Week Four
21st September – our final leg begins. I had honestly forgotten up to this point that the last time I had been on the road west from Accra, it had not been surfaced. I suddenly remembered and shared it with mum. We thought it best not to tell dad. He had finally got used to the roads and was happy they were again tarred. I was anxious most of the journey and was thoroughly surprised that in the 4 months since I had last been on the road that it was completed (or almost – we travelled on bad road for about 20 minutes) The villages we passed through were very run down and I could feel dad getting tense. He didn’t seem at all impressed. I had not been to the beach resort before but as it had been highly recommended I hoped it would all work out. Dad would hold judgement until he had seen it.
I have never seen anyone change in a matter of moments. As soon as we arrived and entered the resort dad totally changed I could see him physically melt into absolute relaxation, and a broad smile spread across his face. Anomabu Beach resort is a little piece of heaven on the coast of Ghana. The staff, food rooms, beach, weather were perfect. We were practically the only guests for much of the time. At this point we were ending our time with Malik. Rather than saying goodbye there and then, which is what Malik thought. We wanted to thank him so made him stay as our guest for the night and leave the next morning. Malik had not been to the beach before so was like a kid on the sand. It was quite fumbling. What we take for granted can still be a first for people. He was astonished that the water was salty, and hurt his eyes. We finished the day with a lobster meal which was absolutely delicious
22nd September – we said a sad farewell to Malik. We spent the day on the beach, deciding that anything else would be far too much hard work. We planned our next day which was a trip out to Cape Coast and Elmina. We organised a taxi for the day.
23rd September – The Cape Coast area was the last stop for the slaves before being transported to the States and Europe. Elmina Castle was our first stop. We took a guided tour of the castle. Having been to Pikwora a couple of weeks before and driven the length of Ghana in a comfortable air-conditioned car. It made us think how hard the journey was for the Africans. The place even now were bleak in the castle, to try and picture the overcrowded, stark conditions, stench and punishing cruelty they had to cope with was beyond my comprehension. Something that caught my breath was the tiny crack of an exit that the Africans were forced to leave by - The gate of no return. We were told that if they were too big to squeeze through the gate they hadn’t yet been through enough and were kept back for further starvation and maltreatment.
Someone said to me recently who had also visited Pikwora and Cape Coast, that it is no wonder that many Black Americans are so big and strong, they come from good lineage. They had to be to have survived all they went through.
Cape Coast Castle was bigger and the dungeons worse if at all possible. There was an interesting museum.
24th-25th September – two more days relaxing on the beach, we walked down the beach to the Anomabu fishing village and watched them bring in the morning catch.
26th September – time to head back to Accra for the final time. We decided to hire a car for the journey. It was cheaper and more reliable than the taxi. In the few days we had been on the beach the road was finished, I was astonished.
27th September – time for mum and dad to leave. It was an amazing trip, one I was very much looking forward to I had saved my travelling to share it with them and none of us was disappointed.
Well that account was much longer than I originally planned. But once I start to write I find more things to talk about. As this is meant to be a online diary – why not, though it has taken a couple of hours to write. I can understand why I have put it off for so long.
I have never seen anyone change in a matter of moments. As soon as we arrived and entered the resort dad totally changed I could see him physically melt into absolute relaxation, and a broad smile spread across his face. Anomabu Beach resort is a little piece of heaven on the coast of Ghana. The staff, food rooms, beach, weather were perfect. We were practically the only guests for much of the time. At this point we were ending our time with Malik. Rather than saying goodbye there and then, which is what Malik thought. We wanted to thank him so made him stay as our guest for the night and leave the next morning. Malik had not been to the beach before so was like a kid on the sand. It was quite fumbling. What we take for granted can still be a first for people. He was astonished that the water was salty, and hurt his eyes. We finished the day with a lobster meal which was absolutely delicious
22nd September – we said a sad farewell to Malik. We spent the day on the beach, deciding that anything else would be far too much hard work. We planned our next day which was a trip out to Cape Coast and Elmina. We organised a taxi for the day.
23rd September – The Cape Coast area was the last stop for the slaves before being transported to the States and Europe. Elmina Castle was our first stop. We took a guided tour of the castle. Having been to Pikwora a couple of weeks before and driven the length of Ghana in a comfortable air-conditioned car. It made us think how hard the journey was for the Africans. The place even now were bleak in the castle, to try and picture the overcrowded, stark conditions, stench and punishing cruelty they had to cope with was beyond my comprehension. Something that caught my breath was the tiny crack of an exit that the Africans were forced to leave by - The gate of no return. We were told that if they were too big to squeeze through the gate they hadn’t yet been through enough and were kept back for further starvation and maltreatment.
Someone said to me recently who had also visited Pikwora and Cape Coast, that it is no wonder that many Black Americans are so big and strong, they come from good lineage. They had to be to have survived all they went through.
Cape Coast Castle was bigger and the dungeons worse if at all possible. There was an interesting museum.
24th-25th September – two more days relaxing on the beach, we walked down the beach to the Anomabu fishing village and watched them bring in the morning catch.
26th September – time to head back to Accra for the final time. We decided to hire a car for the journey. It was cheaper and more reliable than the taxi. In the few days we had been on the beach the road was finished, I was astonished.
27th September – time for mum and dad to leave. It was an amazing trip, one I was very much looking forward to I had saved my travelling to share it with them and none of us was disappointed.
Well that account was much longer than I originally planned. But once I start to write I find more things to talk about. As this is meant to be a online diary – why not, though it has taken a couple of hours to write. I can understand why I have put it off for so long.
posted by Lucy at 10:05 am
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