Final days of Part 1

Day 62

My last post was 5 weeks in, now almost a month later I'm only days away from starting the second phase of my journey.  Flying out to Nairobi, Kenya on the 20th!  My original "plan" (not sure that word even registers in my vocabulary anymore) was to spend 3 months in Ghana.... as its been well established, plans change.  My two months here have been wonderful, a learning experience to say the least.  The most disappointing and frustrating part about my time in Ghana has been my project, or lack thereof.  There is an abundance of help in the clinics and hospitals by local people (better staffed than any of the hospitals I've ever worked in), which is a great thing for the community, but leaves little need for volunteers.  So, I decided the money is already spent (hopefully some of it made it into the community and not just the pockets of execs at Projects Abroad hdqtrs), I don't want the time to be wasted as well... better that I move on with an extra cushion of time to either volunteer longer at one of my other projects or spend it exploring!

The past 2 weeks have been amazing.  I've been traveling the eastern and northern regions of Ghana with Elin, a Welsh volunteer and one of her girlfriends, Sioned, who came to tour Ghana for a few weeks.  Exploring the more rural areas where fewer travelers go... away from internet, phone signal, and on occasion running water and electricity.  There are proper mud huts inhabited in the north which we were able to visit a few of.  Saw shea butter made, freshly picked cotton turned to thread, pottery being made, intricate basket weaving, rocks turned to beads.  Visited a couple monkey sanctuary's... we got to feed them peanuts and bananas, some of them would jump onto our arms and stand there and peel the banana!  Hiked to a couple of waterfalls, visited a pineapple farm.  Survived what I think was potassium overdose, as well as the numerous death traps we traveled in along the way.

It's amazing how fast money goes, even here.  We managed to keep lodging down to an average 7 USD/night per person, and some meals only cost 1USD... but between the tours, snacking, transportation fees, more expensive meals at lodges where there was no other option etc. I guess it all adds up.  I did break my "no buying anything I don't need" rule on 2 necklaces and a piece of fabric which I had hemmed to be a sarong... which I realized would be invaluable here as a cover all for dirt roads, to put on top of plastic seat covers on sweaty bus rides, after a shower, etc.  The no shopping rule has been my biggest challenge, the artwork and jewelery is absolutely gorgeous and ridiculously cheap, and when I'm a grown up I'll be making a specific trip back for them!

I'm working on an EVERYTHING GHANA post to hopefully finish in the next couple of days.  It's no wonder Ghana has been dubbed the friendliest country in West Africa.  The hospitality and genuine friendliness of the people is inspiring.  With the exception of the post office... possibly my least favorite place on earth...

Still no luck with the photos... I have my fingers crossed for better luck in Kenya!

Hope everyone's enjoying the holiday festivities... you can write off the overindulging as contribution to what I'm missing, guilt free!  The peanut butter cookies with a hershey kiss in the center are my favorite...

Lots of Love. xx

"Every new beginning comes from some other beginnings end" Seneca