My last post was written on Friday (23/03) afternoon at work. We had some plans for the weekend, and for the most plan; what I thought would happen did.
We left work around 4:30, usually when we are going away on a Friday afternoon we try to get out and on the road as quickly as possible. But this weekend we took our time. It was around 6 that we left; showered and bags packed, for one night away. Sarah and I often find that we stay longer than intended, but we made sure that wouldn’t happen this time. We walked down the hill, crossed Achimota road, and a trotro stopped for us straight away. When we got to Circle the main hub for transport from our area, we bought a bottle of ‘Old Nick’ white rum and I called Evans to let him know we were on our way to Kaneshie. [I will write about Kaneshie and Circle]. He lives up the road, about a 20minute walk, or 5 minute taxi ride from Kaneshie. The trotro to Kokrobite leaves from Kaneshie, it costs 1cedi. (about 50c Australian).
We sat, the 4 of us in the back row of the trotro. There was really only enough room for 3, but we squeezed in. The ride only takes about an hour, I was so thirsty. The shopping system works really well here. It’s quite dangerous. But very effective. The best way to describe it is, you know at traffic lights, when someone comes up to the window with a bucket and a squidgy? Well it’s the same idea except they have buckets or boxes or large bowls on their heads carrying anything and everything. Have I told you about the water sachets? The tap water here is not drinkable, sachet water is very easy to come by and incredibly cheap. Imagine a 500ml sachet of say taco dressing, but its water. It’s quite nice to drink out of. Well they sell the water on their heads, and it’s usually very cold, and super refreshing. They also sell loaves of bread, toilet paper, tissues, phone credit, bottles of soft drink and so much more.
I want to tell you about 2 products in particular that can be bought from someone carrying it on their head, number one- plantain chips, number two- fan ice or fan milk. The plantain chips are amazing. Plantains are like bananas, but the really really ripe ones are like just ripe bananas, and they fry them and they are amazing. A packet, which would be like 2 plantains worth is 50 peswas, or 25c Australian. Sitting on the trotro you yell out; PLANNNNTAIIIINNNNNNN!!! Haha and they run over as the trotro is driving away. It’s quite thrilling. The second item I mentioned is the fan ice or fan milk, basically it’s about the size of an Eskimo Pie. It’s about 30c Australian. They serve it in a small plastic bag because the condensation on the outside drips everywhere. Most people bite the corner off and suck the melted liquid through the hole, the same as the water sachets. So refreshing.
So the four of us were jammed into the back of the trotro, Evans decided he wanted some plantain chips. We were sitting Evans, me, Maddie, then Sarah. So Evans and Sarah were at both windows. The plan was who ever saw a plantain lady first would yell out the window and grab the 2 bags for the four of us.
As we approached the final stop, we went over a speed bump too fast and all four of us bumped our heads on the roof. It hurt and there was much yelling from other passengers. About 30seconds later we pulled in, and all filled out. I had my phone in my lap for most of the journey, but I thought I’d put it in my bag before we arrived, As we were getting out Evans wanted to make sure we all had our things, he had heard something fall when we hit our heads. Turns out it was my phone.
He ran to the nearest taxi and jumped in, “follow that trotro!!” Maddie was calling it continuously so when he got to the trotro, he would see it on the floor. After about 5 minutes he answered, YAY! He came back in the taxi, the hero.
We met up with friends of friends, who took us to their house. Sarah’s friend, who had her phone met us at the house. They walked us down a random dirt path in a direction we hadn’t been before with me saying, have you guys seen the movie Wolf Creek? The house was quite nice. It was really hot inside when we arrived, even though it was after 8. We sat outside for a while, chatting. Sarah went for a walk and Evans went off with one of the other guys, so Maddie and I sat with some of the others, going through music on Sarah iPod. We were so hot, and wanted to go out. Around 10 we walked down to Big Milly’s. where we usually stay. We grabbed a beer, and sat on the beach.
I love the beaches here. Well, the beach in Accra, in Osu, is disgusting. But, in Kokrobite, it’s nice. We stayed out past 2am. Walking back, to his house, we wanted to buy egg sandwiches. They are amazing, and the perfect late night drunk snack. Unfortunately one lady had run out of bread, so we went to another who was closed, to buy bread, then took the bread back to the first lady, who was, by that time closing and ready for bed. So we ate our bread in peace. By the time we went to sleep, and woke up at the crack of dawn, we had about 3 hours of sleep each. YUK.
