I am sitting back here in the computer lab on campus, just getting done reading the dozens of emails I missed this week while traveling around in Benin and Togo. I had the most amazing adventures these past ten days, but it just dawned on me, how lucky I am that I have interested people awaiting the details. More and more while traveling to new places, my thoughts have returned home, making me appreciate my life and all it's details so much more. One things for sure, I have fallen in love with Africa. I know many may scoff at that statement, considering I have only been to three out of 51 countries on this continent, but I stand by it. Unfortunately, there is no possible way to recount every detail, every sights, every emotion from this trip, it would simply defy the laws of nature, and one thing I have learned is not to mess with nature. However, like everything else here in Africa, I will adapt and do the best I can.
MAY 16th: Bon Voyage!
I have witnessed more sunrises in Ghana than I have in my whole life, and Friday morning, rising at 4 am was no exception. Natalie, Katie, Elaine and I left the chaos of the University for a week long adventure in Benin and Togo. Luckily the Togolese boarder was only four hours aways from Accra, making the rainy, bumpy trek completely bearable. Crossing the boarder was a bit of an ordeal, but I was so side tracked at first, deliriously excited to use the few French phrases Katie had been teaching me for weeks. Bonjour! Commet ca va? And just a few more. However, I quickly learned two important lessons. A) It took me five years to learn very very basic Spanish, so one week did not make me a fluent French speaker. B) Boarder officials just suck, they are corrupt and make you stoop so low as to flirt with them just so you can get a silly little stamp to get into their country. However, Togo was redeemed once across the boarder, for we took a taxi (paying in CFA for the first time!) to a pastry shop in downtown Lome. I got two I was so excited to see something other than rice!
After our afternoon treat we were off again in another shared taxi, all four of us squished in the back. Our goal was to make it all the way to the capital of Benin, Porto Novo by the end of the day. It sounds crazy when I reflect that we were able to cross the boarder of three countries in one day! Let me tell you it was quite the journey, and in this case, I would like to say that it was not the journey this time, but the destination. Crossing the Beninese boarder was like getting your teeth pulled with none of that numbing stuff. The boarder officials took delight in making us four Americans do the royal run around, making it extra stressful for Katie, the only French speaker among us. Once across the boarder and on our way to Porto Novo, we had to pass through the city of Cotonou, which has been fondly described in our guide book as a chain-smoking crack addict of a city. They are not describing the people, oh no no. They were describing the chaos of the streets, at least five cars and ten motto's, known as zemi-john's in Benin, squeezed in two lanes, all going a hundred miles an hour, with the thickest, blackest, nastiest smog engulfing all those cruising by. Just a half an hour in the city left me feeling like I had stuck my mouth around an exhaust pipe and just inhaled for a day!
Luckily we did not spend to much time in Cotonou, and I had already began dreading the moment we would have to pass through there again. Once into Porto Novo, we felt a much more relaxed and laid back vibe, not what I had expected of the capital after our journey there. Where we stayed was an first time experience in and of itself. We stayed the night in Centre Songhai, a commune! It was so fascinating, everything there was grown communally. It was a introduction to Benin and the wealth of knowledge about this mysterious country I was going to gain by the end of my trip.
Saturday, May 17th: The Venice of Africa
Saturday, May 17th, at about 10 am is a historic moment in time. It is the exact moment I got addicted to zemi-johns, the motorcycles that transport you all over the country. I am sorry Mom and Dad, but I could not help it, I cannot remember the last time I had that much fun. We took them around Porto Novo in the morning, exploring the Grand Marche, the Brazilian cathedral turned massive mosque ending our journey with another stop for pastries.
