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.