Shyam’s Ghanaian Summer…and More

Drinking aside, our three most important uses of water seem to be bathing, washing clothes, and flushing the toilet. As well, we find one thing at the root of our daily activities: electricity.

For the last three weeks of being in Accra, both water and electricity have been difficult to have at the same time i.e. as water started flowing, electricity would go and vice versa. Mostly it’s just been water though, and I’d like to share this small part of my experience with you.

Are you up for a challenge?

What you need:

·        2 buckets worth of water

·        Yourself

·        Two or three days during which you will follow the procedure below

For the one or two days when you do this:

1.      Pretend that there is no running water

2.      Use ONLY the 2 buckets to:

a.      Take baths

b.      wash 3 shirts (i.e. use a bucket and your hands)

c.      flush the toilet

3.      Refrain from using electricity in your home

4.      Describe your experience in a comment to this post at www.uwo.ewb.ca/shyam/

Everyone that takes the challenge AND comments will enter a draw for a special souvenir from Ghana. Woooo!

Elmina Castle, used by the Portuguese, Dutch and British as a centre of trade for gold and slaves, among other things, was cool but grim. Most of all, it was a weekend to relax - and Elmina certainly lent itself to that.

The view from Elmina

The view of Elmina castle

The Boti Falls which were a must see, because an overnight stay in Koforidua was unaviodable, were equally stunning but very short-lived.

And apparently it’s not even the best!

Akosombo dam, around which the planned Ghanaian city of Akosombo is built, competes quite nicely with the last two, with a green, hilly landscape surrounded by water.

<Unfortunately, the photos from this half-day visit have been erased from my hard disk thanks to a pesky little virus. Good thing I backed it up though - but too bad I can’t access it because it’s on Dean’s ipod which, by now, is several hours away.>

The grand finale of Ghanaian wonders was no doubt the Mole National Park, which was the “fun day” of our mid-summer JF retreat where…see for yourself.