Living IN Ghana is a constant surprise

I have been stuck in the house for the Fri and Sat because of the wind blowing so much sand.  It has been awful and my allergies were having a field day even though I take my pills every single day because it is so dusty here.  I was sick my room so I got up to a fairly calm day and took off for a walk.  I thought a fine walk and little rest and back home.  But nothing here is like I think it will be.

I left at 8:30 and took the short cut my neighbor had told me about.  Basically follow the path and stay East.  Well because a friend gave me a compass I could do that without problem.  Of course this is Ghana so I choose to ask just about everyone if I was right.  All agreed I was but a few kept saying I should have a bike.  Can’t be that far my friend that lives 30 miles north took the Vea Dam road home from Bolga and she said it was pretty close.  Getting a little worried at 1 hr. 30 mins. but kept being reassured by all those that walked past me I was going right.  I found the main road got off the short cut and found a little town.  Lots of people out going to church and they all assured me just down the road.  A friend texted me about this time and I was reading the text when I heard a moto.  It seemed pretty close so I turned to see and where this lump in the road came from I will never know but when I saw how close he was I went to step back away and ended up on my butt then back.  He of course kept going but all the towns people were “Oh so sorry” over and over.  I got up laughing what else do you do?  Brushed myself off and kept in the same direction.

A young girl came out of a path and walked with me her going to church me going to the dam.  And then it was there-unbelievable not at all what I expected.

Here is a dirt road dam with water as far as I can see.The wind was blowing so it even had little waves.

There was a young man with his little boy and a group of sheep at the edge where he had just put in a row boat.  It was such a peaceful place.  If I had had a friend and a picnic I would have been all set.  It was so worth the 1 1/2 hr. walk. 

THEN  I met some girls waiting for a lorry.  I told them I was going back to the path (hoping I could find it) and go back to the house.  They said they would walk with me and we had to go over the dam.  I saw I thought Nyirga was back the way I had come.  They said no we would go to the junction.  I ask where they were going and they said the junction to get a lorrie to Bolga.  I explained I did not want to go to Bolga I wanted to go to Nyirga.  They said yes yes the Junction.  Will there is a junction here where we catch the lorrie so I that the road would wind around to it.  It did sort of wind but my compass and the sun worried me but I kept asking and they kept saying yes.  We walked for a little over and hour and we got to A junction.  There was a lorrie but it was going to Bolga and no one knew how to tell me how to go home.  So  I knew I knew how to get home from Bolga. and thank goodness I thought to put my wallet in my backpack because Bolga here I come.  When we were in the lorrie I turned to the one girl that spoke pretty good English and asked her why she brought me here when I had told her where I wanted to go.  She said oh no that too far you get a lorrie from Bolga to home.  So apparently they decided I would never make it home walking so they took it upon themselves to get me straight.  Ha!!!

I got the text (when I fell) from a PCV that had brought my medicine to me from her meeting.  She said she would leave it at the travelers inn (an eating drinking spot we all meet at and has an envelope for us to leave things in for each other), but I called her and said surprise I am in town.  Meet everyone Brittany, Ran, Laure, Emma, and Mellissa to talk over things and get my medicine.  By this time I was starving so Melissa took me to a new restaurant and I ate like it had been weeks. Ha!!!  Then went to lorrie station and my friend was there and put me in the front seat again (love when someone takes care of you) and I sat for an Hour waiting for it to fill up so we could leave. 

Oh how I wish I had a bath tub to soak in-maybe the baby would share hers.  Hopefully, my hot tea kettle of water in a bucket can make it all better. 

Would do it again for the chance to experience the dam.  Will be walking there again but not for a few days.

Jack the picture here is for you:

When the girls walking said we were in Goree I asked them to repeat the name of the town, they did and then I saw the sign.  Could not believe all the way over here and it is another Goree.  Spelling little different. Ha!!!  But probably the same size as it is now.