The Long Road Home

Three weeks away from home, I was getting that feeling of I want to be in my bed. Traveling in Africa is different that traveling in Europe. It’s a struggle a lot of the time, having to haggle for everything because you’re white so the price is always tripled. I don’t mind haggling, but it does take a lot out of you.

My trip home was a lot more than expected, we had planned to head north from Hohoe around the top of Lake Volta to Tamale and then from there to Wa. After finding out that it would take two days to reach Tamale and wanting to make sure we were home before Monday we decided that we should head down to Accra and then take a night bus from there to Wa the very same day. Cath had decided to head home via Accra but not come via the Akosombo. Alison was already in Accra and so went and checked out tickets. It seems that everyone in Ghana was trying to get home at the same time, so most buses had two day waiting lists. But in Ghana where there is a will there is a way

The four of us (Patricia, Pat, Laura and myself) headed south on a tro-tro from Hohoe to Akosombo, the Dam that creates Lake Volta is here. We stopped here for an hour and took in the sights of the Dam and had a tour on the Dam. It was interesting to see the Dam, but a quick stopover was all the time we needed there. But this is where the fun began.

We left from Akosombo at around 13:00 on a Tro to Kpong, then a Tro from Kpong to Koforidua, another from Koforidua to Kumasi, and another from Kumasi to Techiman. We got to Techiman at about 23:00; Techiman is only about four hours south of Wa. Pat had to spend the night here as she couldn’t get a Tro to Bolga and it was very late. Patricia was not feeling well so decided to spend the night there as well. I found a Tro that was leaving for WA and so Laura and I decided to take it. It was a big Tro, five people per row and moved very slow. Took six hours to make the journey but at 6:00 we reached Wa and the Tro luckily went very close to my house, so it was only a very short walk.

Falling in to bed for the first time after being away always feel great, but after such a long journey as well the feeling was doubled. Now a day to relax and then I guess its back to “Normality” although that word does seem the best to describe my life right now. Anyway, I am back on email now and will reply to all your emails ASAP, thanks for all your Christmas Wishes.