tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39458878455206755092024-03-13T02:32:23.663+00:00Happy Adventuresmy skies are blueClairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.comBlogger75125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-88089821810774145312017-02-28T19:03:00.000+00:002017-02-28T19:03:03.198+00:00Travel Lessons<br />
What have I learnt when I've travelled? There are so many different ways to experience travel. I've hitched to Morocco, been on exchange to Australia, volunteered in Ghana, worked in Croatia, studied in Grenada and celebrated in Germany. I've had the best of experiences but each had brought it's own important lessons.<br />
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MOROCCO<br />
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Lesson 1: People are kind and you can survive sleeping outside a service station<br />
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It was my first year of uni and hitching to Morocco with 2 of my new friends to raise money for charity seemed like an absolutely great idea. You know what it was, you may not speak to language or have any idea what someone's saying to you, but you can raise a thumb, point at a map and apparently make it all the way from England to Morocco. People were so lovely to us from the French van driver who pressed baguettes and cheese into our hands as he dropped us off to the the impromptu Spanish tour guide who wanted to show us all his favourites spots in Tarragona. Hitching sounds like it could be terrifying but really it takes the best kind of people to pick up a few desperate strangers on the side of the road. <br />
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Also... if you have to turn down a lift with a drunk driver in favour of sleeping outside a service station with the mice it's probably still a good choice.<br />
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AUSTRALIA<br />
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Lesson 2: Put yourself out there and don't drink goon out of a schooner glass.<br />
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Knowing me now you could be a little surprised that I was a super shy kid who wouldn't talk to anybody. Moving to Australia forced me to get out there and meet people. When you move to the other side of the world you really don't have much of a choice. I'm a much more confident person now, and I'm sure it would have happened anyway, but getting outside your comfort zone really speeds that process up.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaX7VOOPezrpbP-LPGwzYn5nqo0EUG8Sx-_AaLIz3FwtR0mi8W-jGORyhMkOPZrnVmB_kG7hQL8uUzhIXj41FzXzXZN5YXRQGPywgnAina9gW-V65b16nPJtGTzRRzvIhEI-_z-s7HI0w/s1600/72042_10150350058875597_1117471_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXaX7VOOPezrpbP-LPGwzYn5nqo0EUG8Sx-_AaLIz3FwtR0mi8W-jGORyhMkOPZrnVmB_kG7hQL8uUzhIXj41FzXzXZN5YXRQGPywgnAina9gW-V65b16nPJtGTzRRzvIhEI-_z-s7HI0w/s640/72042_10150350058875597_1117471_n.jpg" width="480" /></a><br />
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Also...if you don't want to be sick into a Macdonalds bag don't drink goon out of schooner glasses.<br />
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GHANA<br />
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Lesson 3: You don't have to like travelling on your own and choose you're skinny dipping locations carefully<br />
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I would genuinely put my time in Ghana down as on of the best times of my life. I went there to volunteer in a hospital and was living in a house with people doing lots of different volunteer projects. We all became super close and spent our free time travelling, drinking and partying in a very hedonistic fashion. But in my last week I knew exactly what I wanted to do, I was going to go to Mole National Park and see a wild elephant. Unfortunately noone else was able to come with me, but seeing an elephant was the dream and I was going to do it anyway. I travelled up there using the local buses over a few days seeing monkeys and waterfalls on the way but you know what? I was bored. I wasn't treading the typical backpacker path (I literally didn't see another white person for days) and although I did see elephants and it was amazing and it was a dream, it would have just been so much better if I had someone to share it with. I don't want to be that strong independent female traveller, I'll take having friends to hang out with any day. As soon as I'd seen the elephants I bought my ticket on the fancy tourist bus and hotfooted it back to Accra arriving at 3am the next day. We enjoyed the rest of the weekend on the beach at Big Millie's reggae party.<br />
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Oh and if you do decide that that beautiful ocean is calling your skinny dipping name maybe try and do it near where you're staying so you don't have to walk back soaking wet through the village in front of all the locals...<br />
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CROATIA<br />
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Lesson 4: It might look like the dream but it doesn't mean it is the dream and tequila is not a suitable substitute for a jaegerbomb<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I loved working in Croatia and it was absolutely a dream job. But there's a point when the millionth person is telling you that you're living the dream and your life is a holiday that you feel like you might snap. Yes I live on a boat in one of the most beautiful places in the world, I jump in the sea daily and get paid to drink all day but I've also looked after countless drunk people, sat up half the night in hospital, comforted people in distress, broke up fights and barely slept in 6 weeks despite being so ill I wake up coughing so hard I vomit. We judge people so easily seeing the best of compilations of their lives on social media, completely disregarding the hard work that's enabled people to be in those position's. It's so easy to be jealous when we don't even understand what we're jealous of. Live the life you're in, don't waste time wishing it was something else.<br />
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And if you're going to sub in a shot because you don't do jagaerbombs, don't choose tequila because you will be sick into the sea.<br />
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GRENADA<br />
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Lesson 5: May as well have a go and torsion is key<br />
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I had no plans to sit the entrance exam for the Grenada until Dani persuaded me to do it the night before because it would be good exam practise. I somehow managed to score in the top 20 and get a place on the trip to Grenada. Studying in Grenada was a great opportunity that I so nearly didn't even attempt to take. It reminded me how worthwhile it is to get involved even if you don't think anything will come of it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyuNEW8nrdeaaOH1ZYIcuBHc5LhS3647HRt48aqtZ_1MvPkXnIEtLPW2J0y2xRE9ihZLyrSEaGE2lhrocY3CLcqB60mo-HH0BWDbFPEz1xK7t8y3eq71_U7G0sep1KMY1mdnjEAYtx5KB/s1600/11741079_10152940572622019_5841186637743628151_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqyuNEW8nrdeaaOH1ZYIcuBHc5LhS3647HRt48aqtZ_1MvPkXnIEtLPW2J0y2xRE9ihZLyrSEaGE2lhrocY3CLcqB60mo-HH0BWDbFPEz1xK7t8y3eq71_U7G0sep1KMY1mdnjEAYtx5KB/s640/11741079_10152940572622019_5841186637743628151_o.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Also if you ever try to stand on an inflatable in the sea, remember -torsion is key.<br />
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GERMANY<br />
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Lesson 6: Travel will break you and it will create you<br />
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We finished our 2nd year exams and 3 days later found ourselves discovering the wonders of slap cup on a campsite in Germany for Oktoberfest. The rest of the week it rained and rained, our tents flooded and we were constantly either drunk or hungover, but it was probably the very best week of my life. We went as 4 buddies but came back as the best friends a girl could ask for. I have never ever laughed so much as that trip. Despite the shit conditions, there's nothing like climbing on a table, stein in hand, singing to Abba to make memories.<br />
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<i>This post is part of GoEuro's #travellessons competition to win a trip to Europe.</i><br />
<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-28240147557182289032015-08-07T21:12:00.003+01:002015-08-07T21:14:56.674+01:00That feeling you get...There's a feeling you get when you go to a new country and you just seem to fit . It's nothing you can put your finger on, you just know that this is a place you're supposed to be. I felt that way in Ghana, I felt that way in Croatia, I even felt it on a weekend away to Amsterdam. But Grenada, you just haven't done it for me. Your beaches are perfect and your waterfalls are beautiful - I just don't think I'll be back.<br />
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This time it's the people who've made the trip for me. I knew most of you to begin with, some were even good friends but I've come out of this with people I can't imagine not knowing.<br />
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Cookie breaks with body buddies, an endless game of bullshit, deep and meaningfuls on the beach, toothpaste thieves, kfc lunch dates, always open doors, thriller dancing, hash running, pineapple saving, girly nights out, turtle watching, cocktail drinking, copious eating, boat driving, door to door, Lucy dancing, inflatable fun, all of the sunsets, sea beers, road beers, volcano beers...<br />
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I'd like to think that Grenada played a part in this, and it did provide a nice backdrop, but I think these great times would have happened wherever we were. That feeling you get isn't just for countries. Bring on the fondue parties.<br />
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And remember...<br />
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"Torsion is key"<br />
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and<br />
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"It's only fun if you might die."<br />
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-44593115507291190542015-07-03T13:27:00.001+01:002015-07-03T13:55:39.627+01:00Revival<div dir="ltr">
It seems about time that I revived this long lost blog. I seem to have missed out the Croatia chapter of my life here (many shenanigans were had) buuuut... let's skip to the good bit. I'm currently 3 days in to a 70 day Carribean adventure!</div>
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I'm currently on the island of Grenada here to study at St George's University for 4 weeks doing anatomy dissection. How I ended up with a place on this trip is completely baffling when I started with absolutely no intention of going but Danni walked into my kitchen 2 days before claiming it would be good revision practise to sit the exam. A random tick of the box saying I did indeed want to go on the trip (just to see if I could) and hear I am a few months later, 1st year medical school exams passed and about to embark on a sunny, sandy...body filled adventure.<br />
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My first impressions of this place were a cleaner, more developed version of Ghana, where houses were complete and thankfully toilet facilities seem to exist for everybody. No awful beach encounters so far!<br />
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A jet lagged 6am walk on the beach on our first day involved a medley of new friends to be made. The beach was full of joggers and people taking an early morning swim -even what seemed to look like a business meeting was occurring in the water. <br />
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One of the best encounters so far was with 'Rasta Frank' who politely enquired to Danni and I "What is your fitness regime?", hilarity ensued as exercise is so rare in our lives that I'm not quite sure what that word means anymore. " It must be in the genes" exclaimed Rasta Frank before enquiring on whether we liked to read the bible. <br />
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We spent the first real night at a Full moon beach party (with a brief detour to hang out with some new friends in a beauty salon while the rest of the group is driving around trying to find us -whoops, sorry guys :s). A live band, a sea view and some rather strong drinks added up to a great time dancing. Minor incident with a cactus in the bushes not withstanding.<br />
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Plan for today looks like a trip to the local fish market. I'm slightly confused about why this comes so highly recommended but time will tell, and I guess fish is delicious :).<br />
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P.s. I'm having some issues uploading pictures from my phone. I'll try to add these in at some point. For piccies check @itsclairek on Instagram :)
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beaut</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mermaiding</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Selfie stick :)</td></tr>
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<br />Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0St. George's University Grand Anse Campus, Grand Anse, The Lime12.022917 -61.762505tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-47206366295038609162014-05-07T21:28:00.001+01:002014-05-07T21:28:44.759+01:00Have I mentioned?<p>Today was my last day at home for a while. Tomorrow I’m heading to London and on Friday I start training to become a Tour Guide with Busabout. It’s actually a dream job - I’m going to be sailing around the Adriatic Sea with their <a href="http://www.busabout.com/adventures/croatia-sail-tour" target="_blank">Croatia Sailing</a> product.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-5LB3-oL_fWI/U2qXc1keAAI/AAAAAAAAB1I/GRb_ImK0U2o/s1600-h/Bluebell%252520woods%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Bluebell woods" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Bluebell woods" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-7tTY_D-G7xc/U2qXeowHhLI/AAAAAAAAB1Q/6OGj0-p4QpI/Bluebell%252520woods_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="382" height="508" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Bluebell Woods on my last day at home.</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>I’m a little bit terrified but so excited to be spending my summer in the sun. In my training trip alone I’m going to be going to 4 countries I’ve never, ever been to before –Austria, Germany, Italy and Bosnia & Herzegovina. I think it might be a little bit amazing :D.</p> <p> </p> <p>I remember going to the interview and thinking ‘I’m going to have to be annoyingly outgoing today’, that’s going to be my whole summer (although hopefully not too annoying)! It’s so strange to think that I went from being a super shy child to someone who’s about to start leading groups of 30 around cities sightseeing and partying…well, as long as I pass training trip… </p> <p> </p> <p>So, I’ll see you in a while –once I’m done being the person you’re jealous of on instagram  ;) .</p> <p> </p> <p>X</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-83375899280474075842014-04-29T10:35:00.000+01:002014-04-29T10:35:00.537+01:00A Really Long Walk<p>Windsor has to be one of my favourite places in the UK, I’m always trying to find a reason to go there. So for my birthday weekend my bestie Mel and I went for afternoon tea at the <a href="http://happy-adventures.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/tea-with-queen-in-windsor.html" target="_blank">Crooked House</a>. It was very cute inside, we went up a tiny, tiny staircase to what I’m sure must be the best seat in the house, looking out at all the tourists taking photos of us. We had a traditional cream tea with such delicious scones, warm out the oven.