Ghana, Africa - 2009

Where do I start...

Yesterday the flight was long and boring, there was 5 us on the flight and we had sooo much to talk about, although towards the end we was just staring at the moving map, which the time go by. The skyline coming down into Ghana was pretty breath taking, and as soon as we touched down and started getting off the plane the heat hit us 28degrees and it was night time! We sort of needed it though as on board the plane it was cold!

As we moved into the airport and started collecting our baggage the reality hit us(mainly me) that we was the ONLY white people in sight, we collected our baggage and got our passports stamped etc... We was looking out for a person with a SYTO sign (the company we are with), we saw them they welcomed us, and then the mad rush started, pushing our way through people in the dark, all wanting to speak to us begging us for money.

We crossed a road but they just drive at you! We followed this guy towards this bus where they threw our luggage through the window, and loaded us on where they drove (well if thats what you call it) to the hostel where I am now.
The hostel is nice, clean and tidy with a dinning area. We was shown to our room, which is the tinest room you have ever seen. There was two girls already here one from Germany, Hannah and the other from Holland (I forgot her name lol), and then the four of us girls, Me, Hannah, Emma, Salma. Amazingly we had a shower that was warm and refreshing, pretty early night was we was all tired!

TODAY...
OMG where do I start.. We all got up fine and got ready for the day, where we had breakfast - cornflakes and then we all climed onto the mini bus and headed to the SYTO office.

The heat was about 30 degrees today, so the air conditioned office was a god send. Vinsent (our guide for the week) ran through loads of safety information and what should we be aware off and what not too.
After our chat at the office, we went too exchange our pennies at the booth next to the office. The guys who wanted to cash travellers checks couldnt change their money there so we moved to the bank and parked out side. The ones of us who stayed in the mini bus suddenly got hounded by people of the street begging and offering to make us things, they are soo persistant and will not go, I think this is where I learn't the art of haggling as I paid 10cedi for two bracelets haha one with my name on =]=]... When we was leaving they was running after the bus, out into the road (remembering there is no laws on the road lol)!

After here we moved to the local market in Accra, This was an experiance I will never forget:

The paths there dirty and there was just enough room for single file between the stalls, all you could smell was fish and guess what - they are nothing like the sea food in morrisons, its dirty and stacked up never mind staring at you! Some people was nice going through the market, others were a bit cautious of us. If you say hi people generally say it back and are very pleased you recognised them. The men will always approach us, yet the women will want you to speak to them first I have found.
I have sooo much more to write and my time is running out! Its still megga hot, so we make our way through the market and over to a cafe... Cafe was really quite pleasant, although was really noisy but saying that everywhere in Accra is noisy you sort of blank it out a bit.

The menu seemed Ok, mainly rice and chicken and moving down to soup, I had a goat soup with a type of dough but I forgot the name of this, when the food came, the Goat was nice tasted pretty much like beef but the rest was not the best! I think the lady waiting on got abit offended by everybody leaving their food but eee well she will get over it.
After food we had a tour of the political areas and also drove round some really poor areas. Its shocking to see how some people live although this is proof that money is not everything as they all seemed so happy! After that we moved to another market where I bought a drum and a t-shirt the t-shirt might as well be a nighty as its soo big but I think thats just my rubbish chosing lol!

Anyways we soon moved back to the hostel where we was staying and as it was only 4 we thought we would wander round where we were staying, where we met the most amazing family in the world! All so friendly and keen to meet us.

I will show you all the pics when I can upload them! On our way back we bought some pineapple and munched it while waiting for tea and a sigh of relief we had spag bol !
Now I'm writing this blog! Don't know when I will next write, but your all pretty much up-to-date. Its soo hard to put the surroundings into words as there really are no words to describe!!

Miss you all - well a little!
Ne ways toodles!! xxxxxRead more