See Ya Mole, Water Shortage, and Heading West

The only bus out of Mole National Park leaves at 4am.  Not thrilled about it but it is what it is.  Five of us walked in the dark to the pick up spot with sleep still in our eyes.  So the story is that the bus leaves at 4am if the driver wakes up at 4am.  We did get lucky and he woke up by 4:15 and we were off. 

It was dark out, raining and cool.  Actually managed to get a wee bit of sleep.  The ride back to town was uneventful and we were lucky to be the first stop.  The bus to Tamale was full and standing room only by the second stop. 

Chill day in Tamale.  We were back in town about 10am; I bought my ticket back to Kumasi for the next day and headed back to our hotel.  It was a catch up on writing and photos kind of day for me.  Sorry no baboon attacks or crazy Swedes to mention.

Did dinner at a chop bar a block from the hotel and our ‘hotel cat’ was there waiting for us.  Met a Ghanaian woman who had been living in DC suburbs for past 11 years.  She was there to introduce her children to the rest of the family.  It was apparent that her 7 and 10 year old were American (well at least Westerners).  They were freaked by the fact they had to jump over a drain ditch to get to the chop bar and they were sick of chicken and rice.  The woman on the other hand was desperate to move back to Ghana after her two-week visit.  She shad that for the past nine years she has been on high blood pressure medicine and within 10 days in Ghana she was off it.  Us Westerners tend to think those in the third world and developing world want to move our way…. not true.

Chicken and Rice at that joint were only 3Cedi and wicked good.

NEXT DAY

Got up early to get my 7 am bus to Kumasi.  STC buses are always nice; ac, big seats and safe.  We did have a blow out but the bus made it to a rest area so everyone could eat and pee while it was getting fixed. 

Got to Kumasi only an hour late and checked back in to Treasureland for one more night before heading back to The Coast. 

The ride back was on a STC again so very comfortable and uneventful.  I check back into The Prospect to find out that the whole of Cape Coast was out of water and had been for days.  No rain so the river was empty and there is no back up plane for things like that in Ghana.  Turns out that the edges of Cape Coast had been out of water for weeks and it had finally hit the city center.

Daily water supply

Thankfully The Prospect brings a bucket and a huge container of water each day, which is enough to bath and flush the toilet once maybe twice a day.  Someone on the staff has to gather all these huge containers and go somewhere for hours each day to get us water.  I have no clue how far or how much they pay to get the water but they are gone a good half day.

I was back in room 116 with the bed bugs again and yes, I was eaten alive again.   This time I spoke up and they sprayed my room and Obehi’s room as they were next door to each other.  I spent the next couple days in comfort without a single bed bug bite…. Nice.

So, Obehi and I took bets on when the last time people had showered.  We based this not only on odor but on the level of scratching people were doing.  Oh, what becomes entertainment when the water drys up in Ghana. 

I am heading further west tomorrow…Far West. 

Poo Throwing / Face Eating Monkeys, Day of the Baboon, Never Drink Monkey Fanta and A Crazy Swedish Dude Bitch Stapped a Baboon

Breakfast with Baboons

Got a late start to the day…didn’t rise until 7:30 so it was too late to do another walking safari.  As I headed out to the lounge area to get breakfast I saw a couple monkeys playing in the trees in front of my room.  Little did I know it was an omen of what the day would hold…it would be forever known as 'The Day the Crazy Swedish Dude bitch slapped a Baboon'. 

Baboon in background will make his move soon

The Day of the Monkey started early.  As I enjoyed my breakfast two giant baboons wandered into the dining/pool area.  I am not afraid of many things but monkeys freak the pee out of me every time.  No matter how cute everyone thinks a particular monkey is all I think is that thing is going to throw poo at me before ripping my face off.  Some people ran when the baboon came to breakfast but I sat still as can be holding my Mac in a death hold.  There is one thing I have learned first hand from my many encounters with primates and that is they steal crap.  I have had a few things go missing at the hands of a monkey.

The breakfast baboons were ready to charge us frightened tourist when the staff came out like apron-wielding warriors armed with serving trays and slingshots.  They saved our skins to be sure…and it wouldn’t be the last time that day. 

Red Monkey with baby

With the crazed, face eating baboons gone for the moment we could all concentrate on the happy band of Red Monkeys with babies in tow.  Even though I kept my distance they were amazing to watch.  There were about 20 of them and several babies being carried on their mom’s backs.  After the baboons this happy band of merry monkeys were a joy.  