We spent the day on the beach, the sand is nice and soft, and the water is the perfect warm temperature, to swim at any time of the day or night. I am getting tanned, if you saw me you would laugh, for sure. But I am the most tanned I have been in my life. So sometimes, I don’t worry too much about sunscreen, I got pretty badly burnt on my feet about a month ago. Silly me, I put sunscreen on my legs and missed my feet. They were so swollen, it was pretty funny. So this time, I just put sunscreen on my sholders and feet/ ankles. Silly girl, as mum would say. So I got burnt everywhere else. And I managed to get 3 stripes on my shin, where I rubbed the sunscreen that was on my fingers off. Oh well, eventually the burn will get less severe.
We bought spicy fried plantain and spicy egg sandwiches from Waxzi, and sat on the beach eating them. So good!! We left the beach around 3. I decided to go back to Evans house, and meet the girls out later in the evening. At about 8, I messaged them – saying I was super tired, and would they hate me if I pyked. Well that was not an option. I got a call about an hour and a half later, filled with screaming and to get dressed coz we will have an amazing night out. In the time between my message and their call, I had been completely passed out. Evans went out to get dinner, and I crashed.
We decided to go out. It was an effort, we were exhausted. But as always, as soon as you start getting ready, you’re fine. We picked Sarah, Pete and Jaime up in Circle on the way to Duplex in Osu. They caught a trotro into town from Pokuase. I called Sarah when we got to Circle, Evans jumped out of the cab and was frantically waving to them, across the street, while I was on the phone telling Sarah, we’d be over soon, to pick them up. They were all so drunk, we did a U turn, and pulled up. Jaime yelled out, OMG CARO! What are you doing here, look guys its Caro and Evans!! Sarah was like ohhh where did you come from?! Sarah got in the front, and Jaime and Pete jumped in the back with Evans and I. At first, Pete was yelling at us, to make sure we were ok! Then he stuck his head out the window like a dog, then turned the other way so he was sitting on Jaime’s lap, she was moving between fits of laughter and oh god, he won’t shut up! Pete then lied down across the three of us and stuck his feet out the window.
Not surprisingly the Taxi driver didn’t know where to go, and kicked us out in Osu near the KFC. In the evenings around Accra, there are Police Checkpoints. I think the driver was most concerned about so many drunk obrunis in his car! The guys wanted KFC to soak up some of the alco! So we went in. I had no shoes on, Sarah had brought appropriate shoes for me, ususally the clubs don’t care, but it’s harder to get in with thongs sometimes. So I put her shoes on, and we went into KFC.
Sarah had also brought me some make-up, which was much needed, after the day in the sun and a mid-evening cat nap. Evans and I guided the others into KFC, where the bought greasy food and coke. Pete finished his meal like a child, and then began running around the upstairs level of the restaurant like a child, galloping around. I had to grab his hand, and try to make him behave when he decided it would be funny to jump over the balcony.
After a few strange looks and giving obruni’s the world over a bad name, we left. Walking along the street, we weren’t really sure where to go. Pete was running all over the shop. He bolted down the street into oncoming traffic. I felt like I was working at a kindergarten. Evans spoke to a taxi driver, and he took us to the club. I really like the place. They play my kind of music. The drinks aren’t bad, they stay open late. A real dance floor would make the place complete.
We danced for hours. Well, let me go back a step. We arrived, I really needed a drink, to catch up to the others. The 3 hooligans ran in, started going mental to the music, I bought 4 tequila shots, (me, Jaime, Evans and Armin) and then they all crashed. It was over just like that. I went outside and Armin and Jaime were chatting. Pete was lying on the ground, he did not look well. Inside Sarah and Ali were dancing. Evans and I joined them.
The next day, at Evans’ house we made Red Red; one of my favourite Ghanaian dishes. It’s beans, with a fish tomato sauce, and fried plantains. Paulina, Evans’ sister is an amazing cook. We ate with our hands, it’s the traditional way.
In the afternoon the power went out. So we went for a walk around the town. There is an outdoor café near his house, I met the owner; he is a really nice man.
And that is the weekend that was. Well now it was 2 weekends ago.
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