Traveling in West Africa

I flew out of Dakar on the 8th and went from the Togo airport north to Kpalime. I didn't feel comfortable speaking in French and really prefer the edge I get from speaking the national language in Senegal. Togo is beautiful, tropic and green but humid since I am used to the desert heat. I took a day trip outside the city to see a couple waterfalls - one huge and impressive, the other small but with a wading pool. That afternoon I bought pottery from artisans and enjoyed my first electric lightening storm in a while.

After 2 nights in Togo, I went to Ho, Ghana. A sudden switch at the border and everything is English - now I really wish I spoke a different language! Wierd though right? I guess I just really hate being a tourist in Africa. In Ho I met a few PCVs. One has been here about8 months and works at an NGO who make clothing for Global Mamas, a fair trade store. Very cool. The other volunteer is actually just a trainee, since it was her demyst week. The next morning I went to meet up with another volunteer in his site that is a Kente weaving village. It attracts quite a few tourists hoping to buy the traditional woven artwork.

Later that afternoon, I went to Accra to meet up with my friend Meghan at the USAID-WATH office. It was nice to check email and catch up with a work partner. Meghan's boss and I exchange emails often about exportable artisans' products. And going to Meghan's apartment was wonderful - air conditioning and direct satalite tv! The next morning, I went to the Aburi botanical gardens - amazing! And since Meghan is far too busy preparing for an expo in NYC, I went to the beach for the weekend.

The Green Turtle is an eco-tourism site and beautiful. The food was incredible and I roughed it the first night in a tent, damp from the close proximity to the waves and without a ziper to close off the mosquitos. The next day I was upgraded to a dorm. There is a beautiful beach but it rained all day so I enjoyed the view but don't have tanlines to prove it. After 2 nights, I was ready to get back to civilization so I went to Cape Coast with high hopes. I saw a castle one day and went on a hike in seach of elephants the next. There is a national park about 30k north of Cape but since it rained all morning I got a later start than the elephants. They were long gone but we saw where they ate breakfast and I learned a lot about trees from my armed guard. He made sure to explain to me that the gun was not for me, it was for the animals in cas ethey attack. A stressful carride back made me contemplateleaving Africa NOW but I stuck it out... lets just say the driver and I had our differences that attracted attention of 50+ people. My problem is that I feel since I am a development worker that I know Africa and shouldn't be cheated. Well, in Ghana I am just another foreigner to take advantage of.

So I left Cape Coast for Winneba and got a sea-view room with a balcony big enough for a huge bbq. I took a long walk down the beach since several kilometers is a lagoon. It was peaceful and empty! A long walk while talking to my mom was exactly what I needed. And the next 2 nights made up for that nights' mice infested room! I went back to Meghan's and enjoyed a bubble bath, homemade dinners and the style network! I was as happy as can be!

Yesterday I traveled across the border where I am now stuck: Togo. I showed up nice and early at the airport since you never really know what the african airlines will throw at you. Surprise surprise - Air Ivoire cancelled every single flight today! So much for making it home... I will now miss my first day of the Close of Service Conference. This is the first time since Feb 08 that my stage has gotten together. We all have come a long way and have plenty to talk about to plan our lives post-PC and I get to miss 1/3 of that and couldn't be more upset. It's one thing to miss a flight home from Paris when it was MY FAULT. Its another when I havent really enjoy my2 weeks of solitude and just crave what I know is normal. Just for me, please appreciate where you are today and don't take for granted the simplicity of travel and life in general.