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-qj9tfuUf0T4/U1t977vhysI/AAAAAAAABzU/777-F7kR8lU/s1600-h/Windsor%252520Castle%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Windsor Castle" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Windsor Castle" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/--sZ9IerK5fc/U1t99scc6YI/AAAAAAAABzc/J-Xix7zXCdM/Windsor%252520Castle_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="624" height="469" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Bestie looking like a film star</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>And then we did what I thought could never be done. We walked the long walk. And guys it’s really, really, really long. You just can’t tell because it’s so straight. We had a couple of hours and thought of course it’s be fine only to end up running back to the car before our parking ran out. Totally worth it though, we just really didn’t want to fail.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-IN-yAE5e39U/U1t9_IHd-ZI/AAAAAAAABzk/GFog9GH_eFA/s1600-h/A%252520really%252520long%252520walk%252520windsor%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="A really long walk windsor" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="A really long walk windsor" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f9KLhcm9TYA/U1t-AGK74ZI/AAAAAAAABzs/F5FKCL8p920/A%252520really%252520long%252520walk%252520windsor_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="453" height="603" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>So, So far</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-01W2TlI4YTA/U1t-BBgW1vI/AAAAAAAABz0/ZIRFBN0HMZg/s1600-h/Horse%252520statue%252520Windsor%252520Long%252520Walk%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Horse statue Windsor Long Walk" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Horse statue Windsor Long Walk" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-EuAi0zm85QQ/U1t-CCj9y1I/AAAAAAAABz8/wD9Ld1ypgok/Horse%252520statue%252520Windsor%252520Long%252520Walk_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="469" height="624" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Made it!</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-S4wQAO447iQ/U1t-Dbt1U-I/AAAAAAAAB0E/hxXqZBf8OGY/s1600-h/Windsor%252520Long%252520Walk%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Windsor Long Walk" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Windsor Long Walk" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-J0dcDbXtZFw/U1t-ECiVL1I/AAAAAAAAB0M/fm20IfW-L0Y/Windsor%252520Long%252520Walk_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="613" height="461" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>View from the top –there’s a castle down there somewhere…</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HJrvU5OrYeA/U1t-FEluftI/AAAAAAAAB0U/SRX774hAJbw/s1600-h/Made%252520it%252520Windsor%252520Long%252520Walk%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Made it Windsor Long Walk" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Made it Windsor Long Walk" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-jCc4GsDSIa8/U1t-GEq2SYI/AAAAAAAAB0c/mRbMVdI-5ZQ/Made%252520it%252520Windsor%252520Long%252520Walk_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="459" height="610" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Let me take a selfie.</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Windsor just gets better every time, even if you do have to go for an unexpected jog,</p> <p> </p> <p>X</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-63890276093355505092014-04-26T09:37:00.001+01:002014-04-26T09:38:02.592+01:00Newsflash<p>I’ve been living at home for the last 9 months, working a lot and generally not getting up to much. But I haven’t been wasting my time, there was a reason I moved home, a reason I quit my job and volunteered in a hospital in Ghana. I’ve been applying to study graduate medicine. It’s been a horrible, stressful experience filled with personal statements and interviews….and rejection after rejection. Until, on my birthday when we were heading for a day at Noah’s Ark Farm Zoo, we ended up lost sat in a pub car park. I looked up from the book I was reading (Allegiant –it’s great) to see an email on my phone with ‘offer’ in the title. I couldn’t quite believe it when I read I had an offer to study medicine from the University of Warwick. I had to get my mum to read it to check it was true. Thankfully it was, my parents looked like they were about to cry and I thought I might genuinely faint if I stood it up. </p> <p> </p> <p>It’s finally settled in now, I’m going to be a student again, and after that I’m going to do the job I was meant for. Hopefully I’ll even one day be able to work for <a href="http://www.msf.org.uk/" target="_blank">Medecins Sans Frontieres</a> (my life goal). It’s funny to think that I know where I’m going to be here for the next 4 years –I’d been making back up plans to travel the world!</p> <p> </p> <p>Last weekend we went to visit the uni and Leamington Spa where a lot of medical students live. I’m hoping to get into campus accommodation for the first year –it all looked pretty nice, big brick houses in a little student village. The medical school is a 15 minute walk away but it’s the most beautiful walk through a campus I’ve ever seen (at least in the UK, UQ in Australia was pretty nice). Warwick has it’s own nature reserve with ponds and woods to walk through to get to the medical school. There’s a cycle path too, a little uphill but at least at the end of the day I could just roll all the way home. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-gsu1AxVcXMY/U1tv8AlSZHI/AAAAAAAABws/afjkqHesU-s/s1600-h/Warwick%252520University%252520Nature%252520Park%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Warwick University Nature Park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Warwick University Nature Park" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9XOdc15izy8/U1tv9pFi-iI/AAAAAAAABw0/E0D0ot1hGD4/Warwick%252520University%252520Nature%252520Park_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="438" height="582" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Nature Reserve</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UuZqxh8b260/U1tv_G4Hp6I/AAAAAAAABw8/ylb5jL49AiQ/s1600-h/Warwick%252520University%252520Lake%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Warwick University Lake" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Warwick University Lake" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HP-zKFUkcRw/U1twAFiKW8I/AAAAAAAABxE/Sf7GcbMvMk8/Warwick%252520University%252520Lake_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="441" height="587" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>This is where I’ll walk</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-EH6XuE4rB9Q/U1twB3PlsxI/AAAAAAAABxM/0zvECDJh3OM/s1600-h/Warwick%252520University%252520Woods%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Warwick University Woods" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Warwick University Woods" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-iDgC3W3UL2U/U1twDVjN-cI/AAAAAAAABxU/fIEOqmHYA0Q/Warwick%252520University%252520Woods_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="447" height="595" /></a></p> <p align="center">Lexie liked it too :)</p> <p> </p> <p>It was the Easter holidays so the uni was pretty quiet and a lot of places were shut. There’s a lot of places to go at the student union though and an arts centre which looked pretty fun. We stopped for lunch at a pub on campus then headed on to Leamington Spa. It was a really beautiful town, with a lovely, lovely park I could see myself revising in. </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-jRFNn2aXHPM/U1twFepy1aI/AAAAAAAABxc/qsPmNSjX4kU/s1600-h/Leamington%252520Spa%252520Town%252520Hall%25255B11%25255D.jpg"><img title="Leamington Spa Town Hall" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Leamington Spa Town Hall" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-T33vbPCKtQg/U1twGIzw3oI/AAAAAAAABxk/EkPAvUX-K6w/Leamington%252520Spa%252520Town%252520Hall_thumb%25255B8%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="384" height="511" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Leamington Spa Town Hall</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-vrCTdO6hTjQ/U1twIg-bRxI/AAAAAAAABxs/zuvq8-LB66g/s1600-h/Leamington%252520Spa%252520Park%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Leamington Spa Park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Leamington Spa Park" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-S3ljzNxUVXE/U1twJwDNajI/AAAAAAAABx0/b45jG--qtaA/Leamington%252520Spa%252520Park_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="581" height="437" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The park in Leamington Spa</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-H0W2acDGcws/U1twLtFVEKI/AAAAAAAABx8/6fPLOG45Ooc/s1600-h/Leamington%252520Spa%252520Flowers%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="Leamington Spa Flowers" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Leamington Spa Flowers" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-56gA_QGr0hI/U1twM_PchCI/AAAAAAAAByE/LNUQJAWfLj0/Leamington%252520Spa%252520Flowers_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="383" height="509" /></a> <p align="center"><strong><em>Pretty flowers</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>It was way nicer than I’d ever expected. Can’t wait to get started :).</p> <p> </p> <p>X</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-70545939884408622782014-04-01T10:47:00.000+01:002014-04-01T10:47:47.939+01:00Ghana Shenanigans–Every day life<p>The little things are what come to mind when I think about Ghana. The walk down the hill to catch the tro-tro, stopping at Baba’s on the way for some juice or water. Buying fan ice from the little carts that people pushed around. Taking a break from the hospital to hunt for Bofrot (doughnuts) and everyone knowing me there as their local obruni. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-d09hzeolS4c/Utkm2yi2bgI/AAAAAAAABjw/cObcUY6PgPs/s1600-h/156_1323%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><font color="#888888"></font><img title="156_1323" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="156_1323" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FfJQ2hi4qAY/Utkm33m0hKI/AAAAAAAABj4/EJsPVczsIws/156_1323_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="512" height="385" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>My bofrot lady</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p>Pool bar, so much time spent here that Nana or Betsy would automatically bring me a club when I arrived. So many Clubs were drunk (huge bottle of Ghanaian lager). Buying kebabs when dinner had been gross. Trying to take over DJ responsibilities so we could dance to Chop my money and Azonto. I miss Ghanaian music so much! One time we even found the actual pool table that we named the bar after, up some stairs with no rails so you could drop off either side, making me feel like I was in Temple Run. My 2 pet kittens that lived at the bar and I would occasionally be able to catch, until they disappeared suspiciously. Even the walk to pool bar, over walls and through gardens saying hello to everyone because they all seemed to know who we were. So many good nights there. And that time Tom and I decided to darty (daytime party) there, only to get home around 7 and realise that we were supposed to be having dinner with everyone (including the director and staff) for Yikes birthday. I was terribly drunk! That was an odd meal cheese with salt and pepper to start, plain pasta with boiled chicken and a cheesy triangle to finish. </p> <p> </p> <p>Drinking from water sachets- so convenient and cheap, I wish we had them here. I especially miss people selling stuff through the windows of the tro-tro. From relatively normal things like snacks and drinks to coat hangers, flannels, posters and once I even saw a coffee table. I miss the tro-tros the most convenient public transport as there was always one going past so you never had to wait to long. It was my favourite when you got on 1 with a tv screen and watched the crazy African programmes with the most ridiculous premises. The best ones involved magic as the special effects were excellent. </p> <p> </p> <p>Visiting Matilda the seamstress to get some clothes or souvenirs made. She made me the most beautiful patchwork blanket. Then there was that time when I tagged along with the microfinance volunteers who wanted to sell her things on ebay and made me model them. </p> <p> </p> <p>Going to the mall because we couldn’t cope with Ghanaian food any longer and needed to buy pizza or chips. The food was not particularly good. We were provided with dinner every night at the house and it was either edible but plain (fried rice and pasta), absolutely horrendous (fish paste) or swimming in oil (red-red –which I actually found pretty delicious, it’s made of spicy beans and served with plantain). </p> <p> </p> <p>Going to the hotel across the road for a breakfast of omelette, bread and milo or chicken and chips for lunch. Finding that another volunteer was already there and having great chats. I miss the other volunteers the most. I miss being surrounded by friends, always having someone to talk to and never being alone. When you live together so closely you can’t help but make great friends and I really believe I will know some of these people forever. The people I met there are some of the best people I’ve ever met. When you go somewhere like that to volunteer, you’ve got to be a certain kind of person who loves adventure but wants to make a difference in peoples lives. And it turns out that is my favourite sort of person.</p> <p> </p> <p>Street library! I occasionally tagged along to street library and it was the most intense but fun and rewarding experience. We would go out in the van with the music blaring over the tannoy and the kids would start to run after us. When we arrived at the location for the day we’d get all the books out and read with the kids. The ages ranged from tiny tots who didn’t know any English to teenagers who needed to be told to get harder books because they were reading so well already. We stayed for a few hours but by the end noone could concentrate anymore and we ended up playing games. The girls taught me their hand clapping games and I attempted to teach them ‘A sailor went to sea’. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-UiIdvvNGnys/Utkm59gYa7I/AAAAAAAABkA/io9v81DBDlo/s1600-h/156_1320%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="156_1320" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="156_1320" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-DHmrLVUaOCM/Utkm65ThdcI/AAAAAAAABkI/MWWSf_IFi7E/156_1320_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="533" height="401" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Street Library –I let them do my hair…</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>I miss the friendliness of Ghana, everyone was always happy to speak with you and if you had a problem would do anything to try and help. I don’t miss being an Obruni though. Being white gave you something of a celebrity status, kids would wave and shout Obruni at you and be so excited to see you all the time and I’d often feel like I was getting special treatment just because I was white. I know we kind of stand out there but it did seem something of an extreme reaction. So many men would tell me they loved me and want to marry me, purely because I was white, they would have literally just seen me and started talking to me and decide this. I spoke to Richard who worked at the house about it and he told me that in Ghana if you like a woman you have to tell her you love her straight away to show that you are serious. This is so at odds with my views as I just think how could you possibly love someone you don’t even know. I guess I just don’t believe in love at first sight.