Flashback - January

My days in Ghana are almost numbered ...

... and I still haven’t really reported on my trip around the Northern, Western, Volta region in January. So here’s my fast forward through January:

After my sister Paula arrived one day late –delayed by a storm in Europe– and her luggage two days later – commonly happens on the way to Ghana– the first thing I did was take her on a four and a half day trip to the Northern Region, thas is, 660km far Tamale and then Mole National Park. My sister is surely one of the coolest travel buddies, she learnt how to buy food from the bus window straight away and tried everything from bofrot (I’d call them Ghanaian donuts) to giant pawpaws and even my beloved kenkey! 

With her new friend Frimpong, 
who loves Bananas

Tamale

She made friends with almost everyone whose way she crossed and stayed calm even after the 20-hour ride back from Mole via Tamale to Accra with minimal space in trotros playing the most annoying radio stations on maximum volume.

Mole National Park was dry, dry, dusty, dry and hot, yet at night it got so cold that I saw myself freezing for the first time in Ghana. The baboons stole our dry biscuits, poolboy Jerri then chased them away with his slingshot and the elephants appeared at the waterhole right after we arrived at the Mole Hotel. On our bike/jogging trip to nearby Larabanga, a small village hosting the 

apparently oldest mosque in Ghana, we got to know the locals and later on a lot of strange looks as we biked/ran back to Mole, past a lot of women and their children who were carrying water or firewood on their heads and probably wondered who could be so stupid as to voluntarily run in this heat.

After two relaxing days at Big Milly’s in Kokrobite –after 5 months in Accra I had finally made it there and found the best coffee in Ghana– my Australian sister Erica arrived in Ghana and on went the travelling. 

We spend one night at the Hideoutlodge in Butre (Western Region), and the next one at the Green Turtle Lodge, which is somehow unbeatable, even though the beach in Butre was magnificent.

Boat tour on Butre river

Then came the Volta Region – 
Mt Afadja, the highest mountain (900-something m) in Ghana was awaiting us.

Rootsyard, Peki. The bar, kitchen and house.

A sidestreet in Peki

The best thing about the Volta Region, apart from the nature (mountains, green, waterfalls, ...) and people, was our accommodation. We stayed at Rootsyard in Peki, an ecofriendly-vegan-rasta accommodation run by a lovely family, Jaqueline, Bob and their adorable kids. We felt so much at home that it was hard to leave and we took the good food as an excuse to stay a few extra hours– Accra could wait. Anyone reading this and planning to go the Volta Region should stop in Peki! I have never tasted vegan food before but what we had at Rootsyard was just delicious. Chocolate cake, sorbets, hummus, red red, samosas (they’re the best!), coffee, juices, I don’t know where to stop. If anyone needs further reference: The chief of Peki here who lives next door comes over for a beer every now and then...

Samosas prepared by Jaqueline

The Rootsyard family with their obviously delighted guests