After explaining for what felt like an hour to the various men trying to help us at the transport station, Katie was finally able to get it across, that yes, we wanted to take the crowded minibus, over chartering a private car. It still cracks me up when people get so confused that we want to take public transportation, I am just as capable sitting three to a seat. And it's dirt cheap! We headed back to Cotonou so that we could catch a connecting car up to Abomey-Calavi. I was dreading going back to Cotonou, but it turned out much less painful then I expected, finding the right car to Abomey-Calavi instantly. Once reaching Abomey-Calavi, we headed down to the Lake Front to catch a boat ride to, drum role please, the largest stilt village in West Africa. Over thirty thousand people lived out in the middle of a lake on stilts, going about their daily life. The village has been around for centuries and is evidence to Benin's very bloody history. The village was constructed as refuge from greedy slave traders and waring tribes of Dahomey (which was what Benin was up until the 1970s). Gerard, the boat driver, took us on our merry way to the stilt village, about an hour out onto the lake. We all got horrible sun burns, although they would not be the last. We passed by many fishermen and women returning with goods from the shores. One such women asked each of us if we would like some FGM, or female genital mutilation. Of course we politely said no thank you and were left on the boat the rest of the way a bit confused.
The stilt village, Ganvie, will forever remain on my list of the top ten coolest places I have ever visited. A whole little world existed ten feet above the water, or on boats traveling throughout the city. People had stores on their boats, and the market place ended up being right in front of our hotel, making for some of the best people watching ever. Yes, yes you heard me clearly, we stayed in the stilt village, and yes yes, our room was on stilts! Later in the afternoon, once the sun was not blazing, Lambert, the hotel man, took us around the town in his boat. We heard a constant stream of children yelling "Yovo!" (white person) from upon the stilts. I could not grasp the possibility that people could survive like this. Life lesson number 782 I suppose!
Staying there that night and enjoying the sound of water below could have made the trip, little did I know that that was merely day two, and I had so much more to explore. Let just say, I cannot wait to show off my photos!
Sunday and Monday May 18th and 19th: Voodoo and Kings and such...
Sunday, I truly believe, can be attributed to none other than good ju-ju. Voodoo is Benin's nationally recognized religion, and I strongly believe that something was at play during our stay in Abomey. Abomey was about three hours north of Abomey-Calavi and the stilt village. Our journey began with my first solo order of a delicious avocado sandwich, in French, and ended all cramped and sore in Abomey in the early afternoon. We found and instantly fell in love with the creepiest and most charming hotel down the dirt streets of Abomey. Hotel La Lutta, run by Da Lutta, was one for the record books. All four of us stayed in a room with mattresses on the floor for less than ten bucks a night, where the shower we latter discovered drained directly into the room. We didn't care, as far as we were concerned, this little hotel with a living room full of voodoo dolls was a five star swanky place in Paris. Everyone was so welcoming, especially Da, who invited us to a Voodoo ceremony, that unfortunately got canceled on account of the rain.
After settling in we took to exploring the city, which I fell in love with, especially considering exploring meant more motto rides for me. We hit up the local museum, which was magically free, the one day out of 365 days, saving us a chunk of money! Again, good ju-ju. The museum housed amazing artifacts from Dahomey's very bloody history, including a Kings thrown mounted on human skulls!
Although I did not dream it to be possible, the next day topped all the rest. Da, and tree other drivers, took us on a motto tour of the city, taking us to various sacred voodoo temples, a village of 500 who for the past centuries has never married outside itself, various monuments, a voodoo market fresh with monkey heads, a French graveyard and many many ancient palaces. At one such palace of King Agongolo (butchered the spelling), we discovered something very interesting about our guide. Throughout the day, people had been greeting Da with such reverence and respect, well, that's because Da is in the line of Kings of Dahomey. You know, "Da" as in "Da-homey." Only in Africa could you stay in a sweet little hotel and stumble upon royalty! Well, the tour made Benin for me. I learned more about Benin in two short days in Abomey then I could in a life time at the greatest library!
AHHHHHH: This is just my rough draft for my minutes are running out in three, so I will list what's coming next. Don't hold your breath because I am heading to the western region of Ghana again until Friday, when I will return to the computer at the crack of dawn to complete my tales! Life is just unreal here, it truly feels like a dream all that I am able to accomplish here...
Tuesday, May 20th: Coast of Benin, the Walk of No Return
Wednesday, May 21st: Heading into Lome, the Capital of Togo and the closest I have every come to France. Time spent exploring the city, people watching, market exploring, food gorging and horse back riding!
Thursday, May 22nd: Headed off to Kpalime, getting stranded away from our spot in the mountains!
