Much needed getaway!

Holidaying is tough...


The past couple weeks have been mostly pretty good, with the exception of a few minor meltdowns. My fuse is a bit short, which is a signal I'm ready to be done! I'm very much looking forward to having a real friend here for a while! (Lame, I know-but it's hard to make friends when you have to be inside by 6pm and are always working!)

There was some interesting guests at the guesthouse last week, particularly one lady who had lived here for 30 years and is moving back to England to retire. She was lovely, and made Ama's day (or possibly month) by giving me a tiny bottle/bubble wand combo. I think we've probably spent at least 4 hours blowing bubbles since. I blow, Ama chases. Repeat. She also gave me an assortment of goodies such as insect repellent wipes, a mat for the beach, tea and who knows what else in a big box. Very nice.

It has rained twice in the past week, which is very nice as it cools down slightly. By cool, I mean 28 degrees, but heat is relative I guess! The highlight of last week, next to the bubbles, was the giant frog that came out after the rain to feast on flying ants whose wings had fallen off. Unfortunately, the picture doesn't really do it justice, but it was pretty cool. Ama was VERY impressed!



On Friday we skipped work and headed back to KoSa, or paradise as I prefer to call it. I accidentally told Ama on Thursday morning that we were going to the beach the next day, and the resulting fit will remind me to never do that again. She did not want to go to school, and began packing her beach toys and looking for her bathing suit. It was a bit sad...

The trip there was fantastic. We took the STC bus to Cape Coast, and then took a 20 minute taxi to KoSa. The bus was air conditioned and comfortable, and the trip went smoothly. My expectations were totally surpassed, a rare occurrence in Ghana...
The only drawback was the very loud music. At first, we had loud talk radio, which might just be the most annoying thing ever, then it was what sounded like church hymns, and then out of the blue was very twangy country music. It was very bizarre. I was like "where am I?" Did I get teleported back to Alberta? Oh well, better than talk radio or church music...

This time we stayed in the cheap accommodation, which was basic and simple, but good enough for us! It's also significantly cheaper. The downside is that you have to share a bathroom/shower. But check out the view!




At KoSa we had lots of fun and relaxed. Ama played bubbles with a little girl her age, and even ordered her around a bit. It was pretty cute. The little girl was more than a bit excited about the bubbles, I'm pretty sure they might have been the greatest thing she had ever seen.





We had lots of fun at the beach, but one day we had to go a bit earlier than planned because we got mobbed by kids! They just surrounded us, with total disregard for personal space! They meant well I'm sure, but it became a bit much. At one point they were all wanting to touch Ama, who had a freak out, which just encouraged the not so gentle grabbing! Leaving was ok, since it was nearly lunch time and probably a good idea to get out of the sun! Below are some pictures of pre-freak out.





The next couple week and a half will be filled with lots and lots of work. I hope to finish everything so that I can pack up all my stuff, put it in storage, and spend 6 nights at KoSa again and unwind. Then I'll head back to stinky Accra to get Pam! I have a lot of work to do, but I'm highly motivated by the prospect of getting out of town again.

I know it probably seems boring that I'm going to the same place over and over again, but it's so perfect for Ama! The surf here can be pretty big, and there can be some pretty strong currents/under-tow's. This beach is just great for Ama, minus the very interested children! Pam and I will hopefully visit one other place, but I'll keep you posted on that later.

Encouraging emails or funny stories welcome...haha. Hope everyone is doing great and enjoying the nice weather!