</p> <p> </p> <p>My time in Ghana was genuinely the best time of my life. When I was there I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The people I met were amazing, the country is beautiful and I feel like the Western world could learn a lot from the culture and attitudes of the people there. I wish at home people were as friendly and peaceful as they were in Ghana. It really made me feel like we should be more grateful for what we have and stop focusing on the next thing we want to buy or wasting our time not appreciating the people in our lives. Ghana, you’ve been great.</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-9575850493175414792014-03-30T18:29:00.000+01:002014-03-30T18:29:00.149+01:00Those final days in Ghana–Awkward moments and a perfect weekend<p>Sometimes British politeness can lead to some really awkward situations. After I’d finally seen an elephant it seemed like a good time to figure out how I was going to get home. I was sat outside checking flights when some older Lebanese guys thought I looked like a good candidate for a chat.  This was all fine, they gave me advice on what sites to look at for flights. Then they both wanted photos with me, but that’s something you kind of get used to being a white person in Ghana. Fine. Then they offered to give me a lift back to the airport with them the next day and <em>pay</em> <em>for everything</em> for me to stay an extra day. So strange! A very generous offer but I didn’t really fancy hanging out with them for 2 days. I hate those awkward situations where people are so insistent you feel rude to refuse and rude to accept. So I politely excused myself and hotfooted it out of there, deciding to figure out how I was going to get back en route. </p> <p> </p> <p>One of the students who was on the safari gave me a lift back to town on the back of one of the guides bikes- a much speedier journey than the first one! So fun! I got the bus on to Tamale which just happened to be there when we arrived and made the terrifying decision to take an 11 hour bus journey home. I splashed out and spent 50C on the last ticket for the VIP bus. We left at 4pm and really it wasn’t that bad. I slept most of the way and luckily it passed by ACP Junction (the turning where the volunteer house was) so I was able to go straight home. Unfortunately had to knock on the door and wake the housemates up at 3am because someone had locked me out but I’d made it home! </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-R66GZ8vpMdI/UzML9Se6yeI/AAAAAAAABuk/vyEiQerNZdk/s1600-h/VPWA%252520house%25255B6%25255D.jpg"><img title="VPWA house" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="VPWA house" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Z7evI-BAeFk/UzML-kzzPWI/AAAAAAAABus/y_06ontjV2k/VPWA%252520house_thumb%25255B7%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="608" height="446" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>View from the VPWA house</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Sitting in my ‘real’ home in the UK I feel like it should be weird to call Accra home, but it really did feel that way. I was going home to the amazing friends I’d made and the place I’d been living for the last 2 months. It was good to be back. I was so happy to see everyone the next day but had no idea what to do with my last weekend. I’d been planning to go to the Volta region to see Wli falls (the biggest waterfalls in Ghana) but the others were planning to go back to Big Millies. I tried to persuade them to come with me but they were having none of it. In the end the decision was easy. My trip had made me miss my friends and I wanted to spend my last weekend with them. People over places every time.</p> <p> </p> <p>It turned out to be one of those <em>perfect</em> weekends which only happen every few years, when you are so happy about everything that nothing could possibly make it any better. We went out for a final night in Accra on the Friday, having my last Cardinal shots in Container, and partying with the students in Duplex. Accra is a great night out! Had a weird morning when Lizzie the cleaner woke me up to move me out of my room for someone else to move in. That was pretty sad, I loved my little room and had to go nap in Ana’s room instead. We headed to Kokrobite in the afternoon, squeezing in a quick nap before an epic night at Big Millies. A revealing game of I’ve Never, pretending to sing along with the band on stage and finally ticking skinny dipping off the bucket list made for a perfect last night out.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RzFmCJEjSD8/UzML_5V1bpI/AAAAAAAABu0/4WP9WWICj-A/s1600-h/On%252520stage%252520Big%252520Millies%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="On stage Big Millies" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="On stage Big Millies" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-B37HGTTBsHo/UzMMBFTCSdI/AAAAAAAABu8/UuK4gXhLSAI/On%252520stage%252520Big%252520Millies_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="605" height="437" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>I definitely belong in this band…</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Sunday was spent lazing on the beach, swimming in the sea, and for Lauren –pretending to be French to fend off unwanted advances. Did have an embarrassing moment though –I’m not sure if this happens to anyone else, but instead of falling over when drunk I do it the next day. Walking back in from the beach to Big Millies I feel flat on my face, into the sand, when wearing a bikini. Sand everywhere! The Ghanaian stall holders came running over “I’m sorry”, “I’m sorry” like it was their faulty my hangovers show themselves in an inability to stay upright. My friend John helped me up (He thinks we’re destined to be together because he saw me at Elmina as well as multiple times at Big Millies). I brushed myself off and quickly ran back out to the beach where noone knew what had happened.</p> <p> </p> <p>That evening, back home, I went to Pool Bar to say my final goodbyes to Nana and Betty. I still miss them and their extremely efficient service, serving us clubs as soon as they saw us sit down. It’s great being a local somewhere. The next day was full of goodbyes, a final lunch at the hotel and some last minute souvenir purchases. I was so, so sad to leave. Ghana had become my home and I wasn’t ready to move on yet. I’d had the greatest time with the most amazing people that I will never forget .  I’m sure I’ll be back one day but I don’t imagine it could ever be the same. Ghana is progressing rapidly and in a few years I’m sure it’ll be a popular tourist destination. Hopefully that doesn’t take away any of the magic.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-RZ6w4PvpO-k/UzMMCBrMI3I/AAAAAAAABvE/Ie8n-N_o-fU/s1600-h/VPWA%252520ghana%25255B7%25255D.jpg"><img title="VPWA ghana" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="VPWA ghana" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-702ljS4tJlU/UzMMDK44I7I/AAAAAAAABvM/vY7ewT7tbx4/VPWA%252520ghana_thumb%25255B5%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="338" height="449" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Last day with my boys</em></strong></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p>Ghana I miss you!</p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-57537751380242402172014-03-28T09:44:00.000+00:002014-03-28T09:44:00.087+00:00Mole National Park–Walking Safari<p>‘Walking Safari’ doesn’t that sound ridiculous, like you’re going to get eaten by a lion? Luckily I survived but it was pretty touch and go.</p> <p> </p> <p>This was actually one of the best things I have done in my life. Where else are you allowed to go wandering through a safari park looking for animals for about a fiver? So cheap and worth so much more. </p> <p> </p> <p>I woke up early even for a 7am safari. I was excited like it was my birthday. Today was the day i would hopefully see an elephant in the wild. Pretty much the reason I came to Ghana (…maybe a little something to do with <a href="http://happy-adventures.blogspot.com/2013/10/hospital-volunteering-in-ghana.html" target="_blank">volunteering</a> too).</p> <p> </p> <p> <a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ckOuGC-MNGw/UzFQbTsY7_I/AAAAAAAABsk/KylitAQrOLY/s1600-h/Early%252520Morning%252520view%252520of%252520Mole%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Early Morning view of Mole" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Early Morning view of Mole" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-9UFTIw1YhXc/UzFQcy8P2_I/AAAAAAAABss/dXRikrgEcHE/Early%252520Morning%252520view%252520of%252520Mole_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="613" height="461" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Early morning view from the lodge</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">By now there were loads of people staying at the park. They’d all turned up on the tourist coach from Tamale late the previous evening. I was so happy I’d got here early and already been on safari instead of being on the bus all day. We got split into 3 separate groups for the walking tour. I went with my roomie and her friend who I’d hung out with the night before (benefits of staying in dorms). Weirdly I saw some girls there who I’d met at Green Turtle Lodge, although it took me a while to figure out how I knew them. Ghana is a pretty small country for tourists -you will see the same people over and over again!</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">We set off to the staff village where an elephant had been seen that morning. Unfortunately she’d already left by the time we got there and all we had to admire was her poop. The guide started following her tracks, showing us the footprints and where she had brushed mud high up along the foliage. It was quite a strange experience to be honest as our guide was very quiet and was only talking in his local language to 2 people who turned out to be students working at the park. We were all pretty confused but the students were amazingly helpful at explaining everything he wasn’t telling us and as long as he found us an elephant I would be happy! Tracking seemed to go on forever and I was starting to worry that we were never going to find one. We kept retracing our steps and going in different directions making us think the guide had lost his way. And then we got a call on the walkie talkie, the people who had gone in a jeep had found an elephant –too far away for us to get to. I was pretty sad at this point, and was even wondering if we could go back and get a jeep to find it. But we went down to the plains to see what else we could see instead. </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">As were walking we came across a fresh leopard print from earlier that day. Not exactly an animal I was hopeful of seeing on a walking safari! Luckily he didn’t materialise :).</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-WxQqortr_xc/UzFQfG4644I/AAAAAAAABs0/hWmJkvfxjNE/s1600-h/Leopard%252520footprint%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Leopard footprint" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Leopard footprint" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-f8qp2MLIBCM/UzFQg3wqm7I/AAAAAAAABs8/KdjpkqAO0WE/Leopard%252520footprint_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="621" height="467" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Leopard Footprint</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">We were moving down the hill towards the waterhole I had visited the day before when we got a call from another walking group. The elephants were by the river, on our side, exactly where we were heading to. We started creeping along trying to be quiet when we rounded a bush to find 2 elephants right there, just a couple of metres away. i happened to be right behind the guide at this point and forgetting about the need to be quiet let out an “Oh shit!” –he wasn’t pleased. I was so happy we’d found them and never expected to get this close. They walked past us and then one stood for a while, posing perfectly for our photographs. </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-vZX0AILyeaw/UzFQihRLjYI/AAAAAAAABtE/0-qSEXZFLus/s1600-h/Elephants%252520walking%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park%25255B13%25255D.jpg"><img title="Elephants walking Mole National Park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Elephants walking Mole National Park" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-434Xf6RM04o/UzFQj1dsC4I/AAAAAAAABtM/kWFOr1nAuLM/Elephants%252520walking%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park_thumb%25255B10%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="618" height="464" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Our Elephants</em></strong></p> <p align="left"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-sjqMK4hcaYg/UzFQlLYQXSI/AAAAAAAABtU/BHxvE8br-ss/s1600-h/Elephant%252520tail%252520mole%252520national%252520park%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Elephant tail mole national park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Elephant tail mole national park" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-bheRqKVuAf0/UzFQmEH_PxI/AAAAAAAABtc/M5QANSIwXus/Elephant%252520tail%252520mole%252520national%252520park_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="385" height="512" /></a></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>“Look at my tail!”</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-FctoGoBFy7c/UzFQnc5kWLI/AAAAAAAABtk/PoJD_nHtaKk/s1600-h/Mr%252520Elephant%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Mr Elephant Mole National Park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Mr Elephant Mole National Park" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-4dFHnCfKS7A/UzFQob6Hj4I/AAAAAAAABts/ep0R3itcSS4/Mr%252520Elephant%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="390" height="519" /></a></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Poser</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">The elephant eventually had enough of posing and walked off into the bushes. We started our walk back up the hill past the lodge to find that the elephants had actually decided to go for a swim. I had no idea elephants even could swim!</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Pc6EdexOJ_Y/UzFQqt3D7AI/AAAAAAAABt0/mlozj-MvlLQ/s1600-h/Elephant%252520swimming%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Elephant swimming Mole National Park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Elephant swimming Mole National Park" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-laQjMxqNj9A/UzFQsNWctNI/AAAAAAAABt8/6bnNuuYpsj8/Elephant%252520swimming%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="605" height="455" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>So beautiful</em></strong></p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">This was honestly one of the best things I’ve ever done. It’s hard to believe that I was that close to these beautiful animals, in the wild. A walking safari seems like a ridiculous concept but I would recommend it to anyone. Go to Mole, you probably won’t even get eaten by a leopard.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-10340806059085410272014-03-25T07:56:00.001+00:002014-03-25T07:56:48.727+00:00Mole National Park–Jeep Safari<p>I was so excited that I’d arrived in time for the afternoon safari. There were 3 Dutch people already going (who were super nice) so I was able to split the cost and go for the jeep safari with them. Even just climbing up to sit on top of the jeep was exciting. When else do you get to travel on top of your vehicle?