"Not Too Far"

January 21, 2014

It’s been a few days of no internet at all so let’s catch up.  There are too many stories, I’ve seen too many things, and I hope that you can close your eyes (or look at some photos if I am lucky) and be here with me if only for a few moments.  I miss home, but not ready to come home.  And I’ve started to label some reactions and thoughts as “Pre-Africa” as in “Pre-Africa Deb would have been screaming.” 

I really thought that Jan. 21 would be a boring blog post, a five hour drive to a little village on Lake Volta, Kete Krachi.  I was wrong.  I journaled 5 pages of this day, walk through the day with me, hour by hour.  Then maybe I will feel your presence J

4:45 AM:  The prayer call on the megaphones somewhere in the village.  Almost time to get up, our driver (Jude) wants us in the lobby at 6.

5:50 AM:  Nancy and I find that the humidity is so high when I open my tablet and try to swipe to open an app, there is too much condensation on it.  Give up on posting something.

6:05 AM:  A guy we think is Jude loads our stuff onto the truck and says we need “take breakfast”.  Yeah, me too, I thought we were taking it with us.  We sit and eat.  Beans, bread, eggs, meat, too bad no yam balls.  Those were awesome.  Not too worried, it’s only a five hour drive according to Clara, the coordinator.  We really don’t need to be in a village by 11….

6:50 AM:  That wasn’t Jude, it was the regional manager, we didn’t know!  We’re off!  It’s only 316 km away.

8:50 AM:  We are just reaching the outskirts of Accra, the city we started in.  I will not complain about traffic ever again.  But the sights I saw!  Pride of your home-and business-people out with broom sweeping off the red dust from the front of their shelter.  Then sweeping the garbage from the red sand. And, at first glance a tire recycling place, on second glance shelters made out of tires with whole families together sharing breakfast. 

11:00 AM:  Must be getting close, good thing as Nancy and I need to “relieve ourselves” .  We are driving through a thick forest area and a large man steps out of the bush, machete in hand.  It gives one a little start even in rural Ghana.  Jude explains they are getting palm wine (which perked Nancy and I right up!) would we like to try some today?  Yes, in a restaurant with a toilet please. 

12:00:  Hmmmm…it’s been 5 hours.  No sign of the ferry we need to go on yet.  Jude hits the brakes, backs up on the road, and tells us we are getting palm wine.  At a roadside stand.  In a coconut bowl.  We pay 1 GHc (50 cents) to find out that although we like wine, we do not like palm wine.  Tastes like liquid pork.  Well, what I think liquid pork would taste like.  A few bugs soaking in the alcohol too.  Oh well, I tried it!

12:30:  Nature calls.  Jude finds a Guest House, asks the owner if we can go in.  He’s awesome, excited to have guests I think.  Welcomes us, shows me to a room with the toilet and leaves.  I flick on the light, there’s a dead mouse floating in the toilet.  What do you think I did?  Nope, that’s Pre-Africa.  I “relieved myself” then flushed.  Water is scarce and people are poor here.  OK, I did jump into the truck and grab hand sanitizer right away.

4:30 PM:  Still haven’t made it to the ferry where Kete Krachi is “just on the other side.”  This is concerning as it may be another “Not that far” (which can mean between 2-24 hours) and “far away” (which means essentially the same thing).  At least I don’t have to use the toilet.

5:00 PM:  Finally!  The ferry!  Look it just left.  Take out the camera.  Children are hawking goods from tubs on their heads.  “Obruni, take my picture!!”  OK.  Next thing you know the whole beach full of children working is now standing with Nancy and I.  “Obruni, take me home with you,” says a girl about 11 or 12.  “Why?”  “Because my life would be so much better.” My heart is aching and I miss my kids.

5:45 PM:  We made it across happy and in one piece!  Not sure about the babies we scared on the ferry.  There is a certain age here that they look at your eyes and you say “Hi” with a smile and then they look at your arm and then physically try to get as far away as possible.  We traumatized a couple of them on the ferry L but now it’s not far!!!

6:45 PM:  It’s five hills (up and down each) between the ferry and Kete Krachi.  You will need to know this when you come here, because your driver will tell you “It’s not far.”  We did tell  him to maybe measure distance in hills and not “far” for us.  He won’t.  And I’m fine with that.

6:50 PM:  Arrived at the credit union guest house, happily surprised we have running water!  There’s a few minor issues (a few bugs, missing toilet seats, no blanket on the bed, air conditioning is sporadic but there) and they are feeding us dinner and welcoming us!  Fish and rice, Way too much food, but we tried.  When it was all over Nancy looked at me and quietly said, “Thanks for taking the head.”  We had a good laugh.  I know there’s a Pre-Africa Nancy who might have not tried it, but she’s not here.

Tomorrow we meet our first credit union.  No driving involved, the credit union is on the main level of the CU guest house.