Previous country: Côte d’Ivoire
19th December 2023 – Around an hour and a half on the border. However the girl in customs wrote on our Carnet but forgot to put the official stamp on it and we didn’t notice. Thankfully a customs checkpoint noticed but initially said that we had to return to the border some distance back. After some phone calls they agreed that he could stamp it! Phew! Lesson learned, we will be checking carefully in future!
The immigration officer at the border told us that we can visit the immigration office in Accra and they will easily provide another visa for reentry as we couldn’t get a multiple entry visa at the embassy. He made it sound very straightforward.
We have noticed already that Ghanaians are really friendly and want to say hello. They seem to think really fondly of the British despite our shared past (slavery, colonialism and suchlike).
We tried to get a SIM card from an official MTN outlet but they will only allow one with a Ghanaian ID card so we bought one at the bus station (no questions asked or ID necessary!). We then went back to MTN to buy data because the street hawker was trying to cheat us!
There have been local elections in the area here and there is huge excitement here where we are staying that they will win even though votes haven’t yet been counted! They were riding in on motorbikes honking and raising their fists and shouting and whooping. They genuinely believe they will get change and I hope for their sakes that they are right.
We had hoped to stay in a national park tonight and see some wildlife (there are pangolins, bongos, monkeys, duikers etc there) but when we got there the accommodation looked fantastic but they wanted $25 to camp and the guiding was very expensive (you can’t go alone) and they didn’t seem very confident of us seeing much so we left. We are however staying in a lovely place next to the beach where the food is supposed to be really good (some Americans we met in Mauritania stayed here and wrote a review on the iOverlander app).
Lots of people passing this morning with sacks to collect fallen coconuts. One with a long pole to encourage them to fall. The owner tells me that he allows them to collect them to give them income to buy food and stop them stealing in the village. The owner spent 8 years in the US to study but came back to his homeland and runs a garage in Accra but has the campsite as a project in his home village. Last nights idyllic campsite:
The night view from the tent through the palms with the flickering lights of the night fishermen was amazing. We could have camped on the actual beach but I rather disapprove of vehicles on the beach (so should practice what I preach).
Passed a shop selling women’s wigs (they seem popular here in Ghana as they are in Kenya). We saw many posters in one country for hair straightening products for women. It seems so sad that these stereotypes persist and are being perpetuated.
20th December 2023 – We visited a stilt village (the people are thought to be Malian in origin having migrated several centuries ago). The boat ride takes around 40 minutes each way. The Dutch dug them a small canal around 2000. Before that they had to wade to get to boats on the river:
The High Street (complete with wheelie bins!):
Each family has a pathway crossing the main street. They have a leader appointed from within their royal family. We visited the school but exams finished yesterday so vacation time. Beautiful open water areas with water lilies (and the guide Charles):
We decided to stay another night on the beach at Atuabo. Tonight’s sunset:
21st December 2023 – Had the swivel hubs, gearbox, transfer box, front and rear differential oils checked at a small garage (Paul at Atuabo helped us locate it). They also greased the universal joints on the prop shaft. Second gear had been feeling notchy so I wanted it all checked out. Everything except the rear differential and transfer box needed topping up. I had heavy oils (not enough of exactly the right grades) and grease. The garage had neither. Found a shop to buy more gear oil (could only find 85/90 however). I figure that oil of close to specification is better than no oil!
We are staying at an ecocamp near Cape three points (Southern most tip of Ghana) run by a Canadian. Stunning view across the valley just before arrival:
Difficult 35 kilometre track from main road. The locals call you “Blondies” here!! (makes a change I suppose!).
Menu includes Lobster with yam chips at 150 cedis (£9.85). Wow! Definitely going to try that! Pleased to report it was 2 lobsters and delicious with homemade garlic mayonnaise. They do a malt drink here called Guinness Malta which I like. It reminds me of the Harar Sofi malt drink in Ethiopia. Ghanaians love Guinness it seems!
The beach here is the most amazing we have seen yet. Lined with tropical Almond trees:
Local boys are surfing (there is a surf school for them):
Tropical Almond, a member of the Leadwood family:
Huge empty beach:
There is 100 mbit per second fast internet on the phone in this remote location. Better than I get with fibre broadband in my home!
I said to a Ghanaian born friend of my father’s that we had found Ghanaians to be exceptionally friendly. He agreed that they were but would happily cheat you!
I have caught a cold but it is more tolerable in the heat than in Winter temperatures in the UK so will hopefully soon pass. Rachel had it first (caught from some fellow travellers we think) but it didn’t develop in to much.
A group of north Americans have lit a beacon of fire on the beach which is showering sparks inland. I am concerned for the thatched roofs downwind! With the onshore breeze it will thankfully burn out in no time.