</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-e4PLaN7HzmI/UzE2UR1rtnI/AAAAAAAABrM/N8-UFcZbX4s/s1600-h/Jeep%252520Safari%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park.jpg"><img title="Jeep Safari Mole National Park" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Jeep Safari Mole National Park" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Dy5rspOjavs/UzE2WNmANbI/AAAAAAAABrU/H6LNITOa4xI/Jeep%252520Safari%252520Mole%252520National%252520Park_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="589" height="443" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Nice view from up here…</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p>We set off and hadn’t gone far before we saw antelope running off into the distance –my first safari animal! </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kFOegTXvka0/UzE2ZxafD7I/AAAAAAAABrc/nlMP7eQqJF4/s1600-h/Antelope-Mole-National-Park5.jpg"><img title="Antelope Mole National Park" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Antelope Mole National Park" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_YAN_blweOk/UzE2cHAYXWI/AAAAAAAABrk/B3SHdX-3yv4/Antelope-Mole-National-Park_thumb4.jpg?imgmax=800" width="606" height="456" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Hey Deer</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>We bumped along the track, our guide banging on the roof of the truck to make the driver stop when he saw something interesting. A tree absolutely full of monkeys, then monkeys everywhere as they start running into the distance away from our car (a little more wild then the friendly monkeys at <a href="http://happy-adventures.blogspot.com/2014/03/boabeng-fiema-monkey-sanctuary.html" target="_blank">Boabeng-Fiema</a>). </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ZiRwjecgmu8/UzE2iPcaUXI/AAAAAAAABrs/N4Bm5ynCSCs/s1600-h/On-safari-Mole-National-Park5.jpg"><img title="On safari Mole National Park" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="On safari Mole National Park" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-0SuhfbfzGto/UzE2kfT6e5I/AAAAAAAABr0/dVqo9AeNSHw/On-safari-Mole-National-Park_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="609" height="458" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Guys, I’m on safari! Lifelong dream completed.</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>We continued on seeing more antelope before turning around to try a different route. This one had baboons! Swinging in the trees, just watching us, watching them. It was amazing to see –they really looked like they were wondering what we were doing outside their front door. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-NXz6c03yOG4/UzE2ocT01gI/AAAAAAAABr8/H5MBflbUxSk/s1600-h/Baboons-Mole-National-Park6.jpg"><img title="Baboons Mole National Park" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Baboons Mole National Park" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-rRdAZ6gD6wc/UzE2qtT4nxI/AAAAAAAABsE/7Wq6aNiQguc/Baboons-Mole-National-Park_thumb7.jpg?imgmax=800" width="604" height="456" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong>Hey Guys, What Cha Doing?</strong></p> <p align="center"><strong></strong></p> <p>We carried on, crossing streams down into the valley where we saw a different kind of antelope, a lot of Pumbas (warthogs) and even a crocodile’s eyes peeping up in the water hole. I was excited to see a crocodile in the wild because it was the only wild animal I’d missed out when I was in Australia.</p> <p><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VSEPF4DMuzk/UzE2t6u0euI/AAAAAAAABsM/IpMZj0GdoIc/s1600-h/Waterhole-Mole-National-Park5.jpg"><img title="Waterhole Mole National Park" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Waterhole Mole National Park" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-hs4CArF1ZAA/UzE2vdaII9I/AAAAAAAABsU/ftrWgrTLFKk/Waterhole-Mole-National-Park_thumb2.jpg?imgmax=800" width="606" height="456" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>This made me feel like I was in the Lion King…</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>The safari was amazing and made me oh so excited for the morning walking safari where we might even see elephants –The reason I had embarked on this crazy solo journey. </p> <p> </p> <p>On a side note, the food is amazing at Mole National Park. We went for a beer and dinner after the safari and I had the best chips I’d had in Ghana. So delish.</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-5709032173702959892014-03-14T12:13:00.000+00:002014-03-25T09:56:19.444+00:00An Epic Journey–From Tro-Tro to Bus to Bike<p>The traditional route to get to Mole National Park is to go to Tamale and then get the 1 bus a day from there, but you know, going back on myself didn’t really suit me so I took some local advice and found myself on a pretty epic journey. </p> <p> </p> <p>It started off pretty normal, I got on the tro-tro heading towards Tamale but instead of going all the way there I got off at Domongo Junction, saving myself an extra 45mins of the journey. Luckily the bus onwards was already at Domongo Junction but all the seats were already taken. The bus mate tried to persuade me to wait for the next one but, knowing I might be waiting forever, I jumped on the bus for the bumpiest most squashed ride of my life. I only stayed upright because there were so many people wedged on that bus it was impossible to fall down. Makes the tube seem like a breeze. The road to Mole National Park is really, pretty terrible. They have started working on it but only at the opposite end to what I was currently travelling on. It seemed like the journey took forever but I don’t think it was actually that long –about 1-2hours until we arrived at Domongo.</p> <p> </p> <p>From Domongo I was under the impression I could get a bus to Larabanga but it turned out it wouldn’t be there until the evening and I think it may actually have been the same bus that goes to Mole from Tamale. The taxi drivers started sniffing around trying to charge me 50C for a 15min journey, but I had heard it was possible to get a motorbike taxi instead. I asked a guy who had just arrived on his bike and he said he would take me if we put 10C of gas in the bike but he had to run an errand first. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Pub51gFDEoI/UzFSvXi_oUI/AAAAAAAABuI/oKK9-ZTYGs8/s1600-h/Motorbike%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Motorbike" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Motorbike" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mGRf3GzDekM/UzFSwXZVbEI/AAAAAAAABuQ/47cxn3Vf8R0/Motorbike_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="328" height="436" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Selfies on motorbikes are really safe…</em></strong></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p>It turned out he wasn’t a taxi driver just a really awesome, helpful guy called Mutawakilu. I’d never been on a motorbike before and I loved it. Mutawakilu was pretty careful and drove relatively slowly but it still felt pretty fast to me. We chatted as we drove and he explained to me that he wanted to be a teacher but he couldn’t afford the fees to complete his training and that the errand he was running was to pay the school fees of a kid he was trying to help. I think he was genuinely one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. His father had died when he was a teenager so he never got to finish his studies as he had to look after the rest of his family. Now in his 30s he desperately wants to go back and realise his dream but in rural Northern Ghana it is very difficult for him to raise the funds. I really hope he manages to get his happy ending but it seems a long way off. I think instead of sponsor a child schemes we need sponsor a teacher schemes –now who knows how to start a charity?</p> <p> </p> <p>We stopped off in Larabanga to see the oldest mud mosque in Ghana (Northern Ghana is largely Muslim as compared to the heavily Christian South) and one of the widest trees I’ve ever seen. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-VfFsWgNOcvM/UxcVAJQlqJI/AAAAAAAABpw/qLbJBvtubaE/s1600-h/Larabanga%252520mud%252520mosque%252520locals%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Larabanga mud mosque locals" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Larabanga mud mosque locals" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-FMlGhg33LWk/UxcVBQWgKNI/AAAAAAAABp4/Bcp3CAxnUn8/Larabanga%252520mud%252520mosque%252520locals_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="601" height="451" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The doors are actually pretty tiny, even I’d have to stoop.</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-cJk13NJrOd8/UxcVDWHxFHI/AAAAAAAABqA/fe7ZnrvSSVE/s1600-h/Giant%252520Tree%252520Larabanga%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Giant Tree Larabanga" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Giant Tree Larabanga" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AU1qkyUsGTE/UxcVEoIRtpI/AAAAAAAABqI/C8Oz2-oBDaE/Giant%252520Tree%252520Larabanga_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="615" height="462" /></a></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Giant Tree</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-I6fssdLELxo/UxcVGgg3rTI/AAAAAAAABqQ/0msVpvraWE8/s1600-h/Mutawakilu%252520Larabanga%252520mosque%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Mutawakilu Larabanga mosque" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Mutawakilu Larabanga mosque" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-iK_eDPA47no/UxcVH8hac9I/AAAAAAAABqY/jCFyd_WIqIA/Mutawakilu%252520Larabanga%252520mosque_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="621" height="467" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Mutawakilu and I</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">The wooden spikes in the pictures are basically what’s holding this mosque together. It was pretty interesting, I’d never seen anything built in this way before and it definitely looks unique. Every few years the mosque get’s cleaned and becomes beautifully white again (obviously I missed that year). </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">The entrance to Mole National Park is just out of Larabanga. We were both pretty excited to get there as although Mutawakilu grew up in Larabanga and lived in Domongo he had never been to the park or seen the animals! It’s crazy how no one visits what’s on their doorstep (I actually live in the same county as Stonehenge and have never visited –fool, I know). We rolled up to the Visitors centre, somewhat shocking the gamekeepers with my arrival by bike, and found out that I was in time for the afternoon safari –Yay!! I checked into my room (I stayed in the girls shared dorm) and said goodbye to Mutawakilu as he excitedly went to the look out to see if he could spot some wildlife. </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">I’d made it to Mole, and it felt awesome!</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-48801069554755626872014-03-12T11:11:00.000+00:002014-03-12T11:11:00.575+00:00Kintampo Falls<p> </p> <p>As I said goodbye to my adopted family I realised that I would once again end up arriving somewhere new at night, not ideal. I got the tro-tro back to Techiman, and then another on to Kintampo. The clouds started to close in as we left Techiman and soon it was tipping it down with rain.  I was  lucky enough to have the window seat by a door that didn’t close properly, in a storm and was getting damper and damper as rain trickled down the back of my seat. As I tried to manoevure myself into a position where the rain wasn’t running down my back, I once again was wondering whether I’d made a bad choice and should have perhaps gone straight to Tamale rather than stopping off to see Kintampo falls. I even went as far as to look for a bus going on to Tamale when I arrived in Kintampo but there was nothing until the morning. </p> <p> </p> <p>I asked around for a guesthouse and found myself in a slightly sketchy room just off the main road, but at least I had it all to myself. Realising I hadn’t eaten since the morning I had an amazing meal of barbequed beef and indomie noodles from one of my favourite shop names I’d seen (bearing in mind that most shop names have some sort of religious affiliation).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AhVf04zeODo/UxcGdCTN5CI/AAAAAAAABoo/ISJveQYVwRA/s1600-h/Mind%252520your%252520own%252520business%252520ghana%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Mind your own business ghana" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Mind your own business ghana" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RdgNBU50nLM/UxcGeT_WGtI/AAAAAAAABow/RfbfioCgvxw/Mind%252520your%252520own%252520business%252520ghana_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="431" height="478" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>I set my alarm for 5am, with the aim of quickly seeing Kintampo Falls before heading on up to Mole National Park. In the end the alarm was unnecessary, blaring music woke me up just before it went off. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the Ghanaian’s need to get up crazy early. It was still dark so I waited a little while for dawn and then headed to find a taxi who would take me to the falls. When I arrived at crazy early O’ clock it turned out that the falls didn’t open until 8am, but you know this is Ghana and someone paused from their work feeding the chickens to take my 5 cedis. I had the falls entirely to myself and it was amazing. The early bird really does catch the worm.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WSbeDzjlmQg/UxcGfHRKi5I/AAAAAAAABo4/hJX_IM-Qd28/s1600-h/Behind%252520Kintampo%252520falls%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Behind Kintampo falls" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Behind Kintampo falls" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-mLBITwV5C34/UxcGf6JUa_I/AAAAAAAABpA/niOOu5dZhsc/Behind%252520Kintampo%252520falls_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="620" height="466" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Behind the 1st Part of the Falls</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-w02_WSilBeI/UxcGhhGJWoI/AAAAAAAABpI/2zhdFuv6muw/s1600-h/Kintampo%252520Falls%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Kintampo Falls" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Kintampo Falls" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-AXquj7WiRfk/UxcGixDGjDI/AAAAAAAABpQ/1basJ0ZseNM/Kintampo%252520Falls_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="618" height="465" /></a></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The Main Part of Kintampo Falls</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-oiBsLb7Be8k/UxcGjqqBLeI/AAAAAAAABpY/0lshnQhFaYM/s1600-h/Awkward%252520Kintampo%252520Falls%252520Selfie%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Awkward Kintampo Falls Selfie" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Awkward Kintampo Falls Selfie" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-OI7SGBE3n9Q/UxcGkq9DCoI/AAAAAAAABpg/mpO3xynN94w/Awkward%252520Kintampo%252520Falls%252520Selfie_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="455" height="605" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Awkward Waterfall Selfie</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">Normally this place has huge crowds, but when I was there it was so quiet and peaceful, all you could hear were the sounds of nature, it was simply amazing. Everything always seems to work out for the best, all my troubles seemed to lead me to a new and unique experiences that I would never have had otherwise. Having the waterfall to myself was pretty magical – no distractions,  no self-consciousness, no worries. Just me and the falls chilling in the early dawn. Perfect.