Friday, May 23rd: The magical forest high in the Togolese mountains. Time spent at the Hotel de Papion (butterflies) with "The Butterfly man," who took us on a breath taking hike in the mountains to find butterflies, natural paints and waterfalls!
Saturday, May 24th: More adventures in the mountains, including great motto rides, mountains looking into Ghana and waterfall showers, complete with live music and craziness back at the Hotel de Papion.
Sunday, May 25th: Adventures trying to get back into Ghana and successfully returning to reality, well that's questionable...
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Time's A Ticking
I have many many many untold stories I need to be sharing, but time is money, and I have little of both. The reason I am posting this rushed entry is to let you know what I promise to write about in two weeks, and that way you can hold me to it....and to tell you what I am doing for the next two weeks and beyond. So, the stories I owe you, and keep me an girl of my world, harass me day and night, but here they are:
1) My first little solo trip up to the mountains in Aburi.
2) Research in Accra, hectic tro-tros, and the near brawl I got into with a man harassing me...
3) Finishing up volunteering at the local primary school, I have some pretty cute pics.
4) An AMAZING trip to Kumasi, the heart and soul of Ghana.
5) A dance and drumming final....both results questionable.
6) My week from hell that almost sent me packing, including unfortunate flirting with government officials from Togo and Benin to get visas, having to change a travel plans around five million times, amazing lightning storms, Internet shortages, getting sick, getting even sicker when the electricity was out...very bad visuals there.
I have been running a marathon, and I feel like this is the final stretch. I am 21 pages into my research paper, and probably have another 21 to go. I have finals coming up, on what, who knows! Classes are still the biggest mystery to me, one that will be forever unsolved considering today was the last day of classes. But, despite all the stress of these final weeks, I have some amazing adventures planned I would like to share with you. Here's the itinerary:
1) Tomorrow, May 16th at 5am, I depart for Benin for four days, and back track to Togo for a few days, returning May 25th. So look for that blog update! Togo and Benin are both French speaking countries, and Benin's official religion is Voodoo, yes Voodoo, so look out for more creepy stories.
2) So I get back Sunday the 25th, and I leave the 26th with my future neighbor in Davis, the lovely Jess, for the Western region of Ghana, hitting up a village that is built on STILTS! I'll be returning from that journey either the 29th or the 30th. Again expect another email.
3) After three days dedicated to writing my paper, yes only three, I will be taking off yet again, not completely set on the destination, but I'll figure something out.
4) FINALS from the June 9th to the 14th.
NOW for the crazy trip, and I am not sure how many of you are aware of my big plans. I am calling this my trip around the world, even though it will cover only four countries outside Ghana, it is going to feel like a trip around the world. From details I've gathered from others who have made the journey, it is a hard core trek. So here's the plan:
We are going up through Northern Ghana to Burkina Faso, then to Mali, all around Mali, onto Senegal, flying from Senegal to Ivory Coast (or what my Mom likes to call the rebel country), and then busing it back to Accra in order to catch my flight on July 15th.
It is going to be the trip of a lifetime, I can hardly wait. I feel like this is one of those defining moments, one of those few opportunities that come around that you just have to go for, having no clue how things will turn out. Unfortunately we are traveling during rainy season, making conditions completely unpredictable. However, I am completely optimistic. I am traveling with two other fabulous girls, Katie and Elaine, whom both attend Berkeley, and together I think we will make quite a team. I mean, this is the real thing, we are roughing it, backpacking, sleeping in a tent, trying to get to Timbuktu! I suggest that those with a touch of curiosity check out something like the Lonely Planet guide and read about these places, I wonder if it will intrigue you as much as it has me.
Also, I have a favor of those who take time out of there busy days to check up on me, to get me through this whirlwind two months, I would love to hear from you, especially before June 15th, I would love the boost. I mean who know, I might getting stuck in Timbuktu.
Okay, so sorry for this cheating you this time around, but I am sure in the end I will not disappoint any of you!
-Ali (or as I have been recently renamed, Sticks)
(HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY CARLY ROSE!!!!!)
1) My first little solo trip up to the mountains in Aburi.
2) Research in Accra, hectic tro-tros, and the near brawl I got into with a man harassing me...
