Wednesday at 8:30AM I began my trip to the middle of nowhere Ghana - also known as Donkorkrom. In fact it is in the middle of a large fertile (but uncultivated) plain called the Afram Plains. This region is covered in jungle/bush, is sparsely populated and poorly developed. Accra is, I suspect simliar to any large urban centre in a developing country - a noisy, busy, relatively western hodge-podge of affluence and poverty, deelopment and subsitence, construction and abandoned construction, old and new. The Afram Plains is most definitely a different picture.
Sefa the elective coordinator met me and we took a taxi to the bus station wher we caught a minibus to Nkawkaw. Minibusses (full sized vans) were not desigend for the 6'5" tall male or the 40+" wide female - suffice to say I have spent 3 hours traveling in greater comfort at previous times in my life. They are doing some major road works on the road but instead of making a proper/effective detour, traffic just plows through on the roughest path of least resistance. The drivers avoid as many potholes as possible both for their passengers and undercarriages. The enet effect of this ends up being a van packed full of people careening down a dirt path like a drunken camel.
In the interest of time our driver decided to by-pass the detour, construction, traffic and roads in general. We meandered around what could be called back alleys (if you are being particularly generous), through yards, over streams, through mud holes, etc and we only bottomed out 7 or 8 times. Eventually we reached more or less continuous 'highway' and made our way towards Nkawkaw. The land as we got closer was increasingly rugged with massive outcrops of rock proturding from the verdant jungle.
At Nkawkaw I got on a 'coach' (more like a city bus) and we headed for Donkorkrom. The second leg of my journey began with gorgeous scenery as we climed up a serios of wicked switchbacks surrounded by jungle on both sides except of the occasional break when we could see out. After we reached the top of the Kwahu escarpment we careened up and down rolling hills and through several villages. On this bus we were quite cozy as well. About the length and wideth of a standard Greyhound bus, this bus had 70 passengers seated adn some standing. The seats provided about 18 inches of width per backside and lateral expansion was curtailed by a solid bar at the aisle. My seat mate was a lovely lady who was an orthodontist's dream and spoke no English. Unlike Magalena Haggalina both of this lady's hips had decided to come on this trip. Thus, with her prominent poisterio and my not insignificant rear were were well and truly wedged into our 36 inches. I also pondered another measurement that the bus planners on multiple continents have clearly disregarded the 'kneetock' or 'femass' or 'femum' or 'kneebottom' were a few proposals I came up with. In essence, the distance between the end of the femur/knee and the back when one is seated. Ah, the joys of being tall.
We arrived at the ferry port of Adowso on Lake Volta and were most delighted to disembark. After a Coke I boarded the ferry to cross the lake. It was a magnificant afternoon - roasting hot, clear, and a light reeze off the lake. From the number of floats it appears that fishing is a significant industry on Lake Volta (I've since enjoyed some of the aforementioned fish). After the crossing (about 30min) we rewedged ourselves onto the bus for the 3rd and final leg of the journey to Donkorkrom.
I have a message for all the readers of the children's story "Go Dogs Go" - in the book, if my memory serves me correctly the dogs relax in a marvelous tree with a long trunk and then a relatively full but flat crown. Well, today I saw those trees growing wild. Not in the fertil plains of an illustrators imagination but in the fertile soil of the Kwahu escarpment. I must admit I was delighted inside by the variety of flora I've observed on my travels. The uniqe plants reinforce again the fact that I'm in Africa - that and the fact I haven't seen another white face since I said goodbye to Leah.
I started the third leg of my journey feeling quite hopeful as the road seemed very good. However, we soon got to a more rural "National Geographic" style Africa - mud huts, as well as goats, chickens, and children all providing a significant hazard on the road. I had significant difficulty deciding if there were more road than pot holes or more pot holes than road. The asphalt and pot holes eventually turned into dirt and pot holes. I have heard that the roads become insane in the rainy season and I believe it!
About 6pm we arrived in Donkorkrom. After the mud huts of the villages along the road I was feelign a bit sceptical. However, it was reassuring to find a quiet provincial administrative centre with electricity, and buildings not made out of mud (although there are certainly a significant number of those as well). I found my lodgings which are more than adeuate and got settled in. Then I wandered down to hospital (a 10 minute walk) and checked things out. After buying some waer I returned to the guest house and got ready for bed. I supped on some trail mix, bananas, and candy and called it a night - I had made it to Donkorkrom.
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Yes, your mom has read your posts....was anxiously waiting to hear from you, you know, and so glad you made it safely to Donkorkrom!!
ReplyDeleteWhen I think of Africa, I think of you, black and wild!!! Oh my! Thanks for sharing. We are all fine. Love you and miss you!
mom