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-40753251081560445002014-03-10T10:10:00.000+00:002014-03-10T10:10:00.041+00:00Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary<p>I was so excited to go here. Whenever I go to a new country one of my main objectives is to see as much local wildlife as possible. In Boabeng Fiema the monkeys are considered to be sacred and are not allowed to be harmed as what happens to them, will also happen to you and you will suffer. They are considered to be equals and there is even a monkey graveyard where they are buried. As they are not allowed to be harmed monkeys pretty much have the run of the villages, with so little fear of humans they will happily steal the locals food. </p> <p> </p> <p>As we bumped along the dirt road to the sanctuary I was staring at the trees trying to spot the first monkey when we turned a corner and they were all playing in the road ahead. The first of the many, many monkeys I saw that day! As we drove through the village there were the extremely friendly Mona monkeys on one side and the shyer Colobus monkeys on the other. We stopped to quietly watch them, and then realising how curious they were about us, we threw them some of the bananas we’d bought en route. </p> <p> </p> <div id="scid:5737277B-5D6D-4f48-ABFC-DD9C333F4C5D:554a9188-775a-4549-bdf9-16c12c22e1d9" class="wlWriterEditableSmartContent" style="width: 448px; float: none; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto"><div id="15e168ba-9855-4a08-868b-bbf0bcb110e2" style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px; display: inline;"><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBJOhM3QuEc&feature=youtu.be" target="_new"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-xh7_3Me5UtI/Uxb4flqVRII/AAAAAAAABoc/_5ShMxh5GS0/video076a2b163ba8%25255B67%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" style="border-style: none" galleryimg="no" onload="var downlevelDiv = document.getElementById('15e168ba-9855-4a08-868b-bbf0bcb110e2'); downlevelDiv.innerHTML = "<div><object width=\"448\" height=\"252\"><param name=\"movie\" value=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/uBJOhM3QuEc?hl=en&hd=1\"><\/param><embed src=\"http://www.youtube.com/v/uBJOhM3QuEc?hl=en&hd=1\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"448\" height=\"252\"><\/embed><\/object><\/div>";" alt=""></a></div></div><div style="width:448px;clear:both;font-size:.8em">Mona monkeys nomming on our bananas</div></div> <p align="center"> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-AXF88uwN6Y8/Uxb4hxU9jdI/AAAAAAAABno/6QHMB9DLUHQ/s1600-h/156_1343%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="156_1343" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="156_1343" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NuBws00p1aY/Uxb4jApHRyI/AAAAAAAABnw/dv0ATow_F0k/156_1343_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="579" height="435" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Colobus monkey hiding in the trees</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p>We drove up to the sanctuary, which you can actually stay the night at –it’s where I’d been hoping to get to the previous day before fate intervened. I paid my 10C fee and 2 guides took us on a walk through the forest where I saw the cutest baby monkeys as well as the monkey graveyard. Priests and priestesses are also buried alongside the monkeys with one who apparently lived until they were 120 years old. Somewhat disbelieving I asked how this could be possible and they told me it’s because people used to live a healthier, more natural life when they just lived off the land. An interesting thought.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-Gap9sV6b2IQ/Uxb4lseQneI/AAAAAAAABn4/WgduUFiWV_k/s1600-h/Boabeng%252520Fiema%252520Monkey%252520Graveyard%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Boabeng Fiema Monkey Graveyard" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Boabeng Fiema Monkey Graveyard" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kAC-StptMj4/Uxb4mxgGE-I/AAAAAAAABoA/gwpF4_IORpM/Boabeng%252520Fiema%252520Monkey%252520Graveyard_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="593" height="446" /></a></p> <p align="center"> <strong><em>A long, healthy life</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Unfortunately it was a pretty short walk as we had to head back so I could travel on to Kintampo but I did practically shake hands with a monkey :).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-RSAQUFV1y5c/Uxb4pQHjElI/AAAAAAAABoI/O8QP3Eim8Ss/s1600-h/Boabeng%252520Fiema%252520Monkey%252520Sanctuary%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-CmAC-IEmXow/Uxb4rEz-_8I/AAAAAAAABoQ/8qpDiGUvIVk/Boabeng%252520Fiema%252520Monkey%252520Sanctuary_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="584" height="439" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>It was amazing to see wild monkeys up close like this. The traditionally beliefs of the local people have had a huge impact on the conservation of these animals in Ghana. Elsewhere it would be extremely rare to see even 1 monkey hiding in a tree, let alone taking a banana out your hand. The villages have stumbled across an impressive conservation method –if only we could convince more people of the value of wildlife.</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-52577888235170291022014-03-08T10:30:00.000+00:002014-03-08T10:30:01.251+00:00An Impromptu HomestayArriving somewhere at night is not advisable. Arriving somewhere at night on your first day of travelling alone in Ghana is one of the worst ideas I’ve ever had.<br />
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I’m going to be honest, travelling alone for the first time is scary, it’s all on you, you make a bad decision and there’s no one else to blame or to go through it with. You’re on your own and you have to step up and handle the situation. As I sat on that tro-tro, constantly checking my signal to see if I could get hold of a guesthouse or anyone who could help, I was worried. Worried about going to the right place, worried about arriving somewhere in the dark, worried about where I was going to stay. But things have a way of working themselves out and as I look back what seemed like a stupid decision led to one of the most unique and interesting experiences of the trip. When I managed to get some signal I called my friend Baba (who also works as a tour guide) and he happened to have a friend in the town I was going to, who he said would meet me. <br />
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The car dropped me off at what seemed like some sort of abandoned garage. There was a group of young guys hanging out there who wanted to know what the obruni was doing in their hang out. It was the type of group that I would have avoided had I seen them at home, but in Ghana everyone is so kind and friendly I ended up hanging out with them while I waited for Rebecca to meet me. <br />
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Rebecca arrived with her daughter, son-in-law and grandsons in tow –the elder of which insisted on taking my bag and was later referred to by the family as ‘my future husband’. We walked across the garage, down a dirt track and into their home –which I had no idea I was being taken too. I met the rest of the family and ended up sitting in their living room chatting. I wasn’t really sure what was going on but decided to go with it. There’s nothing else you really can do in these situations. They asked if I was hungry and drove me to a nearby hotel where I could get ‘obruni food’ (chicken and fried rice). I felt somewhat awkward as they watched me eat and didn’t have anything for themselves, especially when I couldn’t finish it and they scraped the leftover chicken off my plate for the baby boy to eat later. <br />
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They took me back to the house and asked me to stay with them, there was a mattress on the floor in the living room which they made up for me. It was so kind of them to invite me into their home, I didn’t really know what to say- It’s the sort of thing you can’t really say no to. I felt privileged to have such an amazing opportunity to gain insight into Ghanaian family life. As bedtime came closer, most of the family disappeared back to their own homes. I think it’s lovely how close family life is there (in the morning they were all back to cook together and eat their breakfast). I was left alone to sleep in the living room with a bucket (in case I needed the loo –I decided I wouldn’t). I slept surprisingly well in their home, except for a strange banging at the door in the middle of the night, which Rebecca got up to quickly answer –I couldn’t work out what that could have been. <br />
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<a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-HI2Gy7PXmRY/UxXZaErYyII/AAAAAAAABnI/AoUxUaOHil8/s1600-h/156_1384%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img alt="156_1384" border="0" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-InSn6db39Sg/UxXZbu4yJcI/AAAAAAAABnQ/Bo8ws_fpRgA/156_1384_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" height="431" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" title="156_1384" width="573" /></a><br />
<div align="center">
<strong><em>My Ghanaian Host Family</em></strong></div>
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Obviously, being in Ghana, it was an early morning start. The women were cooking rice with onion for breakfast which I made every effort to eat all of this time. The children all took some with them in a thermos to eat for their lunch as well. It is interesting to see what they ate at home, although I did feel somewhat concerned for the lack of nutrition in the diet. Especially in a comparably middle class family (both Rebecca and her son-in-law were teachers –and he also drove a taxi), and their home was pretty nice compared to a lot of Ghanaians small homes.<br />
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I was told I’d be taken to to the monkey sanctuary later and spent the morning sat with the daughter and eldest grandson watching telly and bagging up popcorn that they sold at the school and on the street. I think I may have mentioned this but Ghanaian telly is pretty crazy and difficult to take in large doses –it was quite a long morning! In the afternoon the others finally returned though and we were able to go to Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary which really deserves its own post :).<br />
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This impromptu homestay let me into a world which I would never have seen otherwise. The daily life of Ghanaians, the way extended families are so close, their love for crazy tv shoes, the simplicity of just laying a blanket on the ground for the baby to sleep on when he got tired. It was an unexpected experience which I am so thankful for, a rare insight into family life, so normal for them and so different for me.<br />
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XxClairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-80704232496376849582014-03-06T12:48:00.000+00:002014-03-06T12:48:00.550+00:00Going solo in Ghana<p>As I watched Tom and Jorge drive away up the hill from Lake Bosumtwi I realised I was really doing this. I was travelling alone in Ghana. I wasn’t sure why I had ever thought this was a good idea, only that I really wanted to see an elephant in the wild, so was going to go to Mole National Park whether anyone else could come or not. My stubbornness had led me to this and I was just going to have to be brave and do it. But that moment of feeling alone for the first  time was terrifying. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-mhxaIDf3YF8/UxXL4NQ2r7I/AAAAAAAABmw/7eEkp2Yh6Xo/s1600-h/156_1339%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="156_1339" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="156_1339" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Y6UC8fqnO1U/UxXL5UmVLpI/AAAAAAAABm4/OIOiN-Ptnbg/156_1339_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="560" height="421" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Driving away from this beautiful place</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p>I tried to find out where I could get the tro-tro to the next town only to find out that it didn’t run on Sundays….this hadn’t started well. I even tried calling Tom to come back to take me to the next town but of course, his phone had died. So I ended up overpaying for a taxi to get me out of there, knowing that I had literally no leverage to bargain with. I got the tro-tro from the next town and headed to Kumasi, happy that I’d at least made it back to my start point. </p> <p> </p> <p>Arriving back in Kumasi after the peaceful Lake Bosumtwi was a complete smash in the face to the senses. There were people and tro-tros everywhere and I had no idea where I was going. I wandered aimlessly for a while, hoping I might stumble upon the tro-tro I needed before someone decided to take pity on the lost obruni. This friendly guy led me all through the markets to the right bus stop, helped me buy my ticket and made sure I actually got on the right tro-tro. Ghanaians are amazing people, so helpful and friendly they would do anything to make sure you’re okay, not expecting anything in return except perhaps a phone number so they could keep in touch. </p> <p> </p> <p>I did however have the worst toilet experience of my life at Kumasi market. I paid my 20 pesowa, thinking it was strangely cheap, to walk into a mass female urinal, with 10s of people squatting over what was basically a long drain. Horrified at the sight but needing to go I had to make the decision of whether to go in the first space I saw surrounded by other people or to walk all the way to the end where I could at least face the wall and pretend I was on my own. As someone who gets the toilet nerves anyway and can’t go if I even think someone can hear me I walked to the end and pretended no one was there. Most horrendous toilet ever, thank god I was at least wearing a skirt. It was moments like this when I really felt ‘foreign’. This was normal to them, they didn’t care who could see, even when I used toilets with cubicles it was all to common to see people using the facilities with the door wide open. I can not even comprehend this ever happening at home. Ever. If I’m honest I somewhat admire their comfort in their own bodies, but I could never see myself being like them. It’s just not British.</p> <p> </p> <p>After that enlightening experience I was only too happy to get on the tro tro and start my journey to Techiman and then onto Nkoranza in a share taxi. Unfortunately it was night time by the time I arrived and after some level of panicking and phoning my friend Baba I stayed in one of the most interesting places of my trip…</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-50506055039774103122014-03-04T12:29:00.001+00:002014-03-04T12:29:20.709+00:00Britisms–Pancake Day<p>It absolutely baffles me that this isn’t celebrated everywhere. It is one of the best days of the year. It is especially good when you forget it’s pancake day, like I did today, and get surprise pancakes! What could be better?</p> <p> </p> <p>Traditionally pancakes are made to use up all the ingredients you weren’t allowed to use during lent. But now it seems to be more of a competition to see who can eat the most pancakes. I’m on 2 so far but I’m hoping a pancake dinner will be on the horizon.</p> <p> </p> <p>For those of you not lucky enough to be British and already to have enjoyed your pancakes this morning, I’d like to give you the amazing gift of my Mum’s pancake recipe for proper English pancakes (sorry American pancakes don’t count, unless it’s your second pancake meal of the day – I have been known to have English pancakes for breakfast and American pancakes for tea). Also btw, pancakes are not the same as French crepes, they’re a bit thicker and more delicious :D.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong><u><font size="2">Claire’s Mum’s Pancake Recipe</font></u></strong></p> <p><u><font size="2"></font></u></p> <p><u>Ingredients</u></p> <p>-4 tbsp Flour</p> <p>-2 Eggs</p> <p>-0.5l Milk</p> <p> </p> <p>Whisk it all together, heat some oil or butter in the pan, ladle in the pancake mixture and swirl around until the bottom is coated. </p> <p> </p> <p>Let it cook for a while, when it is ready to be flipped it will come off the bottom easily, no need to keep harrassing it with the fish slice.</p> <p> </p> <p>Attempt a flip if you’re brave –if not carefully turn over with your fish slice. Cook until it looks delicious.</p> <p> </p> <p>Put on a plate, cover with your topping and roll up (the rolling is important –no stacking or folding please).</p> <p> </p> <p>Suggested toppings are traditionally lemon and sugar or golden syrup but feel free to go wild with anything you find in the cupboard. If created epic combinations of jam, sweeties and cake sprinkles before –really anything goes!