After visa troubles and a re-booking the date arrived and Dad's
flight arrived in Accra during an unseasonal and impressive thunderstorm
We
went for a lunch the next day at the
Afia and Dad came to understand that although
we live very close to the beach, we don't actually frequent it...
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| Sobolo - hibiscus and ginger drink |
At the weekend we thought we'd head up to the Akosombo area, tranquil
and a little rural, and stopped at the Shai Hills Nature reserve on the
way. We went in with low expectations - thinking we'd only see baboons
(which we have seen sitting in the road when passing). The "game
drive" through the park was pleasant enough, but not spectacular, we saw
some guinea fowl and antelope, and our guide told us about the park
regularly carrying out controlled burns on the scrubland as the antelope
prefer to graze on the shorter grass.
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| ostriches in an enclosure |
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| selfie with baboons |
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Another vehicle
was stopped in the savannah area because there was a dead antelope under
a tree and they were taking photos - urgh I didn't want to get out of
the car to look at a decaying antelope - the guide announced that a
python had killed the antelope - to which Dad and I said to each other
"how does he know that" - of course when we got out of the car to see
the antelope being eaten by the python we saw how the guide was able to
state this!
what an incredible experience!
We also had the chance to climb a kopje to take a look out
over the reserve -good walking shoes rather than birkenstocks would
have been better here!
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| the view |
due to the python we stayed longer in the park than we had anticipated, so
came out hungry for lunch. There are several nearby spots for lunch,
but we went to the first and asked what was ready - banku and fish or
chicken and rice - so it was the first of many chicken and rices! Dad
also discovered that orange fanta in Ghana contains no traces of orange
juice, just tartrazine and is very much like the neon fanta of my
childhood in the 70s
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| dayglo fanta in foreground |
Aylos bay is
on the Volta river near the Akosombo dam. A tranquil spot, but slowly
easing into dilapidation - Dad had a waterfront bungalow and was able to
watch the world go by from his balcony - that is until the local church got into full voice and drove us away!
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| termites |
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| the bridge is under repair - this is the ferry queue |
Midweek we went to visit Aburi Botanical Gardens - a short but interesting drive out of town - there's not much to do other than wander round for an hour - but its still nice
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Tarzan Tony!
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| perplexed at the helicopter wreck |
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| 70's style ice cream too |
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| Jamestown lighthouse in Accra |
On the other days since Dad has been a little too successful on his recent weightloss regime we made sure to introduce two of Ghana's specialties - Papaye a local fast food joint with excellent grilled chicken and rice, and the slightly surreal dining in a defunct DC10 experience
we also made a foray into Makola market, and I drove myself! no photographic evidence as it's not the done thing there, and it is too full on an experience to try to capture
Pot holes - filled with fresh mud by boys - sometimes well and sometimes not so on our route, occasionally they waved their spades and us and shouted, but we didn't support their enterprise
Back at Elmina bay we enjoyed walking on the beach, and mucking round in the pool before sunset
So that's it - if you have a 10 day including 2 weekend trip planned to come and visit us in Ghana - you now know the itinerary! though if you are not a heat seeker like my Dad is, then one of the cooler months might be a better bet!