3) Finishing up volunteering at the local primary school, I have some pretty cute pics.
4) An AMAZING trip to Kumasi, the heart and soul of Ghana.
5) A dance and drumming final....both results questionable.
6) My week from hell that almost sent me packing, including unfortunate flirting with government officials from Togo and Benin to get visas, having to change a travel plans around five million times, amazing lightning storms, Internet shortages, getting sick, getting even sicker when the electricity was out...very bad visuals there.
I have been running a marathon, and I feel like this is the final stretch. I am 21 pages into my research paper, and probably have another 21 to go. I have finals coming up, on what, who knows! Classes are still the biggest mystery to me, one that will be forever unsolved considering today was the last day of classes. But, despite all the stress of these final weeks, I have some amazing adventures planned I would like to share with you. Here's the itinerary:
1) Tomorrow, May 16th at 5am, I depart for Benin for four days, and back track to Togo for a few days, returning May 25th. So look for that blog update! Togo and Benin are both French speaking countries, and Benin's official religion is Voodoo, yes Voodoo, so look out for more creepy stories.
2) So I get back Sunday the 25th, and I leave the 26th with my future neighbor in Davis, the lovely Jess, for the Western region of Ghana, hitting up a village that is built on STILTS! I'll be returning from that journey either the 29th or the 30th. Again expect another email.
3) After three days dedicated to writing my paper, yes only three, I will be taking off yet again, not completely set on the destination, but I'll figure something out.
4) FINALS from the June 9th to the 14th.
NOW for the crazy trip, and I am not sure how many of you are aware of my big plans. I am calling this my trip around the world, even though it will cover only four countries outside Ghana, it is going to feel like a trip around the world. From details I've gathered from others who have made the journey, it is a hard core trek. So here's the plan:
We are going up through Northern Ghana to Burkina Faso, then to Mali, all around Mali, onto Senegal, flying from Senegal to Ivory Coast (or what my Mom likes to call the rebel country), and then busing it back to Accra in order to catch my flight on July 15th.
It is going to be the trip of a lifetime, I can hardly wait. I feel like this is one of those defining moments, one of those few opportunities that come around that you just have to go for, having no clue how things will turn out. Unfortunately we are traveling during rainy season, making conditions completely unpredictable. However, I am completely optimistic. I am traveling with two other fabulous girls, Katie and Elaine, whom both attend Berkeley, and together I think we will make quite a team. I mean, this is the real thing, we are roughing it, backpacking, sleeping in a tent, trying to get to Timbuktu! I suggest that those with a touch of curiosity check out something like the Lonely Planet guide and read about these places, I wonder if it will intrigue you as much as it has me.
Also, I have a favor of those who take time out of there busy days to check up on me, to get me through this whirlwind two months, I would love to hear from you, especially before June 15th, I would love the boost. I mean who know, I might getting stuck in Timbuktu.
Okay, so sorry for this cheating you this time around, but I am sure in the end I will not disappoint any of you!
-Ali (or as I have been recently renamed, Sticks)
(HAPPY 17th BIRTHDAY CARLY ROSE!!!!!)
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Go Tell It On The Mountain
Traveling pushes your limits, physically, mentally, economically and emotionally...basically all the "ly's." I have been itching to tell all about my weekend, that I wish could say just passed, but was the weekend before last. Although it may not be as timely, I feel like it was just yesterday, and maybe that has something to do with just being sore still!
Last weekend a huge group of us EAP students traveled further up the Volta Region, passing through Hohoe, and onto Wli, a little village only 15 a hop skip and a jump from Hohoe. The tro-tro ride there was like a roller coaster...that lasted four hours, weaving in and out of traffic, playing chicken with other tro-tro's, dogging pot holes only to hit other ones.