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-WJVbZOmQ46s/UxXHGTnHKAI/AAAAAAAABmY/e81KiO0-lyA/s1600-h/IMG_20140304_112400%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="IMG_20140304_112400" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="IMG_20140304_112400" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BO-rc56bwK8/UxXHHnr1B6I/AAAAAAAABmg/9lnlcaEAP18/IMG_20140304_112400_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="452" height="452" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>This morning’s pancakes with golden syrup and lemon</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Also, fyi, unless you’re an amazingly experienced pancake cooker like my mum, the first pancake always goes wrong. This is not a reflection on your pancake making skills, it will probably still taste delicious, just look like a mess.</p> <p> </p> <p>I recommend you all hop on the bandwagon of this tradition. It’s one of the most delicious days of the year :).</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-19720989258610783392014-01-24T13:35:00.001+00:002014-01-24T13:35:20.315+00:00Ghana Shenanigans–Kumasi and Lake Bosumtwi<p>This was my second last weekend and pretty much pure mayhem. Tom and I went to Kumasi to join our friends from the uni on their field trip. We got the VIP bus (very swanky, worth the money) on Saturday, arrived in Kumasi full of goal and multifrutas (drinking on buses is <em>always</em> a good idea), proceeded to barter with a taxi driver by taking him to a bar to get shots….not our finest moment…totally confusing one of the locals in the process who thought we were married and kept asking “But how does it work?” (Tom is very tall and I am very short, if you get where he was going with that).  </p> <p> </p> <p>We made it to the hotel, sneaked in, and joined the students for a giant game of Ring of Fire with about 30 of us in one hotel room. The thing with ring of fire is that it gets messier and messier as people introduce their own rules, by the end of the game if you pulled a red card everyone would start chanting “What,what, show us your butt” and there is no way you can work your way out of that one with a whole room full of people chanting! </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-_rzGIjxlwy0/UuJr6PNOCQI/AAAAAAAABlU/CD-QpqU-fYs/s1600-h/Mayhem%252520kumasi%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Mayhem kumasi" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Mayhem kumasi" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-eYaw0xuN9ig/UuJr7etMEAI/AAAAAAAABlc/hRk5412gYmE/Mayhem%252520kumasi_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="609" height="458" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Ring of Fire</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-EQzo60xh8gA/UuJr8-c5HuI/AAAAAAAABlk/S0dJEKc4qHk/s1600-h/looking%252520naked%252520kumasi%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="looking naked kumasi" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="looking naked kumasi" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6EwiHyEile4/UuJr-FCDDJI/AAAAAAAABls/PBRVy4fLqIc/looking%252520naked%252520kumasi_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="610" height="458" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Looks like I’m naked and hiding here…I’m not</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p>It was absolutely tipping it down with torrential rain like I had never seen before, and we couldn’t get any taxies to come to our hotel so we ended up walking right across the uni to find a main road where we could pick some up. That is commitment to a night out right there/drunken stupidity, it’s hard to tell. We finally made it to the Golden Tulip, a pretty expensive club in a 4* hotel (not sure who made that choice?). Luckily for us there were Smirnoff promoters outside giving out free drinks –something I never expected to see when I came to Ghana. It was a fun night, I vaguely remember a lot of tequila shots,a lot of dancing, and a lot of visits to the Smirnoff stand. Finding my friends soaking wet because they had jumped in and immediately been kicked out of the hotel swimming pool. Finding out everything that went down in the morning was so funny –too many people in not enough beds with too much going on, one guy refusing to pay a prostitute because he didn’t realise what she was…until we got discovered for sneaking in to our friends rooms and the management tried to charge us for the whole price of the rooms again. That was fairly awkward, and resulted in us leaving as quickly as possible. I know it was a pretty awful thing to do but in our defence we had shared our friends beds and the rooms had already been paid for –it didn’t really make any difference that we were there and we definitely shouldn’t have had to pay for the rooms over.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-bq1Qm-iOuCQ/UuJr_g23h1I/AAAAAAAABl0/Vccx3yjBcHI/s1600-h/Golden%252520tulip%252520kumasi%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><font color="#888888"></font><img title="Golden tulip kumasi" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Golden tulip kumasi" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sdqT6-53XpI/UuJsAwhPUPI/AAAAAAAABl8/R5C6sDxYhVc/Golden%252520tulip%252520kumasi_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="430" height="572" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em><strong>Free drinks in hand :)</strong></em></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p>We made our way into Kumasi to see the market and lost our feet in the crazy amount of mud there. I know it’s the largest outdoor market in West Africa and one of those things that you are supposed to see but we really couldn’t handle it. Sometimes I think it’s important to just not do the things you don’t want to do. There is no point going to see something, just because you think it will be cultural, or because it’s what everyone else is doing. You should do what you’ll enjoy instead. So we headed to Lake Bosumtwi and it was beautiful. I always feel so much more at home in the natural places than in the cities. I was amazed to see just how different it was, with different trees growing and birds flying around. The resort we wanted to stay at was full so we stayed at Rainbow lodge, 5mins down the road, but spent our time in the first one. Most of that day was spent just lying in the sun reading before taking a great nap. The evening was spent drinking lots of clubs (Ghanaian beer) at our own resort, getting into deep discussions on ethics and extra dimensions and meeting Jorge –one of four Mexicans in Ghana. There was crazy rain again and we ended up completely abandoning shoes to walk barefoot in the mud to the next hostel, something which feels strangely nice on your footsies. There were only a few people still up at the other hostel but we had a nice time drinking and chatting with them. We got home crazy muddy and ended up having a water fight in the shower as we tried to wash our feet off. Woke up so confused as to why all of my clothes were soaking wet! </p> <p> </p> <p>I had a great time in Kumasi, but it was really the beginning of my realisation that it is the people you’re with that make you like a place, because without my friends Kumasi would have been just another city. From Kumasi I started on my great solo adventure travelling up to Mole National Park…more next time :).</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-72602201230351213022014-01-22T13:39:00.001+00:002014-01-22T13:39:41.807+00:00Britisms–Why paddling is not wading<p> </p> <p>I’d like to clear something up. Every time I have mentioned my desire to go paddling to an aussie or an american they always seem to take great offence that I know a word they don’t and insist that I must mean wading. I can assure you I don’t because they are not the same.</p> <p> </p> <p>I’ve always find it hard to articulate why a lovely frolic splashing around as you dip your feet in the ocean is paddling and not wading.  To me wading implies water up to your knees and a lot of effort, not a particularly fun or delightful experience and something that fisherman tend to do. Then today as I inadvertently found myself wading through freezing cold flooded paths as I walked the dogs it hit me. Wading involves shoes. Maybe even those rubber chaps. Unfortunately for me it turned out one of my wellies had a hole and as the water got higher the icy water seeped in leaving me with a very chilly foot. Wading is not an activity you do on purpose for the pure enjoyment of it. It generally has an aim to get somewhere or something. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-YLQ3Qpx0Tao/Ut_KB7GtvfI/AAAAAAAABkc/IHjeSiQp2gU/s1600-h/Wading%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Wading" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Wading" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LNtWLmrysgA/Ut_KC3DkTVI/AAAAAAAABkk/CYDDUNH_xxA/Wading_thumb%25255B6%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="509" height="450" /></a></p> <blockquote> <p align="center"><strong><em>Chilly feet</em></strong></p> </blockquote> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-Dw8JmO0KuyY/Ut_KD9MsYFI/AAAAAAAABks/gZ7wHAFUtr8/s1600-h/Waterhay%252520Cotswolds%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Waterhay Cotswolds" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Waterhay Cotswolds" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-6e4Sm-f1Aps/Ut_KEw7FyYI/AAAAAAAABk0/WysKMupWtak/Waterhay%252520Cotswolds_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="461" height="690" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Why I was there</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p>Paddling on the other hand is the epitome of joy. We start our training in this British institution young, probably on a day trip to the beach before we’re even able to swim, but lakes are also good locations. We roll up our trousers, hitch our skirts and just go for it. It’s pretty easy, most of you can probably handle it, but it also has an exponential effect on happiness. There’s nothing like splashing through the shallows, feeling the sand moving under your feet to put a smile on your face. I genuinely feel quite sorry for those of you who don’t have a word for it, feel free to use ours :).</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-QHG8D31Mwlo/Ut_KF4xdP-I/AAAAAAAABk8/AIkE5cUNG-4/s1600-h/paddling%252520dolphins%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="paddling dolphins" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="paddling dolphins" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-FNlMDUvSVLU/Ut_KG9vPEwI/AAAAAAAABlE/RPYlTnec_-4/paddling%252520dolphins_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="467" height="622" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Paddling has also been known to attract dolphins…</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><em>(also fish, fish attracts dolphins)</em></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="center"><em>Xx</em></p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-17815931306733903432014-01-21T10:23:00.000+00:002014-01-21T10:23:00.535+00:00Ghana Shenanigans–Boti Falls<p>I loved Boti Falls. It took forever to get there driving on the pot-holed roads, we spent more time travelling than we did at the site and it wasn’t even a sunny day. But something about this place just made me feel great.</p> <p> </p> <p>We decided to save the falls for last and see what other wonders were in store for us first. We trekked up a hill and then down through the jungle, scrabbling over rocks and nearly falling many times, to get to the caves. We didn’t think the path could get much more difficult until we saw the near vertical huge rock steps that we were going to climb up. I genuinely didn’t think it could possibly be the route when I saw it. It was exhausting. So worth it though because at the top was Umbrella Rock or as I like to call it ‘Lion King Rock’ because I’m pretty sure it’s what Pride Rock was based on.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Dboih-DlJlk/UtezOLUcfDI/AAAAAAAABgU/I37C2tbRHMY/s1600-h/156_1289%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="156_1289" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="156_1289" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-6PtFI4TnouU/UtezP4j3GuI/AAAAAAAABgc/RxDOA5bIGHo/156_1289_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="601" height="452" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Finally made it.</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-BEjS_cxm6Hs/UtezRHdujxI/AAAAAAAABgk/YVDVPsOBngU/s1600-h/Lion%252520King%252520rock%252520ladder%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Lion King rock ladder" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Lion King rock ladder" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-nTMq1BFYMhI/UtezSEGNpFI/AAAAAAAABgs/QvNEtjMZOJg/Lion%252520King%252520rock%252520ladder_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="603" height="343" /></a></p> <p align="center">This is what we had to climb to get onto the rock. Absolutely terrifying!</p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lpD3LDofMEw/UtezTN516AI/AAAAAAAABg0/SuDPssnsbus/s1600-h/The%252520world%252520is%252520mine%252520Lion%252520King%252520Rock%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="The world is mine Lion King Rock" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="The world is mine Lion King Rock" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-yKTRn4Nen-g/UtezUXQ43II/AAAAAAAABg8/kKsU0eWM6xE/The%252520world%252520is%252520mine%252520Lion%252520King%252520Rock_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="506" height="674" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The world is mine!</em></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-fXh4-WNeAHE/UtezVYbuutI/AAAAAAAABhE/h-YyJeQgyYY/s1600-h/156_1296%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="156_1296" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="156_1296" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-646sgYV1URo/UtezWQEv8tI/AAAAAAAABhM/5Ib-f0En3ig/156_1296_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="449" height="597" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>Attempting the lion king pose –absolute fail</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">The third sight we saw was the 3-headed palm tree, it is believed to be a fertility tree and that you will have twins if you stand in it (or something along those lines, I can’t quite remember). </p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-dEgDtjeqcqA/UtezXiZwJ7I/AAAAAAAABhU/crwhTe3BxPQ/s1600-h/156_1300%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="156_1300" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="156_1300" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-tXGUuMHnSjY/UtezgukHAOI/AAAAAAAABhc/cDpBgLTvpFE/156_1300_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="441" height="587" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>We then headed back down the super steep steps, back through the rainforest and down the hill, before going down hundreds of steps to get to the falls. What’s special about Boti falls is that they are twin water falls. It is said that one is male and one is female and in the rainy season they meet to became 1 large waterfall.</p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-9bSVgFrmYi8/UteziYrWoYI/AAAAAAAABhk/qGck1FGXzGA/s1600-h/Boti%252520falls%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Boti falls" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Boti falls" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-sesL7naIkSc/UtezjQOESNI/AAAAAAAABhs/opKsXjUYgcA/Boti%252520falls_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="586" height="334" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>We went swimming and I even sat under the falls. This was pretty difficult because the power of it pushed you away but there was a rock under the fall on the right that you can grab hold of to pull yourself in. The power of the falls is immense, sitting under it felt like having a pretty painful back massage. Such an amazing experience though. Definitely worth the long tro-tro ride to get there!