Sexy hits Ghana…and Ghana hits back
What a great vacation..except for the race.
I could come up with a million excuses..lack of water, heat, not knowing where to go, etc. In all honesty I’ve lived here for over a year now and I should’ve been ready for all that. I was not. I don’t like to make excuses. I simply was not well prepared. So, I hit the wall around the halfway mark, my muscles really tightened up and I walked most of the race. It took over 6 hours! Needless to say it left a sour taste in my mouth. That just means I need to do another one when I get home and really prepare for that one.
I want to give big props to my PC buddies Holly, Colleen, and Kat who all kicked butt and finished the marathon (ahead of me). They all fought hard, and I am so incredibly proud of them. Also, congrats to Ali and Josh who completed the half and did Mali proud.
On the other hand, the minute I crossed that finish line I was finally able to relax and enjoy my vacation the way I wanted.
Ghana definitely lived up to the hype. Everyone who been there seemed to swear by it. I think I at ice cream at least 8 times (maybe double digits), Indian food five times, Chinese, etc. I ate like a king.
Accra (the capital), was not my favorite. It is a huge bustling city, full of traffic, and certainly not pedestrian-friendly. But, the amenities more than made up for that. I went to a mall! I went to a movie theater. As I sat in my seat, between a couple of volunteers, watching Will Ferrell being absolutely ridiculous, and stuffing popcorn into my mouth, for a second I completely forgot where I was. That’s the point, I really could’ve been anywhere. It was a very surreal experience.
After the race we headed up the coast to check out some of Ghana’s famous beaches. We stayed at a resort called the Green Turtle, which was the perfect place to be lazy and nurse all of our aches and pains. When I was feeling a little more brave I attempted to brave the waves of the Atlantic Ocean. At one point I began talking or screaming at the ocean, “Is that all you got?” What I learned is that you should never, ever challenge the ocean. Stupid. I flipped over several times, feet flying everywhere, head even hitting the ocean floor. It was scary, but man did I feel alive.
The food was great, and I got my competitive juices going in ping-pong and volleyball. Just laying on beach and falling asleep at night to the soothing sounds of the ocean was like a dream.
One morning we went (against my will) at 6:30 to a nearby village for a little boat ride through the mangroves. It was really a perfect early morning activity. Our “guides” were less than helpful, but I was still happy to relax and just float along the water. It was incredibly serene.
Soon it was time to say goodbye to our little resort. We headed to Cape Coast. I loved that place. The atmosphere reminded me of Mali. What is wrong with me that I go on vacation and the place I like most reminds me of Mali? Weird. There was music everywhere, people were really friendly and welcoming, as opposed to in Accra.
Never have I been called racist more often than when I was in Accra. All I did was to refuse to give them money. One man, who we decided must’ve been having a bad day, told us we were just like the slavemasters back in the day. How we all remained somewhat calm during his rant is beyond me.
Cape Coast though, was one of my favorite places I have ever been. We saw a slave castle, which always gives me goosebumps. One day we went to nearby Kakum National Park. We went on a canopy walk which consisted of these raised platforms high over the forest floor. Supposedly there are only a handful of these in the world. Anyway, I’m not great with heights, so I was a little scared. I enjoyed the nature walk a lot more since my two feet were on the ground.
We were finally forced back to Accra, and after watching another movie (Salt), about five more ice cream stops and one more visit to Indian food it was time to head back. I think I ate at that same Indian restaurant 4 times. So, by the end we had no problem asking them if we could take pictures in their crazy golden vests.
So, I’m back in Mali. Headed back to site in a couple days. It is bittersweet being back here for sure. I’m hoping that the start of the school year and seeing all my kids gives me the boost I need to make it through this time at site.
Take a look at all my pics from Ghana… and as always take care and stay safe!
