Always in the deep woods when you leave familiar ground and step off alone into a new place there will be, along with the feelings of curiosity and excitement, a little nagging of dread. It is an ancient fear of the unknown and is your first bond with the wilderness you are going into. What you are doing is exploring. -- Wendell Berry

The TRIP: GUINEA - wonkifong --> MALI - bamako, djenne, douentza, Dogon Country --> Burkina Faso - ouagadougou, bobo-dioulasso, bala, ouagadougou --> GHANA - tamale, mole national park, tamale, yeji, volta lake ferry, akosombo, accra, green turtle lodge, elmina, cape coast, accra, hohoe and wli falls --> TOGO - kpalime, atakpame, lome --> BENIN - cotonu (transport stop) --> NIGER - niamey, tahoua, agadez, camel trek in aiir mtns, niamey --> BENIN (abomey, grand popo, ouidah, ganvie, cotonou) --> CAMEROON (douala, buea, top of Mt Cameroon, limbe, sangelima, yaounde, kribi, douala) --> MAURITANIA (nouakchott, atar, chinguetti, camels into the sahara, terjit, choume, ride the coal train, nouadhibou) --> MOROCCO (western sahara, dakhla, agadir, essaouira, marrakesh, imlil, summit of jebel toubkal, fes, chefchaouen) --> cross the Strait of Gibraltar --> Malaga, Spain --> fly to Geneva, Switzerland --> Les Grangettes, France
Click for a map. Updated April 30, 2007

dimanche, avril 01, 2007

Green Turtle Lodge (March 26 - 28)

The Green Turtle Lodge is located on a somewhat isolated stretch of beach on the Ghanian coast. Positioned west of the large town of Takoradi and the destination town of Busua, GTL is a good place to step away from constant travel. At GTL, I slept on the beach under the stars a couple of nights and in a tent the others, listening to the sound of the ocean throughout the night.

I again met a couple (Mark and Corinna) who are travelling and I originally met in Bobo, Burkina Faso. These two drove away from Edinburgh, Scotland several months ago in a highly modified Range Rover and plan to drive the entire west African coastline before reaching South Africa and returning up the eastern side. I always enjoy hearing the stories of other people as they travel along the same or different paths as myself.

At GTL, I spent the majority of time either bodyboarding or bodysurfing in the warm surf. It was great to relive the childhood of a beachbum. Unfortunately, March is at the end of the turtle nesting season so I did not have the opportunity to see sea turtles.

posted by Frank @ 5:31 AM