Once we reached Wli, we stayed at one of the only hotels around run by this very bitter and rude German couple. I think they don't like students very much and they spotted us from a mile away. None of us wasted to much time fretting over them though because we were all to in aw of our surroundings. The whole world around us was green, and I mean very very green. Wli, lying in a valley of sort was completely surrounded by beautiful mountains. In the very distance, at the top of one of the mountains you could see the top of the waterfall. We could not wait another minute to be in that water. Unfortunately, rushing is just not a possibility in Ghana, and all the stars will align you from getting anything done quickly. We stopped for a quick meal, emphasis on quick, and ended up waiting forever. No big deal, this is Ghana, we are used to waiting, and at least we had the opportunity to watch the screaming, yes screaming goats frolic around us. After our fried rice we headed off on our 45 minute hike to the lower waterfall, which we didn't hike, but sprinted because it was already late in the afternoon, and none of us wanted to be stranded in the rainforest, without a guide in the pitch black. When we saw that waterfall I though I might pass out. IT WAS HUGE! All we could see was the lower falls too, the upper falls were further up the mountain and were not visible to us. There was a man there that was yelling at me and flapping his wings. I just assumed he hit with the crazy stick or something, but eventually I understood what he was trying to tell me. BATS! There were thousands and thousands and thousands of bats on the sheer cliff beside the waterfall. Later, Mike was climbing on the rocks near the falls and almost stepped on an injured bat. The man from earlier took much delight in our fear of them, collected this injured bat, and informed us that it was dinner. Yes, they eat bat's here, I've heard they are really tasty too, but I was not about to stomach one, I just couldn't stop thinking about bat man. Well, as soon as I could get over the bat infestation, I had my clothes off and was in the water. Don't worry, I had a swim suit! The water was so cold we were shivering for one, and I could only stand underneath the falls for a moment for I was getting completely pounded by water from above. The whole experience was very surreal and most beautiful. That night we were able to relax and enjoy a meal back at the German's stomping ground. In the night the rest of our friends arrived, and the next day we were off for a pleasent hike through the mountains about 15 minutes away...or so I thought.
This Saturday was one of the best spent here in Ghana, at least in terms of pushing myself to the limits. All ELEVEN of us took off on a six hour hike up the side of this mountain, passing by and through six different caves. Our guide Godwin did this whole hike in sandals, while the rest of us were in our hiking boots with our gallons of water. Godwin informed us that hundreds had done this very hike as refugees fleeing from Togo once upon a time. We passed through caves that people years and years ago used to hide in. At one point, Godwin stopped and pointed to a village we could see in the distance, letting us know that that was a Togolese village. I had no idea we were on a mountain that separated Ghana and Togo, I guess that's something said for more geography studies I must pursue.
Another thing learned about myself, I can get competitive and I feed of others around me. When we were hiking up this mountain, I was a step behind to guys that seemed like they were running a race up this mountain. I am convinced that it's because I have brothers, but I always have to keep up with the boys. I busted my butt, panting like a dog, covered in sweat, but I did it, and that felt good. I mean, the hike that we did would have totally been illegal in the US. There would be all sorts of regulations and harnesses if you were doing this at some national park or something. We were full on rock climbing at parts, up sheer rocks, into and through caves. It was not until we crawled into one cave that I realized the true force of my lungs. We climbed down into this pitch dark cave, turned a flashlight on and saw bats hurtling towards us. I screamed so loud that people hit the floor. Well, despite the bat run in, every moment of the hike was amazing. We were pushed to the limit, exhausted and thirsty, but that view up at the top, where a little Ghana flag blew, was priceless. I have never seen such green greens. The hike down would have take only a fraction of the time if it were not for the mango trees that we feasted on. I think I must have had about seven mangoes we gathered from the trees, rinsing them in a little waterfall that we stopped by to cool off in. We returned to Wli, both exhausted and exhilarated. After our long day, we were greeted with a massive storm, thunder, lightning, the works. The next morning, all around us the mountains were covered in fog to the point we could not see the peaks. It was beautiful enough that the fact I felt like I was going to pass out was of little signifiance. All in all the weekend was simply spectacular...wow, I sound like I am trying to be a poet, just forgive.
Last weekend a huge group of us EAP students traveled further up the Volta Region, passing through Hohoe, and onto Wli, a little village only 15 a hop skip and a jump from Hohoe. The tro-tro ride there was like a roller coaster...that lasted four hours, weaving in and out of traffic, playing chicken with other tro-tro's, dogging pot holes only to hit other ones.