Back to watching the elephants along with one baby at the watering hole when the nasty gang of baboons returned.  There were a few people by the pool which is just steps away from the nice shaded dining area I was chilling at.  The baboons decided to mess with an older German fellow.  This guy got up to move when he saw the baboons coming but they were not pleased when he tried to grab his stuff before retreating.  One baboon got pissed off and threw his chair then stole the guy's big bottle of Fanta.

almost here!

 Some of the touts that hang around the motel ran them off and a few minutes later returned with the half empty Fanta.  They cleaned off the bottle with the end of a shirt and returned it to the German fella.  Thankfully he said no thanks to the drink…. I mean come on, everyone knows the rule….’never drink monkey Fanta’.

No more monkey attacks that I saw but I did hear about a good one that happened while I was in my room.  A dumb ass Swedish guy walked right next to one of the baboons…as he passed the baboon the dumb ass Swedish dude ‘Bitch Slapped’ the beast.  From the story I heard the baboon reached to attack and the guy got away by mere inches.  What a nutter. 

Jeep Safari, Bruised Back, Forest Elephants and A Pet Wart Hog as Dinner Guest

Yummers!  After breakfast I sat in front of my room, which overlooks the watering hole.  Some tiny antelope creature passed right in front of me just now.  Only had a few hours to chill before our Jeep Safari.  It was a lot of fun but I have to be honest that I enjoyed the walking safari more…not to say that I didn’t love the jeep safari.

The best part of doing the jeep safari is that you sit on the roof of the jeep.  The one the six of use used didn’t have any safety bars on the front where I sat and my back was well bruised by the end.  It made it all the more exciting especially over the bumps with nothing to hold on to.  Let’s see we say huge elephants wandering the Forest, wart hogs prancing about, some monkeys and birds galore and of course lost of antelopes of all sorts.

The cost was fantastic for what you get.  120 for the truck split by 6 and 5 per hour per person for the guide.  There really wasn’t anything amazing about this little adventure but I wouldn’t have passed it up for the world.

To try and save a bit of money we had dinner at a little local spot.  We ordered earlier in the day and when we showed up the walked us through their house to the back area where there was a couple low top picnic tables and a pet wart hog…. at least the hog though that was the case.  Food was only ok but it did the job and we got to eat with a wart hog. 

Back at the hotel a big group of us had beers and good conversation.  I had mentioned my friend Obehi at the table but never by name but Sofie (young Swedish gal and Sam (from the UK) both asked if by chance I was talking about Obehi.  Oh, Ghana is a small place.   Sofie gave him a call and then passed it to me…. wicked funny…don’t think Obehi expected that one.

wandering the forest

Wart Hog as Dinner Guest

 

Happy as a Dung Beetle in Sh#*!t,Happy Elephants, Walking Safari, Gun-Toting Guide and all before Breakfast

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Free to be me...the life of a charmed elephant (as it should be for all)

ALL BEFORE BREAKFAST

Woke up today like an excited kid ready for their first day at Disney Land.  Before breakfast we head out on a walking safari.  Mole National Park is unique in the fact that it is the only easily accessible wildlife park in Africa.  Anyone on any travel budget can do this place.  The walking safari is less than $10. 

There were about seven of us in our group and our shotgun-toting guide was a wealth of information on the park and it’s four legged and winged residents.  Right from the get-go we came across my first ‘African Elephant’.  I have seen many elephants on my travels throughout Asia but never in the wild.  Unfortunately, in Asia, it is difficult to find wild elephants…they are all used as work animals.  What a beautiful thing to see one just doing her thing.  The people who live within the bounds of the national park respect the animals.  The influx of tourist dollars is a driving motivator to the care of the animals of Mole National Park. 

We also ran across a Reedbuck just chilling, taking in the beautiful day.  As we left the village for a trail a car drove by a spooked the elephant.   She took off trumpeting and running after the car.  I could feel the ground tremble, amazing.

We walked the savanna for a couple hours amongst Reedbuck, Bushbuck and many other antelopes.  The birds were too numerous to begin to identify but I did catch site of a few Kingfishers, which I adore.  Our walk led us to a watering hole that is viewable from the Mole Motel. 

There were six elephants bathing and playing at the watering hole when we arrived.  I couldn’t stop snapping pictures.  It reminded me of the first time I say kangaroos in Australia.   I must have taken 100 photos of Roos (back in film days so it cost a pretty penny).  Once satisfied I had grabbed a few good shots I just sat and watched for a long time. 

