little by little

There’s nothing like a last minute weekend adventure!  Which is preciously why when Melissa called Friday afternoon to see if I was feeling better (I had come down with a nasty head cold earlier in the week from getting caught in a massive downpour) & up for joining her and Sampson on a road trip to HoHoe, in Ghana’s Volta region, I quickly packed a bag and within an hour we were off.  Well we may have physically been in the car but traffic on a Friday leaving Accra is pretty much at a snails pace.  Nevertheless, 5 hours later we had safely arrived to our destination, irrespective of a couple bumpy roads and a few cheeky police checkpoints seeking (although not receiving) a few cedi for our passage along the way.

After a good nights rest we were up and ready to start exploring HoHoe and its surrounding villages.  Driving through town, Melissa and I enjoyed our new found celebrity status as local children excitedly waved as soon as they spotted the obronies driving past.  During the tour we noticed a lovely Miss Ghana statue in the middle of town & were quickly informed that in fact HoHoe is the home of the first Miss Ghana (never know when that might come up in a trivia question).  Following a late breakfast, joined by Sampson’s friends Yasin & Richard (who’s hometown is HoHoe) we headed off to Wli waterfalls, the highest in Ghana. 

Since we arrived in the early afternoon we were unable to complete the 4-hour hike to the top of the falls and return before sunset.  Initially disappointed for having to settle for the 2-hour hike to the viewpoint, we were soon relieved as the heat and steepness of the climb was more than we had anticipated.  Thankfully our skillful tour guide Mattieo provided us with walking sticks and an eagerness to share the natural splendor of Wli falls.  Upon our decent the breathtaking beauty combined with the fierce power of the waterfall greeted us. Not wanting to miss a rare opportunity we jumped in and experienced its strength while simultaneously embracing the refreshing water of the falls.  It was absolutely incredible.

We had a pretty relaxed night as I enjoyed my jollof rice & chicken for dinner (apparently you can only have redred & plantains earlier in the day) and then off to where else in HoHoe but ‘Obama’s Bar’!  And while I do not believe President Obama made the journey to HoHoe, Ghana was indeed the first African country he visited after becoming President in 2008.

The adventure continued the following morning as we grabbed a breakfast to go of potassium packed bananas, we quickly headed to Mt. Afadaja, the highest peak in Ghana at an impressive 2950m.  In hindsight this minimalist breakfast was probably not the best idea but we did not want to arrive too late & miss the opportunity to hike to the top of the mountain.

However, an adventure wouldn’t be an adventure without a few obstacles, especially in the form of crater-sized potholes. One in particular though did appear to stop us in our tracks.  But rather than get all worked up about it the guys simply got out of the car along with a few passer-bys & within a few minutes lifted it out.  Now the car may have been recovered from the hole, it couldn’t, however, continue down the road.  But not to fear, with the car parked on the side of the road, there were two guys with motorcycles willing to take us the remaining 5 minutes drive.  So yes, Melissa and I on the back of one bike with our trusty driver Francis and the three guys with the driver for a total of four grown men on the back of the other.  It was definitely a sight to see!

We arrive at the base of the mountain and are joined by Puka our tour guide.  Now I may have taken up running this past year and even completed my first half marathon but I prefer taking my time while walking, some may say this is ‘walking slowly’ I say it’s more ‘enjoying the moment’ style walking!  Needless to say little by little we climbed the mountain.  At times I did feel as though I wouldn’t finish the almost 3km hike at what felt like a 90° angle.  Puka informed us that several groups don’t make the full trek & turn around.  Actually we had practically reached the top & had an incredible view already, which after almost 2 hrs that I was pretty satisfied with.  But the 12 year old, who does this climb most weekends, and doesn’t even break a sweat (ya that part hurt!!), convinced me that I’d made it this far and that that little bit further was more than worth it.  Ten minutes later we reached the top of the mountain to a stunning view of the village below as well as the neighboring Togo border.  

Whether it was hiking up mountains or the journeys in between, little by little we accomplished some great feats this past weekend.  Thus, with a helping hand, little by little we can all set out on our journeys and take on some incredible tasks to achieve the things we set our minds to.

Happy travels! ☺