Behind the scenes of a typical Ghanaian road trip
Wednesday, January 15, 2014.
Cape Coast, Central region to Kpando, Volta Region.
9:30am. I should have left an hour ago. I am downloading some podcasts to listen to on the road. My favorites are The Moth and This American Life.
10:00am. I haven't left Cape Coast yet and I already have to pee. It is important to take care of this now because once the tro-tro leaves there are no rest stops. If I want to pee, I will have to ask the driver to pull over and go on the side of the road. No thanks.
10:30am. On the tro-tro* ready to go. I bought plantain chips to snack on.
*A tro-tro is a 15 passenger van, though it is usually crammed with more than 15 people. It is a common mode of transportation in Ghana and is a cheap way to travel across the country (a five hour trip may cost between $5 and $10 USD).
11:00am. We are off for Accra. Good news- there is air conditioning. Bad news- the man next to me has B.O.
01:15pm. We arrive at the Kanishie station in Accra. I am greeted by a crowd of taxi drivers, shouting a chorus of, "Come, come" and "Where are you going?" I say I need to go to the Tudu station. I am sure a tro-tro will take me there but I don't know where it is and I am sure the taxi drivers will not tell me. I don't want to deal with navigating Accra, so I get a taxi for 12 cedis (about $6 USD).
01:30pm. At the Tudu station I find the tro that goes to Kpando. This was easy, for the moment I arrived at the station multiple people asked me where I was going and directed me there. I claim my seat, in the back row by the window. The weather is hot and sunny. I could really go for a FanIce. Many vendors come to the window, selling pens and washcloths and batteries and chocolate bars...
01:45pm. FANICE! YES!
02:00pm. Now that the car is full we are off for Kpando. Every breeze feels like heaven.
02:45pm. I wake up abruptly from a massive speed bump. The radio is loudly playing Ghanaian Gospel music. It sounds like the same song that was on 30 minutes ago when I drifted off. Also I feel like I am sitting in a pool of sweat.
04:30pm. The sun is lower in the sky and the breeze is nice and strong. I feel really good. I am definitely in the Volta region now; I can tell because outside is all mountain peaks and tall grass and palm trees.
05:00pm. I have to pee.
06:00pm. I STILL HAVE TO PEE!
06:30pm. We arrive in Kpando. My friend, Becka, a GVSU alumni who has traveled to Ghana many times, meets me at the station. From there we walk to the orphanage Becka is involved with. This is where I will be staying during my time in Kpando.
A Ghanaian tro-tro and taxi station