Once we reached Wli, we stayed at one of the only hotels around run by this very bitter and rude German couple. I think they don't like students very much and they spotted us from a mile away. None of us wasted to much time fretting over them though because we were all to in aw of our surroundings. The whole world around us was green, and I mean very very green. Wli, lying in a valley of sort was completely surrounded by beautiful mountains. In the very distance, at the top of one of the mountains you could see the top of the waterfall. We could not wait another minute to be in that water. Unfortunately, rushing is just not a possibility in Ghana, and all the stars will align you from getting anything done quickly. We stopped for a quick meal, emphasis on quick, and ended up waiting forever. No big deal, this is Ghana, we are used to waiting, and at least we had the opportunity to watch the screaming, yes screaming goats frolic around us. After our fried rice we headed off on our 45 minute hike to the lower waterfall, which we didn't hike, but sprinted because it was already late in the afternoon, and none of us wanted to be stranded in the rainforest, without a guide in the pitch black. When we saw that waterfall I though I might pass out. IT WAS HUGE! All we could see was the lower falls too, the upper falls were further up the mountain and were not visible to us. There was a man there that was yelling at me and flapping his wings. I just assumed he hit with the crazy stick or something, but eventually I understood what he was trying to tell me. BATS! There were thousands and thousands and thousands of bats on the sheer cliff beside the waterfall. Later, Mike was climbing on the rocks near the falls and almost stepped on an injured bat. The man from earlier took much delight in our fear of them, collected this injured bat, and informed us that it was dinner. Yes, they eat bat's here, I've heard they are really tasty too, but I was not about to stomach one, I just couldn't stop thinking about bat man. Well, as soon as I could get over the bat infestation, I had my clothes off and was in the water. Don't worry, I had a swim suit! The water was so cold we were shivering for one, and I could only stand underneath the falls for a moment for I was getting completely pounded by water from above. The whole experience was very surreal and most beautiful. That night we were able to relax and enjoy a meal back at the German's stomping ground. In the night the rest of our friends arrived, and the next day we were off for a pleasent hike through the mountains about 15 minutes away...or so I thought.
This Saturday was one of the best spent here in Ghana, at least in terms of pushing myself to the limits. All ELEVEN of us took off on a six hour hike up the side of this mountain, passing by and through six different caves. Our guide Godwin did this whole hike in sandals, while the rest of us were in our hiking boots with our gallons of water. Godwin informed us that hundreds had done this very hike as refugees fleeing from Togo once upon a time. We passed through caves that people years and years ago used to hide in. At one point, Godwin stopped and pointed to a village we could see in the distance, letting us know that that was a Togolese village. I had no idea we were on a mountain that separated Ghana and Togo, I guess that's something said for more geography studies I must pursue.
Another thing learned about myself, I can get competitive and I feed of others around me. When we were hiking up this mountain, I was a step behind to guys that seemed like they were running a race up this mountain. I am convinced that it's because I have brothers, but I always have to keep up with the boys. I busted my butt, panting like a dog, covered in sweat, but I did it, and that felt good. I mean, the hike that we did would have totally been illegal in the US. There would be all sorts of regulations and harnesses if you were doing this at some national park or something. We were full on rock climbing at parts, up sheer rocks, into and through caves. It was not until we crawled into one cave that I realized the true force of my lungs. We climbed down into this pitch dark cave, turned a flashlight on and saw bats hurtling towards us. I screamed so loud that people hit the floor. Well, despite the bat run in, every moment of the hike was amazing. We were pushed to the limit, exhausted and thirsty, but that view up at the top, where a little Ghana flag blew, was priceless. I have never seen such green greens. The hike down would have take only a fraction of the time if it were not for the mango trees that we feasted on. I think I must have had about seven mangoes we gathered from the trees, rinsing them in a little waterfall that we stopped by to cool off in. We returned to Wli, both exhausted and exhilarated. After our long day, we were greeted with a massive storm, thunder, lightning, the works. The next morning, all around us the mountains were covered in fog to the point we could not see the peaks. It was beautiful enough that the fact I felt like I was going to pass out was of little signifiance. All in all the weekend was simply spectacular...wow, I sound like I am trying to be a poet, just forgive.
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