A Promise!

Although I did not get to blog more in Kumasi, I promise to keep uploading stories and experiences as time passes by. In the meantime, whenever anyone asks me, how was Africa? I say: It was awesome! I met some wonderful people -- both from IDDS and from Ghana. And we all worked so hard, but we partied even harder!

Cheers!

A post from 13th July

Due to a barely working internet connection (atleast in the first week of my trip there) I started writing this in word and never got down to posting it. So here goes, yet another incomplete post...

RECAP

HEATHROW: The flight from LAX was late and I entered the Heathrow terminal with less than 20 minutes before the gate closed. While I could convince someone at the BA line to let me use the fasttrak lane, I did not have the same luck at security. I tried to plead with the people before me to let me cut the line -- some agreed. Most did not! (And those were mainly Indians! Hmm!) I got through security with less than 2 minutes to reach gate A10, which luckily was right in front. But I had to make the decision to either put on my shoes and put back my laptop in the bag and miss the flight, or just run. So there I was, first time in London, my arms full of random things, running across the terminal in my socks! Made it to the gate and had time to get my stuff in order before the bus arrived to take us to the plane!

THE FLIGHT: Had the emergency seat again (I must thank the travel agent!) and was sitting next to a Nigerian and we spoke about Africa till I rudely dozed off in the middle of the conversation. He did not try to speak to me again when I woke up. I was happy to look out of the window as we passed through thunderstorms!

KOTOKA INTL AIRPORT: The first thing you see at the airport is a colorful mural saying "Akwaaba" (Welcome in Twi). The people are extremely friendly and want to help you carry your bags -- not the porters but the officials too. Getting through immigration was a breeze although for some reason the security guard beyond them had a conversation with the other about my shoe/feet/something on the floor. The girl next to me was as puzzled as I. (Although we dint know each other yet, that was Paulina coming to IDDS from Guatemala!) I pushed my cart around the terminal, bought a sim card (I was cheated there, I later found out!), exchanged some currency and went looking for Joe, who was hard to miss with an almost tearing IDDS paper flag. Nadia was there with him to greet us all, and I was officially introduced to Paulina and Habib who had been on the same flight as me (and sitting next to each other yet dint speak a word!!!) We waited at the terminal for a couple of people more to arrive, and then we all drove to Crystal Hostel at Accra, where we were to spend the night.

ACCRA: I didn't have the chance to explore Accra as yet. We just woke up to eat some fresh fruits that the Auntie at the hostel had cut for the gang. And at 11am we drove back to the airport where more people had arrived from the USA. The last of the group came by 1pm, and we all had an awesome lunch of Vegetarian Red Red before we left for Kumasi. (Red Red will soon become one of my favorite dishes here. It's beans and plantain cooked in palm oils, and since they use a lot of oil in their food here, they both look red in color. I love the beans, they are nice a spicy. The plantain is a little too sweet for me. So I guess I'm just a fan of one RED!)

THE BUS JOURNEY: I stepped into the bus and nostalgia hit me with the hundreds of Bangalore-Ooty or Bangalore-Manipal trips I have done in similar buses. I went and found myself a nice window seat in the middle (which I have learnt with experience is the best place for me to sit to avoid motion-sickness). I am really not the talkative kind in a bus, so I just took out my ipod, put on some nice music, and watched the countryside pass by the window. I thought about school, home, being in Africa. I fell asleep! I woke up! It was just another bus journey which felt familiar in a way, yet so very different. More than anything, I was anxious to get to Kumasi and start my IDDS experience. So much so that this is what I looked like on arrival after hours on a bus!

IDDS Links

The 2009 webiste is up.

And the official blog.

LAX

As always, I was rushing to buy some last minute stuff (in this case a scrapbook for my adventures) and reached the airport 45 minutes later than I wanted to, only to realize that the flight was delayed by... 45 minutes! :) A long line at check-in forced me to become a British Airways club member via iphone. (I'm going to miss my baby!) I followed that by seducing the nice old man at the Club check-in counter and I cut through a hundred people atleast! :)

Last american meal of burgers and fries and diet coke at the daily grill. Took a walk through the duty free. Did not buy anything although the discounted sportsac looked tempting (till she said that she will have to deliver it to the gate -- i'm not carrying yet another bag.)

Breezed through security - although I did forget to take off my belt... had to walk through again. She found something suspecting in my handbag and put on some nylon gloves and digged around only to find little notebooks! (What a nerd I am!) And forgot my belt and walked on to the gate... and walked back when I felt my jeans slipping down!

Sitting at Gate 103. The crew went in about 10 minutes ago. They are boarding peple with kids or disabilities. [Makes me wonder whether kids are considered a disability???] Patiently waiting for my turn making use of my t-mobile hotspot! I have the emergency exit seat. More leg room! More fun! As long as my aeroplane crosses the atlantic -- I'm good!

Next post - Heathrow!

One Week To Go!

Butterflies in my stomach -- I finally leave for Accra on the 5th of July, hopefully after having a nice lunch by the beach instead of scrambling to reach there on time!

Got my Visa a few weeks back. (Will put up pictures when I scan it for myself!) Got my vaccination last week. I took Leslie along for moral support, but it was just a pinch. Not as eventful as I thought it would be. Not as reassuring either!

I have been doing some shopping for the trip - things I would need. Got some more to go. I hate shopping. Will wait for Manik to come for the long weekend and will take Leslie along too! :)

Got to finish all my project next week before I leave. So busy trying to get 14 weeks of work done in 8 weeks. And then will spend the last weekend here catching up with old friends and new. Looking forward... to next weekend... as well as the next two months.