Lots of night fishermen out tonight. I can see their lights flickering on the horizon.
22nd December 2023 – Walked to the lighthouse this morning built by the British in 1925 to replace a 19th century one that used fire.
Inside:
19th century lighthouse:
Stunning views of the coast (with Francis the friendly lighthouse keeper):
I talked with Francis (he visted the ecocamp), he is paid 2,000 cedi a month as Lighthouse keeper (around £1,500 per annum). A coke here is 110 cedi. He was recently interviewed to be permanent (it has always been a casual position despite being built in 1925!!) but he hasn’t heard the outcome. He sends half to support his mother and younger siblings. He is lucky to have work, life here is tough, hand to mouth.
One of the 3 points of Cape three points:
View from the Lighthouse up the coast to where we are staying:
There are whales here October/November. There is also a Turtle hatchery at the ecolodge but it is currently empty. Fishing with lines in small boats or nets in larger ones:
There is so much large scale illegal fishing (from Asia and Europe) in the Gulf of Guinea. It is a huge threat to Ghana. 1.1 million tonnes of fish are caught annually abd it is increasing every year. 70% of the world’s waters are now at the limit or overfished so it isn’t just a problem here. However the large boats are forcing the smaller local boats to go further to find fish.
3rd December 2023 – We are going to move further along the coast today. The ecocamp is nice but last night’s food was disappointing. Not wishing to appear prejudiced but there are too many (loud) Americans here too. Chatted to a German girl who is volunteering here (her internship fell through somewhere else). She was obviously very smitten with a Ghanaian Paul who built most of the buildings here. Whether it is reciprocated is more difficult to judge!
5 hours to travel 120 kilometres. There are primaries for the Elections next year and the road in Takoradi was blocked with truck loads of supporters of one persuasion or another. People were asking where we were going and I could only answer “Absolutely nowhere!”.
On the way we saw a sign for a Montessori Brainery School! Wonderful!
Samuel (aged 14) is selling bananas on the beach. He told me that his Grandmother would beat him if he didn’t sell them all by home time! An interesting Ghanaian sales tactic?
24th December 2023 – We look set to be here (Ampeni point) for Christmas. Nice Dutch owned campsite called Ko Sa. Had traditional Ghanaian Red Red Chicken last night which includes fried plantains and spicy black eyed beans. Very tasty! Wifi connection is seriously bad here though.
Visited Elmina Castle which is over 500 years old (built by the Portuguese in 1482) and was used first by the Portuguese, then Dutch and then British to house and then ship slaves to the new world. 1,000 slaves at a time kept for 2 or 3 months (although around 10% died there and 50% on the voyage). 100 to 150 in one dungeon. The Europeans here were without family and used the female prisoners sexually. The resultant “Mulattos” (as they called them) were educated as missionaries. Deeply moving visiting here. Terrible inhumanity perpetrated in this place, you can almost feel it viscerally . It is estimated that 11 million people were taken from Africa, (100,000 per annum) as slaves originally mostly by the Portuguese until the British controlled the trade. The guide told us that families were deliberately split up and cruelly were allowed to meet for one last time but not allowed to talk. At the end is the door of no return which leads to the ship in the harbour.
Male dungeon (contained 100 prisoners):
We also visited the fishing port and fish market:
A group of Dutch overlanders have arrived here (6 vehicles). They are each paying €13,500 per person for a 90 day tour of West Africa! Wow! That means €135,000 for the couple organising it. After expenses I think they must be making serious profits.
Had Pepper Chicken with Jollof rice for dinner. Wow sooooooo much chilli my lips are still tingling!! I had to pick a big pile of chillis out to be able to eat it! Tasty but serious chilli hiccups!!
25th December 2023 – The Dutch owners where we are staying say they have been here for 16 years and it still doesn’t feel like Christmas here in Ghana. It isn’t getting below 25 Celsius at night. Feels like 40 Celsius during the day because of the humidity.
Honeycomb weathering in the rocks here:
Bought some more Bananas from Samuel on the beach. I told him he was a good businessman. He agreed and I asked him if he was going to be President and he was pretty confident that he would be!
Harmattan is a season in West Africa that occurs between the end of November and the middle of March. It is characterized by the dry and dusty northeasterly trade wind, of the same name, which blows from the Sahara over West Africa into the Gulf of Guinea. It can make it quite hazy.
A dance and drum troupe here tonight for Christmas day evening. So much frenetic energy. Having trouble uploading videos at the moment (some will follow here in due course! But only small ones for the time being).
Our compact camera is misbehaving. Firstly it wouldn’t zoom and now it won’t meter or flash properly. So annoying.
