11-09-2011Ghana Waterfal Lodge, Mountain Paradise, Togo and Benin

7 September 2011 Wednesday we had a nourishing breakfast at the hotel Oak Plaza. Our 2 night stay was the best we had since our Safari started. This was a very well organized hotel with excellent staff.

Accra traffic will always be a congestion, 4 road lanes 6 rows of cars. Your nerves must be strong to drive here. The same rule is applicable, put your nose and go, this is how it works.  Hans and Stephanus once again managed easily through the traffic.

Stephanus mentioned after 20 km, we were still in Accra. One doesn’t realise how big Accra is. One of the most well developed cities we have yet saw. Modern buildings, Accra Mall is a very upmarket Mall and compare to the best in Africa

The Volta Bridge is a state of the art, well designed modern bridge. Alongside the road, they sell all sizes of drums, coffins in any colour. Hans said they sell cushions for a night’s rest and for the eternal sleep.

Stephanus heard on the Ghana radio 50% of Ghana’s nation is Christians. This one can see the way they advertise their business. Most of the time it is saying something about GOD and then follows what business they do.

Once in the country side, the beautiful green continues. The horizon is boarded with forest on the mountains. Hans said it reminded him of Uganda, same vegetation. It really looks as if anything will grow here. Put a stick in the ground and it will grow. Here it is more developed too. They work on the roads and in between you see very modern big houses. The hotels are neat buildings with well kept gardens.

The little villages are clean and no rubbish lying around.  Everybody looks proud of their little shops and houses. The police is helpful, but never a smile. The Ghana people do not smile easily.  Ghana was one of the most expensive West Africa countries we went through. The Cedis their currency is stronger than the Rand  1 Cedis or GH is 5 Rand.

The escarpment vegetation is very dense with huge trees. Hans took us to the Mountain Lodge for a drink. They had fresh Pineapple juice, so refreshing. The porch had a view over the rolling mountains.

Tonight we want to sleep at waterfall lodge run by a German couple. The little towns were one after the other, same selling bread, pineapples, tomatoes, bananas and avo’s

Waterfall lodge is very well maintained. Lawn to camp, bathrooms fully tiled spotlessly clean. We had a drink in the open restaurant. We met Rodger and Nadin from Sweden and 2 medical students in their final year from Belgium.

Rodger and Nadin are shipping their car from Ghana to South Africa. Hans gave them some advice for their safari in SA.

 Stephanus bought matured T-bones at Shoprite and they couldn’t wait to “braai” them. Mariana and Elisme were in for couscous and fresh Pineapples, Pawpaw, avo’s and tomatoes.

The night was cooling down. Hans was spraying lots of mosquito killers and burning coils in the vehicles.

Our four new friends joined us after their Supper in the restaurant. We were sharing our Safari experiences. We all went to the same camping sites in the same countries. Rodger and Nadine consider joining us on our trip to SA. The only problem is their Visas. They will send an email to their embassy and find out if they can get a Nigeria and Angola visa on the border. These are the only 2 countries that can be a problem for them. If that is possible they will join us in Togo and then drive with us.

Stephanus and Hans had a breakfast on the porch overlooking the waterfall. Mariana came for coffee and saw the lovely saucers with an exquisite pattern. She asked the German Lady Sabrina if she can buy it. She was so kind and gave Mariana a set, saucers and side plates. Now Mariana has something to remind her of Ghana.

 Hans got some info for Stephanus on fruit farming. They decided to go and see Tropigha Farms (Exotic fruit products for export) Stephanus is always looking for opportunities to export their fruit to these countries. May be today his going to get a good contact.

Coen and Shanhaz stayed behind at Big Milly’s to sort out the suspension of the Cruiser. They will meet with us tonight, Thursday 8 September at Mountain Paradise.

Hans and Elisme got exciting news. Gideon their grand child from Bernard and Odette was born this morning. Mum and new born baby are fine. We can only praise the Lord for that. We can’t wait to have a photo of Gideon.

We reached Mountain Paradise Lodge in the pouring rain. Hanna served us local coffee. To Mariana’s surprise she gave a demonstration, how to leave it to brew and exactly how to pour, add sugar and milk. Elisme said it was very nice.

Hans asked Tony, the Manager of Mountain Paradise, advice on the clutch of the Land Rover. He thinks the clutch is slipping. Tony phoned a guy in Hohoe and Stephanus and Hans went off to Hohoe.

Mariana and Elisme had a reading afternoon on the Porch. So nice to catch up with our books. I must say there isn’t a lot of time to do this. We drive much of the day, set up camp and prepare Supper.

The Bush Mechanic took the Landy with Hans for a test drive. Not the clutch, a gearbox mounting broke. The vehicles are taking so much punch with the roads we are doing. No new mounting available, so some wonder glue must do the job. The mechanic assured Hans it will last.

Coen had to get new rubbers for the air helper spring of the Land Cruiser. The mechanic got him the rubbers from a motor wreck.

Coen and Shanhaz arrived after 5 at Mountain Paradise. They took a room rather than camping in this weather.

