonable price. Will check on it soon.

    Oh also....... My re-entry permit visa has been finished!! Ernest has it with him. YAY! I'm going to Benin and Togo!!! Hip hip hurraaaaa!!    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Kumasi in a day

    June 29, 2019 in Ghana ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    A day in Kumasi. Lucky Prince was available to host me.
    We drove all the way from Ghana Armed Museum, to Manhyia Palace Museum, then Kumasi City Mall to have some Chinese Food, then enjoying Saturday night live in Kumasi.

    We drove through Kejetia Market which kind of reminds me of Pasarbaru and got stuck in the traffic.

    Kumasi was ok but not really much to do. We were planning to stop by to Lake Bosomtwi but we don't have enough time. So maybe next time.

    I got stuffed from a the food we bought including the Epiti and late night pizza. Need to workout more when I return to the mission.

    Time to head to another stop: Accra.    Read more

  • Deannisa HilmanGhana Togo BeninTraveler

    Lomé Transit

    July 1, 2019 in Togo ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C

    After saying goodbye to Accra, now it's time to go to Ouidah. But one day transit first in Lomé.

    You know what...? Today I received a news that I shouldn't be paying Visa to get to Ghana!! Indonesia is in the visa exemption. Gggrrrhhh!!

    I was having a hard time, transfering money, adding bribe etc to get visa on arrival and re-entry visa!!! I can't believe it. 222 plus 100. 322 usd !! 😭😭😭    Read more

  • Trip end
    July 8, 2019
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