</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-67454934068968115932014-01-19T18:20:00.000+00:002014-01-19T18:20:00.870+00:00Ghana shenanigans–Hakuna Matata and Paradise in Ada Foah<p>With the chilled out turn of events it started to become difficult to find anyone to go out with. Luckily Australian Tom started off as a massive keen bean and had made friends with some exchange students studying at the university. Tom and I went on a very drunken Wednesday night with our new found uni friends, starting in a jazz bar and finishing in a gay bar (which oh my gosh I forgot to tell you about!). The week previously we had started at the reggae party at Labadi, realised that there was no live music that week, and a few of us moved on to Osu with our Ghanaian friend Nana Kumi. Wondering where was good on a Wednesday night the only place he knew of was epos, an underground gay bar (homosexuality being illegal in Ghana). This discovery led to a fairly heated discussion on sexuality with Ghanaians having very conservative views but when we arrived Nana Kumi was getting down and dirty like nobodies business. Gay bars are always fun because you can dance without the creepers, and all I ever really want to do is dance. It was such a fun night. Second time round wasn’t quite as busy but a great night making new friends. When we got home Tom had the great idea of waking people up singing disney songs. They loved it. Obviously. I did come to regret this the next day when I was awoken from my afternoon nap, although so did they when my resultant blood curdling screaming scared them as much as it did me (it turned out I was having a night terror and I have honestly never felt so scared, I can’t even actually remember them singing). Henceforth Hakuna Matata wake ups became something of a tradition and that song will always remind me of Ghana now.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-UNvGXBDuweI/Ute02bfax7I/AAAAAAAABh4/poqrgIPyosI/s1600-h/epos%252520Accra%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="epos Accra" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="epos Accra" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-LQbc1h02JUQ/Ute03kuU4zI/AAAAAAAABiA/ekzvLpBhZHk/epos%252520Accra_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="526" height="395" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>That first night in epos</em></strong></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p>That weekend we went to Ada Foah, my absolute favourite place in Ghana. You get a boat along the river to the sandy peninsula with the river on one side and the ocean on the other. It is absolutely stunning. We stayed at Maranatha resort and arrived in time for the bonfire lighting and beach party. So much fun dancing to some Ghanain tunes in the light of the fire before running straight into the water as the night chilled down. I had one of the proudest moments of my life when someone told me I danced like a Ghanaian. Have you seen them? They are epic dancers even the kids walking down the street dance and it is awesome. The next day was an amazing sunny beach day spent reading, swimming, playing on the slack line and even trying my hand at meditating (although I’m fairly sure I was just stretching). The night involved an impromptu azonto dance class before retiring pretty early after the shenanigans of the previous night. On our way back to the mainland we took a boat trip to rum island and learnt about the making of sugar cane rum. Also finding out that sugar cane is a delicious snack and I can’t handle shots of home brewed spirits. My favourite part was just being on the boat/standing on the boat/driving the boat. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-uVRYh8dUggY/UtcJ5BeFa7I/AAAAAAAABfw/D4V8nROcqZ8/s1600-h/Marantha%252520Ada%252520Foah%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Marantha Ada Foah" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Marantha Ada Foah" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-fWqJ-_nsWRs/UtcKYkKqDgI/AAAAAAAABf4/vax7K2HKaiA/Marantha%252520Ada%252520Foah_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="580" height="436" /></a></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-7QChwK6jqXs/UtcKe0FD0JI/AAAAAAAABgA/qsSQo7PJPKA/s1600-h/Marantha%252520boat%252520trip%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Marantha boat trip" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px" border="0" alt="Marantha boat trip" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-uazjx9wmur0/UtcKfx-leMI/AAAAAAAABgI/Iw5SZenNxt4/Marantha%252520boat%252520trip_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="580" height="436" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>It was an absolutely perfect weekend. This place is my paradise. Unfortunately they are looking at redeveloping the land into a luxury resort and marina, forcing the locals off their land. But it is so perfect as it is and they give back to the community funding a school nearby. Please, please, please sign this petition so that others can enjoy it as much as I have <a title="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/azizanya-kewunor-maranatha" href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/azizanya-kewunor-maranatha">http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/azizanya-kewunor-maranatha</a> . It really is a dream.</p> <p> </p> <p>Thank you! xxx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-19353791437285225582014-01-17T23:27:00.000+00:002014-01-17T23:27:00.076+00:00Ghana Shenanigans–too many goodbyes!<p>What made the trip so good, but also so sad was that there were always new people arriving, and friends leaving. By the time I left there was noone left from when I arrived - I said goodbye to so many people. One of the worst was when Dan and Sarah left. The night before we’d dragged a BBQ up to pool bar (our local), attempted to cook burgers and ended up asking the kebab man to instead. It was such a lovely night with everyone and ended with Dan, Greg, Sarah and I deciding to have a sleepover on Sarah’s room (although I did promptly fall into an alcohol induced slumber). </p> <p> </p> <p><strong><em>From civilised…</em></strong><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-zbFcBJL6tJc/Utb9bc5yRGI/AAAAAAAABiI/4e4PKSux3YA/s1600-h/pool%252520bar.jpg"><img title="pool bar" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="pool bar" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-lsvq6fWZ3cY/Utb9cf7pz8I/AAAAAAAABiQ/IU0jZ4MUg0M/pool%252520bar_thumb.jpg?imgmax=800" width="531" height="399" /></a></p> <p><strong><em>…to mayhem</em></strong></p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Dl589dU3mbU/Utb9dqhxL4I/AAAAAAAABfM/RNT_fWVYqgU/s1600-h/pool%252520bar%252520mayhem%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="pool bar mayhem" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="pool bar mayhem" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-t2TWTCIlOgE/Utb9e-5G7yI/AAAAAAAABfU/ZGqNV3uSAls/pool%252520bar%252520mayhem_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="535" height="402" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>The next day, Dan, Sarah and I headed to Kokrobite beach for Sarah’s last day. It was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. I did go on to have some epic times there, it just turns out its much better as a night destination.</p> <p> </p> <p>That weekend a few of us went to Elmina and Cape Coast again. It was kind of an odd weekend though –it probably wasn’t a natural group to hang out to be honest. Although it was unforgettable, we went on the most disgusting walk from our resort to Elmina. Such a mistake, we found ourselves claiming across rocks covered in excrement and through a village covered in fish drying out on the roofs. So smelly and gross. Such a hygiene issue in Ghana. I did at least go to Cape Coast Castle that weekend. It was good to see but I did prefer Elmina Castle (more interesting and we had a tour all to ourselves).</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-ElI4kg8XRQI/Ute1c7wR0XI/AAAAAAAABiY/WIWg_jyJ0SM/s1600-h/Elmina%252520walk%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Elmina walk" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Elmina walk" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-WUTrlJ7k3ds/Ute1d5XQu4I/AAAAAAAABig/AO6SOT7i2bA/Elmina%252520walk_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="556" height="418" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>The walk started off nice…</em></strong></p> <p> </p> <p>For the second slightly disappointing trip of the week Greg and I went to the Botanical Gardens for the afternoon. The thing was it had come highly recommended by one of the volunteers but she had gone there on a date so was apparently massively biased. We hired bikes and rode around what was basically a small park. I did however eat a great kebab and pretend to be a pilot in a broken old helicopter so it wasn’t all bad.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-ANjrox5Lqho/Utb9gYJWLWI/AAAAAAAABfc/GHUlx1L0x8s/s1600-h/helicopter%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="helicopter" style="border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; display: block; padding-right: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="helicopter" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-ipxcTo5IbjQ/Utb9hscQ-jI/AAAAAAAABfk/lciUZ-5L3PQ/helicopter_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="519" height="691" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>That weekend we went back to Bojo beach and had a great night partying at Big Millies in Kokrobite. They have a reggae party there every weekend and it is so much fun. Sad times the next day though, when I had to say goodbye to another bestie, Greg. That weekend really felt like changeover for me. All my faves from the first half of my trip had left and lots of new people started arriving so it became a completely different group. The first half was so much fun because everyone was always up for doing something –it felt just like being back in halls again. It did get a little cliquey and drama filled with so many of us though. The second half was much more chilled but we all became so close, it was really lovely. Gah, I miss it all so much!</p> <p> </p> <p>Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-41827998882213578222014-01-15T12:14:00.001+00:002014-01-15T12:14:25.515+00:00Ghana Shenanigans–Hiking in Darmang<p>One day Greg, Sarah and I decided to go hiking in Darmang, a village where the NGO ran an orphanage. It was one of the weirdest experiences I’ve ever had. We basically were on a quest to find this old guy who lives in the hills and sells palm wine. It turns out he wasn’t that hard to find and the guy who we asked if he knew where he was, was indeed him. I can’t quite remember his name, because it was complicated, but it was along the lines of Oefry. </p> <p> </p> <p>Oefry could not have been happier to share his palm wine with us. He scooped it out of the bug filled vat in a big blue pot and we obligingly drunk the sour wine, despite the scum floating on top. </p> <p> </p> <p align="center"><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-3h96ArjnN0Y/UtZ7iBRV3HI/AAAAAAAABeI/EJOqbAz643k/s1600-h/Palm%252520wine%252520darmang%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Palm wine darmang" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Palm wine darmang" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-6kQrFkMbLus/UtZ7jVaHQXI/AAAAAAAABeQ/ldyh5NU_Y9E/Palm%252520wine%252520darmang_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="410" height="545" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>mmm tasty</em></strong></p> <p align="left">But we did then have to tip it away when we thought he wasn’t looking. It turned out Oefry sold some other goods and wanted to take us up the mountain to get them. It was the steepest, most exhausting unexpected trek along what I’m sure must have been goat paths and not meant for humans. Then once we got to the top he made us wait while he went off on his own, making us wonder why we needed to have gone through that. He did happen to leave his machete with us though…</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-9OaK2RlMBvo/UtZ7kp3BBcI/AAAAAAAABeY/nOIP-3-w4_E/s1600-h/machete%252520darmang%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="machete darmang" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="machete darmang" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-4kkdmZb4Xlo/UtZ7lgcmUOI/AAAAAAAABeg/33Sj5OCI6RM/machete%252520darmang_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="406" height="540" /></a></p> <p align="center"><strong><em>So that happened.</em></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><em></em></strong></p> <p align="left">What else would we possibly have done in that situation?</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">Also, the view was pretty nice.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_2nu0Yrm0qg/UtZ7nMtrX4I/AAAAAAAABeo/2sS5HZd5i-4/s1600-h/Darmang%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Darmang" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Darmang" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-kcv9O8EWZtY/UtZ7n_1m3OI/AAAAAAAABew/7xL9vpugPqY/Darmang_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="416" height="554" /></a></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="left">Oefry eventually returned and we hung out for a little while by his little shack, slyly tipping away the palm wine when he wasn’t looking, before heading back down the mountain. He was one of the most interesting and strangest men I’ve ever met. I think he actually lived on the mountain, but it was hard to tell, he didn’t have much stuff besides his machete and his vats of wine. Quite the surreal experience up on that mountain.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-13908355084061600662014-01-09T20:10:00.001+00:002014-01-09T20:10:33.612+00:00Shenanigans in Ghana–Clubs and Beaches<p>I really must write about this before I forget. I have a terrible habit of forgetting my life and I had the most amazing times I really want to remember them all before they start blurring into 1.</p> <p> </p> <p>Week 2 in Ghana involved my first outing to Osu and a cheeky day trip to Bojo beach. Osu is Accra’s nightlife area where a lot of great times were had. This night started a bit iffily when one of the volunteers got in an argument with a security guard, ran away and ended up in the back of a police car. Luckily we were able to talk the police into letting him go but this was one of the scarier moments in Ghana. I have to say not at all the norm, he was deffo causing trouble :p. The night continued with the most horrendous tasting cocktails. I don’t know what kind of moonshine they were serving in this bar but it was not tasty. Give me Goal any day. Have I told you about Goal? Only the most delicious cane spirit served in sachets at the equivalent of about 10p each. I wouldn’t want to know what was in it but it always makes for a good night. The next day we went to the beautiful Bojo beach. It cost 10C to get in (about £3.50) but was so beautiful. You ride across on a little boat to get to the sand bank where there’s a bar and restaurant and plenty of beach for sunbathing. </p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-I3clO3GkWBs/Us8CAy5P4uI/AAAAAAAABdM/46idetZO8qw/s1600-h/Bojo%252520beach%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Bojo beach" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Bojo beach" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-_oUJUPBo9JI/Us8CCS3t5RI/AAAAAAAABdQ/waQzURXrGL0/Bojo%252520beach_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="610" height="458" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>That weekend was spent chilling in Accra. We had a great night out on the Friday, predrank playing Paranoia (my fave drinking game) before heading to Container for bargain 70 pesowa shots of Cardinal (a delicious strawberry spirit) and then Tantra for party times. Was a great night until it ended with the threat of fights, walking along a highway and slapping the guy whose fault it was (so unlike me, think it was actually the first time I’ve hit anybody and only with good reason). The day after was a recovery day but we did make it to the mall to eat pizza (sometimes Ghanaian food just couldn’t cut it). On Sunday we went to a hotel where we could use the pool. It was so, so nice to swim without getting covered in sand and knocked over by the waves. Everyone was still pretty burnt out from Friday though so it was pretty chill…until we got home and a few of us thought it was a good idea to drag the mattresses out on the balcony and play ring of fire. I literally felt like I was in halls again with the anytime drinking and friends surrounding me. I loved it. It got a little bit awkward when the director came over to work late though; I’m sure we did a great job of pretending to be sober.