Elisme was preparing Supper, Hokaai boerewors, pap and a brown sauce like Ouma Joe did. Tomatoes, Avos, roasted pumpkin seeds and cashew nut salad. Pudding was fresh pineapples and Paw paw, Mariana made.

We finish just in time with the cleaning up when the first raindrops started to fall.

We all went to bed with our reading books, it was only 7 o’clock. When raining and there are no leaks it’s nice to be in the tent. There was no wind chasing the rain, so all the windows could be left open.

Tony was going to take us to the border crossings. We need a Togo Visa, not easy to get it as these small borders. Tony is a high flyer, everybody knows him in this area. He is a very kind and helpful man.

Coffee and our moment of silence we were ready to leave. But not after Mariana and Elisme got a woven piece of material that is typical of Ghana. Hanna sells it at 10 Gh a scarf.

We exit with the help of Tony from Ghana. The officers insisted to have a photo of the boys at the Land Rover.  They saw Elisme sitting on the other side of the Landy. So they took the photo with Elisme in the picture.

Our border crossing Kpadafe on the Togo side went smooth and soon we were in Togo.

The Vegetation was much the same as Ghana, tropical and very dense. The people of Togo are very friendly, they wave and smile as we pass. The kids are just waving, nobody ask for“cado” motor bikes are still the main means of transport. They load everything on their bikes. A bag of maize is nothing, and then they speed through the potholes.

The women carry the wood on their heads. Most of the women have this poise when they walk. Must be because of the caring of stuff on their heads.

Coen and Shanaz didn’t feel like going to Lome the capital city, so we turn off to Notse. Nothing different to the road or shall I say nothing new, 54km bad road, potholes one after the other. That took us 4 hours.

 By 4 o’clock we start our usual process of finding a suitable camping site starts. This time Coen said he is going to ask the Police. They were assisting us, took us to an Auberge. There was no parking in the Auberge’s court yard. So this will not work for us. They gave us directions to another hotel. This hotel Le Berceau doesn’t have camping but a big yard. The manager said they have never done it but he’ll find out for us. Coen and Shanhaz took a room. The manager said we can park our vehicles, under the trees on the grass.

The clouds were very dark looking as if there will be showers of rain just now. Stephanus and Hans put up the awnings of the 2 vehicles. Mariana was doing Supper. Spaghetti bolognaise, avos and fresh Pineapples and Paw Paw were on the menu. Our motto for this Safari is to use what is available in each country, off the streets. Therefore we eat the food from the land. We had some delicious fruits and veggies. The tomatoes in this part are very red with a firm flesh; they just deepen in colour and don’t go bad easily. I must say we eat very healthily.

We received a sms from Rodger and Nadin, they will meet us at Notse. We will send them the GPS coordinates.

Technology is always a problem, just when you need it most. The sms’s won’t go through. Look for Wi-Fi they don’t have. We got the GPS coordinates ready for Rodger and Nadin. To no avail, no sms goes through, we tried 10 times.  We used Hans SA phone and with our new Togo MOOV simcard. Hope we will find them tomorrow in Notse.

Our night was peaceful and very quiet. Stephanus and Mariana slept until 7 o’clock when Hans woke them up and said it is 9 o’clock. Needless to say, his cell phone was SA time. They were not too impressed with Hans. Coen and Shanhaz were early birds, all packed at 7 o’clock.

Soon the 4 of us were ready to leave. We want to change Euro to CFA., and look for Rodger and Nadin. The boys went to a Forex bureau they had to sit in a queue.

Mariana and Elisme walked to the local market for some more fruit. Along the way, they met a funeral car and procession of the loved ones walking while the local band was playing a sad hymn . They were fascinated by their colourful dresses and the shirts of the men.  We stood still, in amazement until everybody had past.

At the market there were many stalls with different owners but everyone was selling the same Pineapples, Avo’s, oranges and Pampelmousses. We bought at the first stall; everybody was so friendly and begged us to buy from them to. They give their name and then ask your name. They remember your name, as we walk off to Hans and Stephanus in the vehicles they wave goodbye and say our names.

Togo people are very friendly. They were intrigued by Elisme’s hair. Elisme thinks it must be the red colour. They were touching it and lifting it, they could not understand the colour. We made friends and waved them goodbye, but not without a piece of Togo material. The colourful design will remind us of the colourful friendly people of Togo.

Today we will do a border crossing again. Togo to Benin.

Leaving Togo was very easy; Hans met a German who has been 9 years in Benin at the Togo Immigration. He suggested a road for Hans to follow and said we must visit Grand Popo.

The little towns were the same, selling all their goods. Bananas were selling every where, the small lady fingers, middles size ones and then the big Green ones for cooking purpose . Oranges, pineapples, tomato’s and avos were still available.

The Benin people are friendly they smile and wave.

We conquered a very bad road, just to reach a beautiful beach resort of years gone by. Now the Colonial building is still standing but in much need of tender loving care.

The camping site was right on the beach. Coen and Shanhaz pitched up their tent. Shanhaze was preparing Supper. She bought an interesting Palm fruit oil      reddish. The chicken had a lovely taste and colour