26th December 2023 – We are staying at the Green Ranch on Lake Bosomtwe. It is eco and vegetarian food only. You are provided with filtered mineral water here. You can horse ride here and the horses are wandering around George and using the light guards to scratch their noses! We were greeted on arrival by Simien who loves the Land Rover!:
He is a real live wire and wanted to start the engine and press all the buttons! He used to live in Geneva and speaks French a lot of the time. His tutor Stan (Swiss but was living in Ibiza) chatted to us by the lake. Stan invited us to go swimming with them all there tomorrow morning.
Got adopted by a police officer George Awuso at a checkpoint today! They kept us there wanting to chat for twenty minutes (all good natured):
The senior officer kept giving me African handshakes and telling me that because we are dressed simply we must be seriously rich!
27th December 2023 – we swam in the lake at dawn with Stan and watched the sunrise, beautifully warm even at that time. Played badminton a bit with Simeon (although he struggles to concentrate and therefore doesn’t return the shuttlecock!). He wants to start the engine on the Land Rover, bless him, but we need to protect the battery. We managed to get a shuttlecock out of the tree with a rope over the branch! Just had a walk along the shore and returned to homemade refreshing lemonade.
The lake was formed by a Meteor strike a million years ago and is 86 metres deep. There are 6 such meteoric lakes around the world. The local fishermen use plank boats that aren’t hollowed out (so they don’t split). They have many nets in the lake and each family has their own area.
We decided to stay another night here. It is so chilled here and the veggie food is really good.
Went swimming at 5pm with Stan, Simien and his brother Menelik (named after the Ethiopian Emporer!). Great fun although Menelik had a bit of a paddy. Weirdly there are mosquito like insect here but they don’t bite!
28th December 2023 – Sunrise (6:30am) swim again in the crater lake (the others remain in bed!):
Simien insisted on starting the Land Rover but was dissuaded from actually driving it! The driveway to Green Ranch has a 30 degree slope. He is a good kid but rather challenging.
We have come to Kumasi to get a return visa at the immigration office. A senior officer was summoned and filled in the forms for us! We then had to do a letter to the Immigration Office asking for a re-entry visa in a photocopy shop in a container behind the office. What a strange nonsense. The re-entry visa is $75 each so not cheap. But unavoidable. We will hopefully have it tomorrow.
We are staying at Tumi Hostel, there are sewing classes for girls here and they sell everything made to aid the foundation that runs it. There is a restaurant and cafe too. We can camp here for 70 cedi (£4.58) per head with breakfast included.
Went to get some data top up at an MTN shop and the prices have shot up. Inflation here has been crazy in the last year but is supposed to have abated.
We have been provided with a mosquito coil here and can already feel we are being bitten. It was great being without mosquitoes for a while! Back to the sound of the Muezzin from the local Mosques too. Getting a tan now as we feel that it is okay to wear shorts without causing offence.
29th December 2023 – decided to get George washed, first time in 3 months. He is gleaming, but probably not for long! 50 cedi.
Visited the Kente weaving centre. Originally made for the Ashanti kings it seems it is now made for American tourists!
Rachel had a go on the loom and did quite well. Some of the patterns are complex and are committed to memory by the master weavers. There are also Cacao trees here:
We then went on to Bobiri forest and butterfly sanctuary where there are over 400 species of butterflies.
There is an arboretum with over 100 species of trees in one hectare.
31st December 2023 – stayed beside Lake Volta last night but noisy music and noisy frogs!!
Getting into Mango season and we drove through commercial plantations and there were plenty to buy beside the road.
Got the sad news that our friend and neighbour Charlie Maynard passed away, may he rest in peace.
Met up again with the Swiss couple we originally met in Morocco Roland and Claudia to catch up as they intend to ship to Namibia at some point soon.
Tonight we are in the mountains at Amedzofe where it is cooler. The place is called Mountain Paradise and it has an incredible view over the valley.
1st January 2024 – Happy New year! We thought this place would be peaceful but how wrong were we? A night church (quite common in Ghana apparently) went on all night. Incredibly repetitive and tuneless with it! It was an experience!!
Applied for Benin eVisa online. Got the document in minutes. Wow! Just need to find somewhere to print it now!
Walked to a small waterfall, 30 minutes each way along an up and down path and across a small stream twice. Absolutely dripping with sweat though. Only 30 degrees today but humid and UV is very high.
We think the night church was from the prayer camp so we are going to try and find out if they were bringing in the new year or will be at it again tonight. If they are we may move on!
We were assured that it was for new year but sadly they are at it again. Even worse tonight they are also speaking in tongues which is frankly profoundly disturbing. Just too weird. It got more and more frenzied and incoherent and went on repetitively for hours. Quite an experience, never come across anything like it.
