Day 78-84
16th - 22nd Febuary 2007, Ghana
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Day 78-84 |
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| Day Seventy Eight 16/2. Big Milly's Backyard (Wendy's Place), Kokrobite, Ghana |
| 5°29.73'N 0°21.94'W. Miles today 102, Total Miles 8023 |
| There are pineapples for sale everywhere and everyone shouts at you" Hey Obrunis (white person), where are you going?" Funerals here are also more important than weddings or births and the coffins are enough to confirm that. They come in all manner of gaudy colours and odd shapes, the best being giant fish or Mercedes cars. Went in search of a couple more forts along the coast, starting with Fort Patience at Apam. The caretaker tried to charge us double to enter but naturally, I wasn't having any of that and he let us in for the correct fee. It's much smaller than the Cape Coast one but just as impressive with super views. Next stop was the Fort of Good Hope at Senya Berek. All the staff were fast asleep, so we sneaked in and had a wander around without paying. A bit run down but great views. Decided to head on to the big kahuna of Kokrobrite, a backpacker hangout called Big Milly's Backyard. With numerous shouts of "Oh, my friend, you have lost your way, "we eventually found Big Milly's. A bit of a let down but only because we have spoilt by Green Turtle Lodge, the place was heaving with Scandinavian volunteers and still no sign of Matt and Saf or Ian and Jacqueline. We parked up amongst the palm trees and enjoyed the live music, dancing and drumming all lit up with car headlights due to the multiple power failures. It's distinctly warmer here. |   |
| Day Seventy Nine 17/2. Big Milly's Backyard (Wendy's Place), Kokrobite, Ghana |
| 5°29.73'N 0°21.94'W. Miles today 0, Total Miles 8023 |
| Another chilled day due to dodgy tummies, we just swam and read all day. The beach is heaving with weekenders alongside chickens and sheep. Pretty weird concept really. Rob is thoroughly engrossed in the novel, Gorky Park with intermittent dashes to the bucket loos. More live music and dancing and warm drinks due to more power failures. |  |
| Day Eighty 18/2. Big Milly's Backyard (Wendy's Place), Kokrobite, Ghana |
| 5°29.73'N 0°21.94'W. Miles today 0, Total Miles 8023 |
| More chilling and pooing. |  |
| Day Eighty One 19/2. Ryans Irish Pub, Accra, Ghana |
| 5°35.45'N 0°10.83'W. Miles today 20, Total Miles 8043 |
| Still no sign of Matt and Saf or Ian and Jacq. Unsure of whether to pack up and head for the metropolis of Accra, as we need to start our Nigerian visa process. Wendy, who owns Big Milly's, recommended that we camp in the car park of the Irish Pub so we decided to go for it and at least we could check email there. It's only 30km to Accra but took forever as the road is lined with people selling everything from toilet paper (oooh…have we got enough?) to inflatable globes. We found the Irish Bar in the suburb of Osu easily enough and are camping in the car park next to an open sewer, which brings a fresh outlook on the world of overlanding. The manager charges more than Big Milly's, as he says water is very pricey. However, it is still one of the cheapest places in Accra, which is generally exorbitantly over priced anyway. Still, there's a great 24hour fast internet café and the supermarkets here stock everything from bacon to Terry's Chocolate Mint to Heat and Good Food magazines. Man, it's tough being poor. |
| Day Eighty Two 20/2. Ryans Irish Pub, Accra, Ghana |
| 5°35.45'N 0°10.83'W. Miles today 20, Total Miles 8043 |
| Still no signs of recovery and Rob now has a fever and a weird skin rash. I marched him off to Trust Hospital on the main street. After numerous blood and urine tests from a doctor who Rob has nicknamed "the butcher" and a four hour wait whilst watching a re-run of the movie, Grease, he was given the all clear. So, he is now doused with anti-histamine and we have our antibiotics on standby but at least there's no sign of malaria. Already he is looking and feeling heaps better. Think it may have something to do with the four hours of waiting room air-con. The happening suburb of Osu has heaps of temptation, especially for South Africans. There's a Nandos, (aka Galitos) and a Woolworths (which looks so promising from the outside but to be honest only stocks a few loaves of bread, some drink and a couple pairs of trousers!) The Steers burger joint is in the process of being torn down. |
| Day Eighty Three 21/2. Ryans Irish Pub, Accra, Ghana |
| 5°35.45'N 0°10.83'W. Miles today 25, Total Miles 8068 |
| With both of us finally feeling better, we headed off to the Nigerian embassy. They were most welcoming and helpful and hopefully but no guarantees, our visas will ready in two days time. The are pricey though at $100 each and you have to have an itinerary written out for your time in Nigeria (we made one up quickly) and photocopies of carnet, insurance, V5 and passport. This also means we will now have to wait till Monday before we can apply for our Benin visas. They serve Bangers and Mash and Steak and Guinness Pie in the Irish Pub. Wonder how long will we be able to resist that! |  |
| Day Eighty Four 22/2. Ryans Irish Pub, Accra, Ghana |
| 5°35.45'N 0°10.83'W. Miles today 20, Total Miles 8043 |
| With a whole day to kill, Rob decided to give the car a wash and so make full use of the water we are paying for here in the car park. Dino looks beautiful, all shiny and clean and yes the wheels are still black under all that crud. Spent the rest of the day plugged into the wall of the bar writing this and looking forward to treating our tummies to the famous pizzas at Mama Mia's down the road (Rob is salivating most unpleasantly in the corner). Tomorrow is the big day…Nigeria visa or no visa, poo or no poo! |  |
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