The reason I find blogging so hard is that lurking awareness that anyone can read the result. And once I’ve eliminated any commentary which might somehow be perceived adversely by a future employer and anything that would upset or scare my parents, I don’t really have all too much to say about life in Ghana. […]
VSO
It’s easy to be a minimalist in Ghana
We finally got our new allowance from VSO this month and it’s almost doubled. But aside from traveling, I’m so used to living at a scraping by level here that to do otherwise feels like a waste of money. I don’t think my heavy consumerist streak is beat – I’m constantly obsessed with vicariously ordering […]
Go North young man, go north : Larabanga Stick Mosque and Tamale
The southern part of Ghana is almost 100 proof humid; the corner of the Western Region bordering Côte d’Ivoire is technically considered a tropical rainforest, while the rest of the heavily populated central and coastal regions are categorised as coastal savannah and deciduous forest. In practice, the whole swath from Kumasi down to Accra and […]
Safari in Ghana: Elephants, baboons, and warthogs in Mole National Park
For most people, Africa means safari. Or maybe the political images come first – slavery, war, famine, colonialism and chaos, racism and corruption. That’s one Africa. But then there’s the other Africa, the Africa of white tents, lions, and upper class Europeans in Land Rovers, imagining they’re Lawrence of Arabia. Luxury safari packages mostly skirt […]
Another twisted ankle – running in Ghana and footless exercise
I’d been doing quite well with the running since I’d gotten to Ghana, although after a couple of midday attempts that ended poorly I did quickly amend my schedule to either morning or dusk runs. Not wanting to lose momentum, I also ran while I was in Cape Coast. I dragged my butt out early […]
A weekend away in Cape Coast – Stumble Inn, Baobab Restaurant, and Global Mamas
Stumble Inn, Elmina & Baobab Restaurant, Cape Coast A few kilometres along a dirt road from Elmina lies Stumble Inn, a sandy palm-tree-lined little resort that I’d seen recommended in an online Peace Corps forum. It’s a bit of a trek out-of-town, but absolutely lovely, and super good value, at just 20 cedis a night […]
Asa Baako at Busua – a music festival in Ghana
I went to Busua for Asa Baako at the beginning of March, a local music festival. Busua is kind of the local backpacker beach – it’s just 30-40 minutes away from Takoradi on local transport, and cheap and cheerful with a laid back vibe when you’re there. The place was bustling at the weekend, although […]
Sekondi Fish Market
Yesterday morning I dragged myself out of bed at 5.15, snagged a leftover piece of pizza, and trudged down the road to where a cab was waiting. I paid the cab driver 3/4 of my daily allowance (I know, I need to get better at figuring out a cheap way to get to Beach Road. […]
Busua Beach : cabs, trotros, and fishing boats
This week the project manager has also been visiting, which was nice as it meant I had a travel buddy for my first weekend in Takoradi. She’d been wanting to go to Busua Beach, a local beach resort just 20 km further west. The beach is rumored to be one of the best (and safest […]
Volunteer Life in Takoradi, week 1 – the good, the bad, and the ugly
The good free rides to work nice coworkers AC! (and free electricity to run it) access to a washer AND a dryer – I was already in alt over the flat, you can imagine my delight when I discovered a Samsung washer in the storage closet on this floor. Goats – There are so many […]