5-31 Travels and Accommodations in Ghana

 Our first beach resort was pretty awful - I posted about the Venice Beach Resort Experience earlier.  We then moved to the Elmina Beach Resort.  Our first room was pretty awful - Much water leaking into the room from the rain - no view at all.  Then the air conditioner stopped working and we got moved to a much better room with great views.  Our spirits  were lifted again! 

We had reservations for the Afeci Resort for two nights - Even our drive Shadrack was freaked out by the drive to the resort.  When we got close - all we saw was a huge water puddle.  An employee ran out and demonstrated that the water was not so deep as he took off his flip flops and waded into the water.  Our drive bravely drove through it. We pulled into the front of the resort - where was the fabulous pool featured on the website?  Must have been drowned out by the puddle.  On the website the hotel looked pristine and very new.  This place was run down and ugly.  We took a look at the room - which was supposed to have a water view. - there was no view.  So we told them no thanks and went on.  So once again Shadrach saved us and took us to another resort that was more acceptable. 

                                       

Our last night in Takoradi was at the Best Western - as we had a early flight to Accra.  Again our views were very good as was the room

So then we had two flights - one from Takoradi to Accra and an hour later a flight from Accra to Kumasi.  We were going inland.  They originally booked us to go to Accra and our luggage to end there as well.  But we said - Hey, we are going to Kumasi.  Oops - nobody apparently books connecting flights.  Go sit over there on those two awful chairs while we figure this out.  So much later - our luggage disappears and we are given slips of paper that say we have a flight from Takoradi to Accra and another slip of paper that says we are going from Accra to Kumasi.  We are reassured that our luggage is going to Kumasi.  I don't trust them!  They then want us to go upstairs to wait for the plane.  Michael tells them that I have a bad back - and we want to stay downstairs.  OK we can do that.  We make it to Accra.  

This is a small domestic airport in Accra - after we land we have to take a bus to the terminal and then walk to the departure area - as we were instructed we do not pick up our bags.  When we get to the departures area - we are told our flight to Kumasi has been canceled.  We have to go to the main desks to reschedule our flight.  I meet a black man from Austin Texas who is very upset about this.  We finally get to talk to an agent - we can get a plane to Kumasi tomorrow at 2:30 PM.  There is no apology for the cancelation or the inconvenience - or any accommodations for the night.  You are on your own.  

What are we going to do?  We are already going to be charged for the night at the apartment in Kumasi, but now we have to find somewhere to sleep tonight.  Do we rebook for tomorrow?  We are so tired it is hard to make a decision.  Nas in Kumasi says we should take the VIP bus from Accra to Kumasi tonight.  We decide that we will have Mary pick us up from the airport.  She and Ann arrive - they say, no way should you take the VIP bus - the roads are terrible the VIP bus drivers don't care about the passengers - You old people will not survive the trip.  It will be your worse nightmare!  We get something to eat.  We book a hotel in Accra for the night and Nas finds a car and driver to take us to Kumasi the next day.

On the 29th of May we drive to Kumasi - our driver is Stanley.  It is pretty awful.  We thought the roads in Accra were bad - little did we know.  Five hours of bumping up and down followed by brief spurts of fast driving when the pavement is smooth, followed by slamming on the brakes because of the potholes later - we arrived at our apartment in Kumasi.

The apartment is weird.  It has ornate furniture - that is fortunately more comfortable than it looks..  They tell us the kitchen area is for our use exclusively - but it is outside out apartment.  And everyday it is opened to the public.  This is really weird.  

We have a big wardrobe to put our things into.

This be has the softest mattress we have had in Ghana.

The living room.  The weird furniture is surprisingly comfortable.

Now - unfortunately they did not tell us - that even though the kitchen area is exclusively for our use - there is nothing in it. - there are no dishes, no pots or pans.  And they open up the door to it every morning and people are in and out of it.  So not really ours!!!

There is a stadium really close and this weekend there are soccer tournaments.  No one told us that there is also a church revival there starting at 5am and going until around 9AM.  The preaching is loud, the singing is off-key and it lasts for ever!!!.  I cannot wait to go home!!