Ghana! A Travel Journal of Ghana and West Africa

I made it back alive! Not that this was ever in any doubt, I guess I should say: I made it back sane!
Oh, before I forget here’s a link to my travel buddy’s (Malcolm) website: http://www.crazymalc.co.nz

It’s very well done and has pictures and everything (which I soon (inshallah) will too have up here). I would have put it up earlier but was afraid Mom and dad would get worried when they saw pictures of what we were travling in...(remember, going 14kph you can't get into a whole lota trouble!)

I think I last left off with that god awful bus ride out of Mali. Well after touring around Bobo Friday (described by the guide book as "undoubtedly the most beautiful city in West Africa," yeeeeah, I don't know what they were smoking) we hopped on a bus Saturday for the 7 hour trip to Ouagadougou. After an uneventful night there we got up at 550am to catch a bus to Accra, another grueling 24 hour trek (which in fact turned into 26 hours) where I am now, alive and well after almost 5 days straight in busses or something of the sorts! And now, No more! No more busses dropping me off in the middle of the night strange cities in countries I've never been to speaking languages I've never heard of, no more hassle of Visa's, corrupt border guards and endless (and of course corrupt) military checkpoints, no more falling apart bush taxis that make Egyptian taxis seem like fine oiled pieces of machinery, no more painful 28 hour tro-tro rides that leave you covered in scrapes and bruises in unmentionable places, yes I am DONE!

I am going to miss Burkina though and especially its people. They were so open, so curious and so nice. They have no concept of “alone time” or personal space, but that’s ok, it forced me to practice my French. I think I learned more French in the two weeks in French West Africa than my entire stint in France last year. I could defiantly see my self putting in my 2 years at Peace Corps in a place like Burkina.

But now I’m back in Accra. Its amazing, after the poverty of Burkina Faso, Ghana feels like a completely developed nation. I was amazed as we drove through the countryside after the border crossing; it almost felt like being back in the west. And Accra, wow, it feels like I haven’t seen anything so modern in my life! Little things like paved roads, stop lights, buildings not made out of mud-brick, shiny cars that aren’t rust buckets: Ghana’s got it all! As we drove back into the city I felt like a country bumpkin ooing and ahhing at the sights and the lights of the Big City.

But people are waiting on me, we bumped into a couple of girls in Ouagadougou, one from Norway (which made me very excited, I told her “Je con iki shnakie Norsk”, or I can’t speak Norwegian, the first time I’ve gotten to say that since we lived there- she said I have a very good accent. She lies) and another from Alberta. They’re doing some work in an orphanage 6 hours north of Accra and were up in Burkina trying to do some work near Goroum-Goroum but were thinking about going to see the refugee camp here in Ghana. So it looks like were going to take them out there sometime this week. I’m also trying to meet up with Katie’s friend from Elon, who just got into Ghana to do some research I think, so hopefully that will work too. She’s got a good blog up at: http://jsteendavis.blogspot.com/

Ok so I can't wait to see everyone soon! mom (wherever you are!) and Kendra and Kiran i'll see you guys in chicago! Dad Ill see you in about a week and everyone at purdue ill see you in 2 weeks! Everyone else, come visit (i want to make a trip up to SB too hopefully soon)! I'm getting very excited!