</p> <p> </p> <p>Week 3 heralded the discovery of the alcohol wholesalers just up the road from our house. 4C for 20 sachets of goal. Could not get any better. We went away to Busua for the weekend. Honestly I thought it was going to be a lot nicer…but it was the only place I actually felt safe swimming without terrible currents…and there was a giant phallus swing which made for great photo ops.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-V8SSbXMbHAw/Us8CDwYslrI/AAAAAAAABdc/4N1MmeEL6v8/s1600-h/Busua%252520penis%252520swing%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Busua penis swing" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Busua penis swing" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-LAe-4h_EFK0/Us8CFLhjS-I/AAAAAAAABdk/SB9BIy6_FEo/Busua%252520penis%252520swing_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="405" height="539" /></a></p> <p>I hired a body board and had a great morning surfing the waves. We then headed further West along the bumpiest dirt road to Green Turtle Lodge. This place was absolutely beautiful. One of the first things that happened when we got there was, finding a coconut, which the staff then opened for us (with a machete) so we could drink the milk. Just the epitome of tropical paradise. We spent our afternoon swimming in the sea, chilling in the sun and playing with the litter of puppies that lived there. The only bad thing I have to say about this place is that the electricity got turned off around 10.30 when we were still getting our drink on. We had to move our party on down to the beach but that’s always fun.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-BvRm-59uZQU/Us8CGT-MZhI/AAAAAAAABds/Ud4vVMllyHU/s1600-h/Green%252520Turtle%252520Lodge%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Green Turtle Lodge" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; float: none; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; margin-left: auto; border-left: 0px; display: block; padding-right: 0px; margin-right: auto" border="0" alt="Green Turtle Lodge" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-irLB58_4m8Q/Us8CHhrEvvI/AAAAAAAABd0/lvp6sWmrIeg/Green%252520Turtle%252520Lodge_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="424" height="564" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>In the morning we went on a canoe trip through the mangroves with a local fisherman. He told us some interesting stories about their local beliefs. There were certain places they couldn’t go on particular days and other beliefs based on the order of birth. The culture in remote places just seemed so different to what I was used to. One thing that at first I found pretty shocking was the process of scarification. Children will be deliberately cut for either cultural reasons or in some cases beautification. You would often see people with scars on the face and I did even grow to understand the beauty of it –in the same way that people here will get tattooed. </p> <p> </p> <p>Next time Hiking and Barbeques! xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-88050730545690236402013-11-24T16:49:00.001+00:002013-11-24T16:49:58.900+00:00Weekend Shenanigans in Ghana–Table dancing and Diplomats<p>I can honestly say that my trip to Ghana was one of the best times of my life. The people I met and the amazing weekends we had really made the trip.</p> <p> </p> <p>I arrived on a Wednesday and was almost immediately asked whether I would be coming on the trip to Cape Coast that weekend. Of course I said yes and had the most incredible introduction to Ghana. We left early Saturday morning, all 15 of us piled onto the tro-tro for the 5 hour journey to Kakum National Park. At this point everything was still new to me and I spent the journey being amazed by the scenery and the different people we were passing. </p> <p> </p> <p>The canopy walk at Kakum National Park is a suspended walkway, high up in the trees of the jungle. I’m generally pretty good with heights but this was actually much scarier than I’d imagined. The walkway is really not that stable. You’re basically walking in a net with a plank laid at the bottom –not always that securely. You will find yourself swaying around and bouncing up and down as you go along. Especially if you’re new found friends think this is a good time to try and frighten you!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-Fs_-hoOatsI/UpIuCdNEsrI/AAAAAAAABbc/8umLlnbEIRk/s1600-h/Kakum%252520Canopy%252520Walk%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Kakum Canopy Walk" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Kakum Canopy Walk" src="http://lh4.ggpht.com/-KVO6jR58qCg/UpIuD08OvMI/AAAAAAAABbk/-64QRq5FVKg/Kakum%252520Canopy%252520Walk_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="607" height="456" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>High up in the sky at Kakum</em></p> <p align="center"><em></em></p> <p align="left">It was pretty amazing though, the views were beautiful and it’s pretty fun chilling in the canopy, gaining a new perspective on forest life.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">From Kakum we headed to Elmina, stopping off to see some crocodiles at Hans Cottage first. Apparently, so I hear from my Ghanaian friend Baba, you can <em>sit</em> <em>on the crocodiles</em>. I decided not to try this one out and moved on pretty quickly. If I’m gonna choose I’ll probably choose my limbs over some obscure photo of me sat on a croc. We headed on to Elmina where a group of us decided to go on a tour of the castle there, a key post in Ghana’s slave trade. Learning about the conditions the slaves were kept in, and realising the extent of their maltreatment was pretty horrifying. What really shocked me was the private stairway up to the Governor’s quarters, used by the selected female prisoner for the requirement’s of the governor. The worst part about this was that this was sometimes actually seen as a privilege by the slaves because before they were brought to the governor’s bedroom they would wash and be given a full meal. The tour was extremely interesting, if somewhat sobering, and I would even recommend it over the more famous Cape Coast Castle (to be discussed later). </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-VolAXIQlz7c/UpIuFaJCuDI/AAAAAAAABbs/IJkfTf7HcRY/s1600-h/Elmina%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Elmina" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Elmina" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-ErPEtIJHcTI/UpIuGTPj-KI/AAAAAAAABbw/9SlgtaLPOLo/Elmina_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="614" height="462" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Elmina</em></p> <p align="center"><em></em></p> <p align="left">Leaving Elmina we travelled down a bumpy dirt road to our hostel for the night, getting more and more apprehensive as the road got worse and worse, and having the terrible thought that it was going to be the dilapidated building we were approaching. Luckily we crossed the road and I literally felt like I’d landed in a little slice of paradise. Stumble Inn is the most beautiful hostel on the beach, with lovely gardens and sandy paths to your dorms for the night. The managers were a super friendly, young American couple who just happened to find themselves in Ghana and thought it seemed a good idea to run this amazing hostel.  It was a pretty chilled out place with people sat around the campfire or walking on the beach. Well…chilled until we arrived. The hostel has the risky tactic of putting everything on a tab that you pay at the end of your stay. I say risky, but not for them, for you. When everything goes on a tab, you don’t feel like you’re spending and we ended up drinking <em>a lot. </em>Beers turned to cocktails, and cocktails turned to shots. Until you find yourself thinking it would be a great idea to dance on the table, and what do you know –you’re not the only one.  </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-EpI2gPo3O3k/UpIuHuKVq_I/AAAAAAAABb8/A4FFRc78_ug/s1600-h/Stumble%252520Inn%252520Table%252520Dancing%25255B3%25255D.jpg"><img title="Stumble Inn Table Dancing" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Stumble Inn Table Dancing" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-KUF4II-P8Xg/UpIuIplxNxI/AAAAAAAABcA/QkIp8JNXO9Q/Stumble%252520Inn%252520Table%252520Dancing_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="614" height="462" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Who even knows what is in that cup?</em></p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">My first night out in Ghana was an epic one. Perfect location, perfect time. </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">The next day noone wanted to leave so we ended up hanging out at the hostel all morning. We went for a walk along one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever been to.</p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-berBOlFZXLA/UpIuJzGbWKI/AAAAAAAABcI/pUD0cIuiJg0/s1600-h/Stumble%252520Inn%252520Beach%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Stumble Inn Beach" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Stumble Inn Beach" src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/-03uooEBIgV0/UpIuKs_EwEI/AAAAAAAABcQ/Hag-i-QVrC8/Stumble%252520Inn%252520Beach_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="622" height="468" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Picture perfect</em></p> <p align="center"> </p> <p align="left">Sarah, Alejandra and I decided to brave it in the sea but managed to get absolutely battered by the waves. Sand was <em>everywhere</em>. </p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">You know sometimes you get yourself into interesting situations and you can’t quite believe they started out because you were making a sandcastle? No? Just me then. Following our swim we did what could only be expected when chilling on a beach and started work building a sandcastle. We’re all deeply concentrating on our task when someone approaches and compliments us on our sandcastle making skills (or something like that). We get chatting and it turns out he’s an Australian diplomat away from Accra for the weekend and invites us to come for a swim at the pool in the luxury hotel he was staying at. Obviously we had to finish our sandcastle and he continued back to his hotel but with the extent of the sand situation how could we refuse swimming in an actual swimming pool. We dithered around for a while trying to figure out if this was a normal thing to do and then decided to do it anyway. We walked up to a deserted swimming pool and had the whole thing to ourselves (meanwhile at our hostel the water had run out and noone could shower or flush the loo –we were living in luxury!). It was so nice to swim without being knocked over and to finally get rid of some of that sand (it has even ended up inside my bikini top –how does that even happen?!). Our diplomat arrives 10 minutes later, buys us some drinks and we have a nice chat, get invited to a salsa night and are promptly left alone again as he has to head back to Accra, but are informed that he’s paid for us to use the hotel facilities all day. What a lovely chap. We didn’t end up going to that salsa night but did gloat to the others about the swimming pool and flushing toilets on our return.</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left"><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Fft5cqc7KPo/UpIuMBV3GzI/AAAAAAAABcc/QnPBjfZTggY/s1600-h/Poolside%252520Elmina%25255B4%25255D.jpg"><img title="Poolside Elmina" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Poolside Elmina" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-pmaIBwsfRT0/UpIuNFcTfrI/AAAAAAAABck/eGLcv3R0NoI/Poolside%252520Elmina_thumb%25255B1%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="613" height="461" /></a></p> <p align="center"><em>Poolside –can’t quite believe our luck!</em></p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">The trip back was somewhat eventful, as is slightly inevitable with a group of 15 trying to all agree and failing. But overall a great first weekend in Ghana. Setting the standard to go on with :).</p> <p align="left"> </p> <p align="left">Xx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945887845520675509.post-61272026021883310092013-11-02T18:18:00.001+00:002013-11-02T19:07:25.563+00:00Having A Clear Out (Ridiculous)<p>As I’m back home, my Mum and I have been having a sort out of all of the random stuff we’ve acquired over the years.</p> <p> </p> <p>My mum came across this delightful Mother’s day card I gave her as a child… It is actually ridiculous!</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Q7n0MNFS688/UnVB4GGQQPI/AAAAAAAABac/abbkl-lcQqw/s1600-h/Funny%252520Mothers%252520Day%252520Card%25255B5%25255D.jpg"><img title="Funny Mothers Day Card" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Funny Mothers Day Card" src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-NY5UAKV12v8/UnVB5c639EI/AAAAAAAABak/eNXnUcyPA4c/Funny%252520Mothers%252520Day%252520Card_thumb%25255B2%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="451" height="599" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>In case you have trouble deciphering my childhood script, I’ve transcribed it below:</p> <p> </p> <p>‘Dear Mum</p> <p> </p> <p>Your eyes are like sapphires twinkling all the time.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your lips are like bananas hot in the sun.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your teeth are like crystals sharpened at the end.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your ears are like cushuions soft as snow.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your nose is like ripe plums growing on a tree.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your hair is like brown silk growing in your head.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your eyebrows are like pretend fur tails.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your eyelashes are like pine needles off a christmas tree.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your forehead is like a ball cut in half.</p> <p> </p> <p>Your hole head is like a ball rolling around at the end of your neck.</p> <p> </p> <p>From Claire’</p> <p> </p> <p>I can only assume that we were working on similes and descriptive words at school when I made this. Fyi Mum does not actually have lips resembling bananas or a nose resembling a plum. I can only imagine how hilarious it must have been to receive this. I have been loling ridiculously since we came across it. At least I made an effort with the artwork.</p> <p> </p> <p><a href="http://lh6.ggpht.com/-Mprb0DDKhI4/UnVDvxJRDwI/AAAAAAAABaw/mxEI5lt0HPU/s1600-h/Mothers%252520Day%25255B9%25255D.jpg"><img title="Mothers Day" style="border-top: 0px; border-right: 0px; background-image: none; border-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-left: 0px; display: inline; padding-right: 0px" border="0" alt="Mothers Day" src="http://lh3.ggpht.com/-N2WNtS36FAA/UnVDwxZCmuI/AAAAAAAABa4/BreL_qyTHGU/Mothers%252520Day_thumb%25255B3%25255D.jpg?imgmax=800" width="448" height="596" /></a></p> <p> </p> <p>Xxx</p> Clairehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14855590642172035341noreply@blogger.com0