Last stop in Ghana

I left the madness of Kumasi on Wednesday for the tranquility of Ada Foah. Kumasi was worth the trip. The giant Kejetia market (11,000 stalls within a few square city blocks) was a force to be reckoned with, but I survived. I made it to a few small outlying villages that are known for their weaving and cloth dying arts. And I had some fantastic Indian food at a local restaurant that redefines the phrase “don’t judge a book by its cover”.

After a full day of travel – 5 ½ hours in a bus to Accra, then about 3 hours in trotro’s – I finally arrived in Ada Foah, a small town that sits where the Volta River meets the Atlantic. From the Ezmine Guesthouse (best place I’ve stayed all trip!), it’s about 10 minutes walk one way to the beach of the ocean, and about 10 minutes walk the other way to the shore of the Volta.

The difference between the two is amazing. The Atlantic side is desolate. You’d think there would be resorts lining the shore, but there is almost nothing there. An old church, and remains of old trading posts. The surf is rough – this is not a swimming beach. And, as is all too typical in this area, the beach resembles more of a garbage dump than a recreation area. There are small plastic water sachets (the locals get their purified water in bags, not bottles) everywhere as far as you can see. I don’t know if they get blown to the beach, or are thrown into the ocean and wash up here, or a bit of both. But it’s really depressing to see. These beaches are also breeding grounds for sea turtles, and their habitat is being ruined by humans who don’t seem to care.

The Volta side is a different story. Fishing is a key industry on the Volta, and there are small fishing boats lining the river. There are a few islands in the river, and the locals run boat tours to them. One goes to an island where crocodiles roam freely, and tourists are encouraged to pet them. Hmmm… been there, done that. Really – four years ago in Gambia. I figure petting a giant unrestrained crocodile once can classify as adventurous. Trying it twice is just stupid. So instead, I took an afternoon to venture over to an eco-lodge, Maranatha Beach Camp. It involved a mototaxi to the edge of a local fishing village (all thatch roof huts), walking about ½ hour through the village to the end of the beach where Maranatha lies in the middle of a large palm grove. The water is calm, the palm tree trunks are painted pastel pinks and greens and yellows and blues, and everyone is just chilling in the shade of the café awning. I hung out there all afternoon, enjoying lunch with some volunteers, then taking the water taxi back over to Ada Foah. Much more peaceful than tempting fate with crocodiles.

One more night here, then it’s back to Accra for me. This was a great choice to spend the last few days of this trip. Part of me doesn’t want to leave, part of me is ready to come home. Maybe just one more trip down to the beach first…