Tamale or Bust via Yutong, Protection Rock, Changing Landscape/Culture and No Police Escort

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Yutong to Tamale, Ghana

Laura and I are off to Tamale then on to Mole National Park to check out some critters.  Once again I am leaving on a Sunday, which means few transportation options.  We end up in a large Yutong without AC for the 5-6 hours to Tamale (20 Cedi).  The Yutong Preacher gets on and does his thing to save us from the evil of the road. I buy a rock from him for 1 Cedi.  I hope this Protection Rock lasts through many rides to come.

 I do know that on the road from Kumasi to Tamale there have been robberies.  In fact they no longer do night buses and, in fact, if yours is running late and still on the road after dark you have to pull off until a police escort is arranged for the bus.  Big time crime is very low in Ghana and I think this police protection thing is to avoid even the chance of an incident.  I have no apprehension about the trip. 

Self Take of Laura and myself on the Yutong

It only took about an hour ½ to see the true changes to the landscape and the culture-scape.  The jungle begins to lose out to the arid savannah like terrain.  Colonial buildings are replaced with mud and thatched huts.  The North of Ghana is mostly Muslin and you can see the change in the cloths wore by the locals reflect this influence.  I am thrilled to be able to cover my face more (for sun protection) without looking out of place.  In fact, we found that women gave us positive looks when they saw us covering our faces with our scarves. 

At the half way-point we pulled into a way station with a couple restaurants, toilets, food vendors and as we where in the North a prayer room.  I noticed a huge professionally made sign with a giant arrow that said ‘Do Not Urinate Here’ (quite to the point).  After Laura came out of the bathroom she was a bit confused as there were people (all men) in this concrete room with mats washing their feet with tea kettles water.  They were washing their feet to enter the prayer room. 

Short break and we were on the road again.  Now the landscape fully embraces the dry savannah terrain covered in beautiful, majestic termite mounds.  The villages are made up of groups of round 3-4 huts with doors pointing to a center area in a circle.  Theses groups of huts are closed in with a thatched fence.  I wonder if these make up the different families within the village.

We arrived in Tamale around 6pm.  The station/market place is hoping especially for a Sunday night.  One of Rashid’s friends met us right off the bus and helped us get to an amazing hotel he had arranged for us.  Very cool to know people I guess. 

The Moon-Light Lodge is about 5 KM heading out of town but that is still very central as Tamale is not that big (even if it is the 3 or 4^th biggest cities in Ghana).  The rooms are large, with en-suite, ac, fan, TV and huge double bed.  We got all this for only 30 Cedi.  

Decided to go to the closest place to eat, which was only five minute by foot.  It is a disco light pizzeria/anything/bar.  Ended up ordering a vegetarian pizza and it was freaking delicious.  My tummy was very happy to be sure.  If you do end up in Tamale one day and are craving pizza, a beer and some serious lighting then go to Tacorammbama Pizza.