January 12, 2002—
4:30 a.m. Doug is wide awake—It is 10:00 a.m. back in Minnesota—so he shaves and journals until 6:00 and then walks the grounds of St. Kizito’s Catechetical Institute and Retreat Centre. At 7:00 breakfast is served in the dining hall and everyone is off to visit Kakum National Park by 8:00. Kakum is a few minutes out of Cape Coast, so about an hour and a half from Takoradi. Because travel is on GMT (Ghana Maybe Time) and over some roads resembling Swiss cheese, the party doesn’t get there until 10:30. There is business to do: gas, water, peanuts to buy.
Onyameba says the entrance fee to the national park is ¢60,000 cedis ($8.57 U.S.) but ¢15,000 for Ghanaians. That’s the way it should be. The fee is for walking the rope bridges at canopy level of this small portion of rain forest set aside as a preserve. There is a long way to go however, because the Ghanaian forests are disappearing at an alarming rate! Theses swaying spans vary from 50 to 120 feet above the forest floor and consist of a 12 inch wide plank sitting on an aluminum structure resembling a ladder. Tied together by cable and ropes and suspended between large decks built around tall trees, these walkways provide an amazing view and memorable experience. The sides consist of nylon rope mesh up to arm pit level, so no one falls off. Steel cables above and below the bridges support them in a secure, if not stationary, manner.
Jo walks to the start, has her picture taken and then doubles back to the end of the series of bridges, to meet the other brave walkers there. She doesn’t like heights! A family from South Africa is having a riot. “Uncle Dee” is seriously afraid to go beyond the first anchor point, but Onyameba, giving him courage, convinces him to try it. Harold, Doug & Onyameba complete all seven sections, taking many pictures and making enough noise to frighten any wild life within 5 miles.
Jacob, the technical assistant—he’d be called a ranger back home—does a fine job of identifying trees on the way back. Onyameba motions to tip him, and Doug says, “I did! Why do you think he is talking so much?” It turns out that Jo has tipped him as well and Onyameba has promised him a ride into Cape Coast. Jacob has made out like a bandit!
Doug finds a hand carved nativity set which is wonderful. Onyameba has not seen others, and in fact wasn’t aware that it was sold as a set. This convinces Doug that he should buy it now as a present for Mary, even though the National Park gift shop will not bargain down from their set prices. Oh well, Doug cannot leave without it and the National Park can use the profit... and it’s only $50.00 U.S. for the 12 pieces.
Lunch again is at Coconut Grove Beach Resort, eating in the middle of the afternoon like yesterday, no other diners are present. Dennis the waiter turns out to be a Catholic altar server, which is announced with pride after he witnesses our little group saying grace in the typical Catholic manner. Doug chooses the “Tropical Beef Stew” with rice—very nice! Harold and Doug also enjoy their Gulder beer, a change from the usual “Star.” Onyameba does not eat! He skipped breakfast also! It turns out he is eating only Imodium tablets and says the travelers should have this problem, not the tour guide! Everyone agrees—even his mother whom he speaks with via cellular phone.
Onyameba spends a lot of time on the phone conducting various forms of business, talking to his wife, Ewuraesi, the family driver, Francis, and his parents, with whom he and Ewuraesi live. Cell phone use is prevalent in Ghana, however, the coverage tends to be spotty, especially as the journey leads away from Accra.
The next stop is Elmina Castle, a 16th century fortress built by the Dutch for trading, but later a prominent edifice for the exportation of slaves to America. Because of the late hour, the last tour of the day has begun, and the tour is joined late. The guide repeats the parts of the tour which were missed, however, he fails to tell the real story of this castle. (The deplorable conditions and treatment of people captured as objects in the slave trade.) Doug is sorry the Larsons don’t get to hear it.
Mobs of little beggar children and one old handicapped man descend upon the group of travelers like pigeons in the park looking for crumbs of bread. It is sadly irritating. Jo receives an email address of one of the kids—beggar kids with net presence! Onyameba explains that these kids treat their begging like a business, knowing some tourists will “buy” and some won’t. And they dream some day, someone will really like them and take them back to America. Beads and shirts are purchased outside Elmina Castle, for reasonable prices, and the departure is made back to St. Kizito’s for supper.
Supper tonight was jollif rice, spaghetti with meat sauce, steamed vegetables and watermelon for dessert. After the meal and a review of tomorrow’s itinerary, Amos returns with a brand new tire for the van while the group waits for tea, discussing religion and politics. Amos is quiet, but he is the only one. As Doug returns to his room, he meets an older gentlemen who appears to be slightly drunk and asks if there is room in obroni’s suitcase for him to go back to America—shades of this afternoon and the kids at Elmina! Ghanaian Glossary: obroni = white man; obibini = black man.
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