My adventures in Ghana !!!

I've been back for a while, but I figured it's time to talk about my time in Africa. Traveling to Accra, Ghana was an adventure all by itself. The direct flight was too expensive, so we started off with a 7 hour, 30 minute flight to Casablanca. I've never been in the air that long, but fortunately the flight wasn't full. After takeoff, I stretched out over two seats. I don't have any photos of Casablanca because it was dark out when we arrived. The airport looked like all the rest, except the announcements were in French and Arabic

Once we arrived in Accra, it was an adventure getting all the luggage. The total traveling party was 17, so just imagine how long it took to get everything!!!

The first of three hotels we stayed in while in Ghana.

Dinner by the beach!!

Me and my mother just before our first dinner.

Welcome balloons for us at a school in Ghana. My step-father's mother helps sponsor the school and some of the students.

It was also graduation day for the younger students!!

More photos from the school. That little girl can pose can't she??!?!?

My mother and step-father surrounded by kids at the school.

I was hounded by the kids after I took this photo.

This little girl was so sweet. In just a few hours, she became my new best friend. I gave her an extra bracelet that I had. Initially, I don't think she understood I was giving her the bracelet to keep. After she was done playing with it she kept trying to give it back to me. Eventually, she understood I was giving it to her to keep. When I was on the bus leaving, she was waving the bracelet in the air to show me she still had it!! Awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!

The memorial park for Kwame Nkrumah, the former leader of Ghana.

That's me at a weaving shop. It's amazing how everything was put together. I tried to weave one part of a scarf and I couldn't do it.

Along the way, we learned how ink is made for the prints on fabric, table cloths, and clothing. That's my little brother trying to mix the ink.

The stamps (top photo) and the finished products.

Another pretty hotel!!

Now, I have shown you mostly positive photos of my trip, but there was a downside to it too. We stayed at four- and five-star hotels, but to get to them we had to travel through a lot of poor neighborhoods. It was very humbling to see children and their families bathing in the street. Despite being unemployed, this trip helped me realize how truly fortunate I am.

Ancestoral River Park is where slaves were taken for their final bath before being sold.

A slave dungeon. Thousands of slaves used to be packed into caves like these. Four hundred years later, these caves still have a very distinct smell. The floor is a combination of dirt and dried up human remains. I have several photos of the caves, but I think you only need to see one to get the point.

Another pretty hotel, this one was by the beach.

I took more than 200 photos, but I can't post everything. So I decided to end with my little brother trying to avoid the camera for the umpteenth time!!