“A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes”
Today is lovely and without that stifling humidity of yesterday. I stood on the deck a while earlier taking in the morning. It was quiet then, but the day has gotten louder. I can hear a couple of lawnmowers and some machinery sound I don’t recognize. Earlier this morning I had to go to Dunkin Donuts to buy coffee as I had forgotten to buy cream. The route took me over the highway, and I caught a glimpse of the stream of cars leaving the cape. I guess everyone had the same idea: lets leave early. The cars going down cape were far fewer. Maybe this will be a quiet week.
I have a list of stuff to do this week and the countdown has begun. One week from today I leave for Ghana, and I can hardly believe it. After forty years my wish will finally come true. I’m flying on Lufthansa from Boston to Frankfurt, have a 3 hour lay-over then land on Sunday at 6:50 pm, Ghanaian time. My body will go through 3 time zones, and I can’t imagine the effect as I have enough trouble with this one. Ghana is only 4 hours ahead of us, and I love landing in the early evening so I can have some supper, maybe my favorites, kelewele and jollof rice, then get to bed close to a normal bedtime. That will help me adjust, I hope.
It’s like the first time I went. I don’t know a single person who’s going though this time a few of us have commented back and forth on Facebook. Three people whom I’ve sort of met are all arriving a few days ahead of me and two of them are staying at the same guest lodge as I am (http://www.hotels.com.gh/triplecrown/index.html). I planned my trip with more time after the festivities so I can get up north. None of the others were stationed as far up country as I had been. I’m hoping a current volunteer from my area might be at the ceremony and will be interested in having fine company on the way home.
I have bought a few things I wished existed in my day. I used to travel with a roll of toilet paper, most of us did, but now I have travel toilet paper in packages small enough to fit into my carry around with me bag. I have soap sheets, small pieces of paper needing only water so I can wash my hands. Sanitary hand wash in what looks like a pen is also on the packing list. I have enough electronics for a small store: my iPod and iPad with their foreign travel converter and recharger, my small camera for discreet pictures and its battery recharger and my big camera also with its recharger. They are dual voltage so I can plug them right into the wall. I’ll bring my extra international plug. When I first went to Ghana, I had an Instamatic camera and a cassette player, and I was perfectly content. Forty years is a long time.
Explore posts in the same categories: MusingsTags: Ghana, Hand washing, time zones, Toilet paper, travel, wishes
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keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
August 20, 2011 at 10:55 am
Technology has certainly made travel easier. However, the biggest change in the last forty years has been globalization. You seem to have thought of everything and are 100% organized for the journey but just in case you have forgotten something, you may be lucky and find a Walmart store in Ghana.
Although I don’t travel to such exotic places as Ghana, I still am amazed to find the same goods and food in large population centers that we have right here in Texas. When I was in Dubai in May I had several choices of restaurants near my hotel. The choices included, KFC, MacDonalds, Taco Bell and Chiles. I passed them up and found a wonderful Iranian Restaurant.
When my kids were younger I would bring home souvenirs from the various places I visited on business. I stopped doing it because everything was made in China and I could buy the same stuff here cheaper. When my son was about 10 he asked me to bring back some bills from Britton. The smallest paper currency is a five pound sterling note. After looking at for a few minutes he asked my how much it was worth. I told him $10. He said, “Can I have the $10 instead”.
August 20, 2011 at 5:36 pm
Bob,
I know they just opened a KFC but don’t serve biscuits. I don’t think there are any other chain stores in Ghana, including the infamous Walmart. Small open stores line the sides of the road in the villages. Some even have only a few shelves. The cities, though, are a different story and were even different when I was there with so many stores, movie theaters and restaurants. I always felt like the country cousin. A friend who was in a city said he and I had very different experiences and couldn’t believe I had to buy my chickens alive from the market. He went to curry night at one of the big hotels a few times a month. My town had one place to stay and no air conditioning.
I will bring back baskets, leather goods, hand-carved wooden pieces and beads, all still made in Ghana.
August 20, 2011 at 11:00 am
The morning wasn´t especially pleasant here but now the sun shines and it+s just enough warm with a slight breeze.
Well You are prepared for most things it seems. I hope You do find a current volunteer to have as a travel companion, You can tell how it was back when You were there whether they want yo hear it or not 🙂 🙂
Times fly and soon You´ll be there again 🙂
Have a great day!
Christer.
August 20, 2011 at 5:37 pm
Christer,
I turned on my air-conditioning late in the afternoon as the dog was so hot she couldn’t stop panting and wouldn’t settle down. Now she’s asleep in the cool house.
You’re right-they probably don’t want to hear it!
I can’t wait!!!!
August 20, 2011 at 11:25 am
Hi Kat,
40 years is a long time and after all that time we require our creature comforts more than when we were young.
Looks like you are very well prepared. I think I need to find some of those sheets that need only water to wash your hands. I saw some for shampoo and body wash, as well. So much easier than lugging small bottles of everything.
I think I need to go to Starbucks. I’m avoiding cleaning the back bedroom but I can’t avoid it much longer. Darn.
Enjoy the day.
August 20, 2011 at 5:39 pm
Hi Caryn,
I figure my iPad saves me from carrying books and I don’t need that cassette recorder and all those cassettes any more. my iPod has 1200 songs. The cameras mean I can take all sorts of pictures and not worry about running out of film. It wasn’t available in Ghana and my parents had to send it so I was careful about what pictures I took.
I bought those sheets at Magellan, the travel company store.
My cleaning people were here this week, enough said!
August 20, 2011 at 6:01 pm
I left Panama City Beach, Florida at age 8 so on my 50th birthday decided to go back and find 55 Palm Ave where we lived. Must have been moved by Hurricane force winds for a brick structure, a Dentist’s office, now resides there and nothing looked the same. The beaches are crowded with skyscraper type condos including air ramps to parking garages across the street. I did find the old courthouse, it’s still standing, and a few office buildings where my Mother took us for shots back then. Tyndel Field AFB is still thriving where my Dad flew out of and tested jets. But i was not happy with the beaches being sold out to profiteers. Every restaurant is represented there, some having 1500 seating capacity like the Jolly Rodger. So no, I won’t be retiring in my birthplace. But I wouldn’t be surprised to read from one of your emails that times have indeed changed in Ghana. Gotta go to find out.
August 20, 2011 at 6:31 pm
Z&Me,
I know Accra has grown considerably, and there are tons of hotels, restaurants and endless streams of cars making it almost impossible to travel in good time. I would also guess the other cities have grown as well, but the further north of Kumasi (other than Tamale which was big even in my day) you go, the less the development. Bolga is much bigger, but the pictures and youtube I’ve seen had many places I recognized. I know there are four or five new hotels, but I got a laugh when i read that The Catering Rest House on the road out of town isn’t yet finished. That is exactly what it was in my day. I was amazed when I read what is now available in Ghana, like avocados and other veggies, but I also noted no cheese yet and lots of stuff we didn’t have in my day. There are internet cafes, one in Bolga which is a small number for a fairly large town.
I know it will have changed greatly, but I also know that the family compounds outside the northern towns still don’t have electricity or running water.
I’ll let you know!