Welcome to Accra!

Arrived in Ghana without much of a hitch on July 9th.

The internet connection in Ghana was wonky, to say the least. It would start out at 54 Mbs and the connection fluctuated between 8 and 25 Mbs thereafter. I think the little men carrying the letters across the wire were on sietsa most of the time.

Our flight arrived a little early and I whizzed through customs. I walked outside and it took my breath away. Not that I could see anything -- it was almost 10 p.m. It was almost 80 degrees and huuuuuuummmmmmmiddddddd. After sleeping in socks in Lilongwe, this was definitely a change. I knew it would be hotter in Accra. I just missed the part about it being the rainy season.

Arriving early definitely has its disadvantages. When I arrived in South Africa my ride wasn't there. When I arrived in Accra my ride wasn't there. In another story you'll find out when I arrived early in Rome my ride wasn't there either. The only time it is a bonus to arrive early is when you have your own car at the airport or you're grabbing a taxi.

After a few phone calls Emmanuel arrived. My hero! We loaded into the car and set off for the Evita Hotel in Kaneshi. After I got situated we agreed we would set out the next day at 10:30 a.m.

The first thing you I noticed driving around Accra is the roads. Around the airport everything seems normal, but it is not long before you feel like you're on a roller coaster. Here we were in the capital city, and most of it has dirt roads! Dirt Roads + Rainy Season = potential disaster. The potholes are not to be believed. The best driving strategy can only be described as bobbing and weaving. At any given time you find yourself on any side of the road trying to avoid potential sink holes!

Of course, it doesn't really seem to matter which side of the road you're on in Accra. There don't seem to be any traffic rules once you get outside the paved areas. There are no lights -- or if there are, they don't usually work. There are no street signs, except for one or two stop signs everyone ignores. The only rule seems to be: only the boldest advance. These folks would put any NY taxi driver to shame. I think the method is to make no eye contact, pretend the other guy isn't on the road and keep going. The theory is the other guy will stop and you can move forward.

Another thing you notice immediately are the number of overtly religious references stenciled on the backs of mini-buses, taxis and business establishments. For example: would you have your nails done in a place called "In the Lord's Time Nail doctor"? I wonder what it means to make an appointment in that place. We passed a clothing store called, "Christ in All, the Hope of Glory Fashions." Would you eat in an establishment called, "Put Your Trust in God Chop Bar"? How about having your hair cut at "Hands for Christ Barbering"? Could be an exceptional haircut! When we were at Shoprite Supermarket, they played Christian praise music. It is quite a change from the American scene.

Putting the roads and references together, Emmanuel told me a joke about a cab driver who had "See What the Lord Has Done for Me" stenciled on the back of his taxi. One day he was driving around Accra and he attempted to drive through a pothole filled with water, thinking it was just a puddle. The pothole turned out to be a sink hole and his taxi went nose down into the abyss. The only thing anyone could see was the back window.

Welcome to Accra!