We walked up there to ask them to turn it down. They absolutely refused! We explained that they had kept the whole valley awake on new years eve and that it wasn’t fair. Their response was that God would provide rest the following day!! They were clearly fanatical so more discussion was pointless so we left.
Lots of gnats here so lots of red bites.
2nd January 2024 – visited the Wli Agumatsa waterfalls today, the tallest in Ghana. 30 minute walk each way with some local kids tagging along but they were fun and wanted to swim. Today is a holiday in Ghana so the falls were packed but it was fun to see the Ghanaians having fun. They were chanting football songs!
There were a huge number of bats roosting around the falls.
So many Ghanaians said Welcome! or Hello! on the way. Really nice.
Missionaries certainly succeeded here in Ghana. There are no end of churches and religion is everywhere and usually at volume!
Return to Ghana
Return
13th January 2024 – Border took an hour and 10 minutes. 40 minutes of which was finding someone from Togo to stamp out the Carnet. We were sent from pillar to post. A Ghanaian customs official kindly helped us (he was muttering about his Togo counterparts!).
Staying the night on the Western side of Lake Volta at Rootsyard, an interesting mix of Rasta and Vegan owned by a British Ghanaian couple. The manager tried to charge us twice the rate for the camping, then handed us the menu with the correct price clearly shown! Doh! Hoist on his own petard!
Tasty spicy Jambalaya made with tofu. Delicious fresh fruit juice mix ( Orange, Banana and Mango).
Africa cup is being hosted by Côte d’Ivoire with games at 4 locations. Not sure what effect this will have on availability of accommodation when we get there. Hopefully camping will be fine.
14th January 2024 – We visited a waterfall at Adom. We said we didn’t need a guide but 15 year old Michael tagged along.
Michael then started to teach a fellow Ghanaian twice his age to swim which was really great to see. A very kind and generous act. The older man was making good progress with Michael’s tuition.
Michael playing in the waterfall:
We are staying at the Tree House near Aburi run by a Dutch guy Yao and his Ghanaian wife Adje. They have accommodation for conferences and also for digital nomads. Yao likes overlanders and is very welcoming. He stores vehicles for people who wish to return too. It used to be a holiday home but is now run as a business. The gardens are beautiful and it is so relaxed. They are kindly letting us use their washing machine!
15th January 2024 – Visited the Botanical Garden (originally started by the British in the 19th Century).
Inside Ficus vine that has strangled the original tree:
Lines of incredible Royal Palms:
Kofi (who is being adopted in the US) with carved trunk by a local artist:
We are Obroni here! (Twi language).
I would like to make a list of what we are called across Africa but it is honestly difficult to know where the boundaries are (between Yovo and Obroni for example!).
16th January 2023 – staying at Biriwa next to the beach. There is a kid of about 14 climbing the coconut palms at high speed and throwing them down. Nice breeze here so hoping for no Mosquitoes or sand flies!
17th January 2024 – keep checking for news of the fuel shortages in Guinea following the explosion. The situation looks better although most fuel stations are closed, fuel is available. We think we should be OK to cross with a fair wind.
Visited Cape Coast Castle – another slave port of the British Empire. Again very disturbing and very moving. Even greater numbers of slaves held and trafficked here than at Elmina. Barack and Michelle Obama have visited here.
Male slave dungeon:
There is traditional boat building here in the harbour. Albeit that they use chainsaws to speed up the process now!
Going to visit the rainforest in Kakum national park tomorrow so bush camping nearby. Curried Dal for dinner. Lovely camping spot next to forest.
18th January 2024 – the national park has a canopy walk. 40 metres up in the tree canopy. Amazing and different view of the forest.
Beautiful bark of the ebony tree (the forest elephants use it as a scratching post):
View from the canopy walkway:
I will upload a video when the connection allows! (finally on 5th April 2024!)
Returned to Ko Sa for the night for good food and great shower.
19th January 2024 – George wasn’t having a good day today. Firstly when driving along the engine lost power recovered briefly and then stopped. I tried to start it but it wouldn’t and the low battery warning was sounding. I checked all the battery connections and had a good look around under the bonnet and nothing amiss. George then started immediately! Not sure whether it was dirt in the fuel or electrical fault or what.
Later in the day I could hear something from the rear offside tyre and stopped to take a look. The tyre was deflating and I could hear air escaping from a curved crack in the wall of the tyre. We turned around an went to Takoradi (nearest town). Richard, the tyre man said it needed a tube. Our spare (brand new) has a tube because it is an old rim so we got him to swap the tyres over. Our tube looked a bit perished but Richard provided a new heavy duty one. He had modern wheel balancing equipment etc so was just the man. Richard and George (new friends):