Dung Beetles doing their thang'

I am more than inspired now to get to Tanzania at some point in the next couple of years and do a two-week minimum safari.  I need to see loins and tigers and more oh my.  On the walk back I saw lots of my personal favorite; the Warthog oh and a Dung Beetle doing it’s poo rolling thing (and yes, I got photos).

Once we got back I ate breakfast and watched the elephants at the watering hole over a leisurely cup of coffee.

Mole here we come, Metro Mass Scam, Celine Dion and Kenny G Wanna Kill Me, and Dreams of dancing Wart Hogs

Time to get my safari on!  Leaving Tamale this afternoon for the 3 ½ - 4 ½ hours bus ride to Mole National Park via Mass Metro.  Mass Metro is the cheaper bus that has no ac but are quite efficient (but not this time to be sure). 

We mistakenly got out of the taxi at the STC bus station.   I asked the STC lady who was mean as a snake (bizarre in Ghana) where to get the Metro Mass buses and she pointed us to a teenager running towards us.  “He can help you,” she said with a glare.  I knew instantly this was some sort of a scam but decided to see it play out a bit.  This kid said the bus leaves at 2:30 but was already sold out but of course he knows the driver and can get us on.  Yeah, right.  I knew the bus leaves at 1:30 but looking at the clock realized we would end up missing it anyway.  In my head I figured we get our wonderful hotel room back, eat delicious food and take the 5 am bus the next morning to Mole.

So the scam watch begins.  We went to eat Banku at a bus station chop bar and wait for this kid to return to take us to Metro Mass to get these ‘Golden Tickets’ to Mole.  After a bit I get bored and decided to take off and go to Metro Mass to get a ticket for the morning bus out.  The kid of course sees us leaving and wants to help up with a bus.  We blow him off and go to Mass Metro on our own. 

As it turns out the bus was to leave at 1:30 but it is running very late and we still get tickets and wait with the rest of the hordes in the extra hot Tamale sun.  In the end waiting to see how this scam worked saved us two hours sitting at the hot, cramped Metro Mass station.  My theory is that the kid (who by the way is the brother of the STC attendant who said he would help us) would get us to the station after the bus left and try to get us to pay a big sum to take a ‘friends’ taxi out to Mole.  Just a guess but…if anyone knows the Tamale-Mole Bus Scam please let me know as would love to know what the outcome would have been.

Anywho, we go to a covered area with tons of people waiting under a shaded concrete area for the bus to Mole and areas on the way.  I little girl of about four named Ester befriends us as she cares for her baby brother.  She is a little spitfire and we have a grand time waiting for our very late bus.  To my horror I see a vendor selling Kenny G and Celine Dion Cd's.  Please make them stop!  Seriously. 

After playing with Ester and helping her care for her little brother for close to two hours our bus finally arrives around 4:30 pm.  This will for sure put us in after dark and the road to Mole is known for armed bandits.  For part of our journey, I assume the dodgy part; an armed policeman rides with us.  

 

Our spot on the bus were at the very back of the bus on those crappy elevated back-breaking, ass-beating seats.  The road to Mole is wicked crap and we were bounced around with whiplash force for most of the ride.  Good Fun and yes I do mean it. 

The Road to Mole took about 5-6 hours a year or so ago but major road works have slashed a good hour or two from that.  Like most of Ghana the road construction is at the hands of the Chinese. 

At one point there was a buzz on the bus about the armed bandits that strike buses coming down the road.  Nothing ever came of these whispers and we arrived at the gate to Mole National Park well after 8 pm.  The next step was to get off the bus and pay your park entrance fees (20 Cedi) then re-board the bus and drive another 10 minutes to the Mole Motel in the heart of the park.

The last 30 minutes of the journey the bus is filled with only travelers heading for the park and we met several people that we would spend the next couple days with.  Didn’t make a reservation so we were amongst the last to get a room.  Went all out on our room and got the double with ac that overlooks the watering hole to the park.  The moon was in hiding and we would not see the spectacular view over the Savannah till morning.

Before bed we did have a simple dinner of fried rice and a beer.  What a great room.  Two double beds, a big bathroom and ac that we had to turn down.  Running water at Mole Motel is from 6-8am and 6-8pm but the leave a bucket for each person, which is more than enough. 

Dreams of wart hogs dancing in my head at Mole National Park, Ghana

Tonight will be a restless sleep as I wonder what animals are wandering outside my door.  Looking forward to my safari walk and jeep trip tomorrow.  Sweet dream little warthogs.