Just Roll With It

So I’m at the Catholic Guest House (like a motel) in Tamale, Northern Ghana not too far north but far enough to feel the heat. We arrived here at about 2am on Saturday, and as I write this it’s about 11pm Saturday. A lot has happened in the past few days, but here’s a make shift itinerary of our travels, I didn’t bother with the time change:

Wednesday

Left EWB guest house: 12pm

Arrived at Toronto airport: around 1:45pm

Left Toronto: 6pm

Thursday

Arrived in Rome: 7:45am

Left Rome: around 3pm

Arrived in Accra (Ghana): 9pm

Friday

Left guest house: 6am

Left Accra on bus: 7am

Bus broke down (engine troubles): 3pm

New bus arrived: 7pm

Arrived in Tamale: 1:30am

Asleep around 3:30am

Ok, so the traveling didn’t exactly start off too smooth. At the Toronto airport there was a problem with my ticket because since the day of departure was changed a couple days before I hadn’t been re-issued a ticket, so I had to call EWB they called the travel agent and things were sorted out. At security, I had to go in and out because I had my water bottle filled with water, my mistake. And of course to complicate things I came down with a cold on Wednesday so the aches/stuffed sinus/headache didn’t help. But one thing I was told in advance by a number of people, and I had to put into practice before landing in Ghana, is “just roll with it”. Basically, when things don’t go as planned or things change at the blink of eye you have to take it in stride and deal with it, there’s no sense in getting upset or stressed out about things that have already happened and you can’t change. So the plane ride was alright, pretty good food on Alitalia, lay-over in Italy was fine, had some time to read at the airport. During the flight to Ghana we got a clear view of the Sahara, but other than that just had some time to read and think, and kind of relax.

A couple people came and met us at the airport in Accra at night. It was kinda hectic at the time but kind of funny to look back at it. 13 westerners (or obrunis) jet lagged and clueless as two white younger women direct them like children on a school field trip into 4 cabs while other cabs try to get the business. Mary and Kelly were very nice to take the time to “hold our hands” and set us up in at the guest house, which is similar to a motel. So after a tasty fried egg sandwich from a nice street vender (equivalent to fast food but healthier I’d say), we hit the sack for about 4 hours before heading to the bus station in the morning.

Pretty much all of us volunteers have heard about the transit system of Ghana, which is affordable and will get you anywhere, but it may take a little longer than planned due to breakdowns. I’m not mechanically inclined with cars or buses or anything, but I’m sure the heat and humidity aren’t exactly helping. Anyways after some more confusion and awkwardness on my part at the bus station trying to sell an extra ticket our group had and buy something to eat for the trip (fried red plantains are amazing), we’re off to Tamale. So I’ve heard it’s about a 12 hour bus ride, but depends on the traffic, the driver, and breakdowns. It took us a little longer…….about 6 hours longer. But first some context, I’m sure this is similar to other countries, I witnessed it in Peru at least, but the roads are pretty crazy. Crazy in the sense that there is usually a furry of traffic going every which way on motorcycles, tro-tros (small mini-busses), buses, trucks, mopeds, and all. They drive fast and close, but unlike in Canada they use their horns and lights more as a function than as an expression of frustration or greeting. Like when cars are switching lanes all the time, they use their horns (at least from my perspective) to let the other car know they are their, they also use it when passing. I think someone referred to it before as “organized chaos”, organized because traffic flows pretty smooth with horns/lights and the bigger vehicles take charge and other smaller ones know their place. It’s easy to feel pretty nervous when in a vehicle because everyone drives a lot more aggressive than in Canada and the rules of road are lot more lax, but in my opinion when the bus you’re on is passing a truck at night up a hill and laying on the horn and flicking the bright to let potentially oncoming traffic know we’re passing, you just have to roll with it.