The Volta region is only a stone’s throw away from Accra but the lush,
dense greenery is a telltale sign that you’re out of the concrete jungle.
Weekends are when we stretch out our legs
and relax. Or, more likely, cram our legs into the confines of an old rickety
cramped tro-tro and journey for hours hoping for dear life that the driver will
deliver us to our destination in one piece.
Two weeks ago, we scuttled off to Wli
Waterfalls. After a late night journey, we crashed at Waterfall Lodge ready for
an early morning walk. There were two waterfalls, and being the hardcore
travellers that we are, we chose the four-hour round trip to the Upper Falls. We
followed a narrow path which cut the vegetation of the mountain. Walking the
untainted trail was serene, with trees all around and bright butterflies
kissing our sweaty shoulders. The track was incredibly steep and unrelenting. Impossibly large
tree roots blocked the way and rocks scraped our calves. Concentration was key
to avoid falling into the cavernous valley to our left. When we weren't busy being exhausted, we noticed how amazing our surroundings actually were.
After losing several litres of water, it
was an amazing feeling to reach the Upper falls. Stunning. Think Peter Andre dancing under a cascading waterfall, topless (duh!), in one of his cheesy 90s video clips. The falls were so beautiful that
any fear of contracting Bilharzias was overridden by our desire to cool down.
The sheer force of the water rendered it impossible to swim under the downpour
but we waded as close as we could. The hard wind prickled our backs with drops, charging our skin. It was invigorating. You don’t get much closer to
nature than that.
The descent was perhaps more trying than the incline. Our
guide cut us some walking sticks with his machete to help us negotiate the
trek. I am proud to say, I only fell on my bum once.
Relaxed and recharged after our weekend
retreat, we reluctantly commenced the homebound leg. At one of the barriers, we
were asked to produce our documents for the customs officials. I was the only
one who had no form of identification whatsoever but I stayed relaxed. The
guard said, “So I guess I’ll have to detain you,” and I replied, “Yeah I guess
so… But maybe you could just detain me next time.” He laughed and agreed that
he would detain me next time. Making light of the situation is often the best
way to manage it. I didn’t even have to
bribe him – which was a plus!
Coming back into Accra, the sky was
dim and dusty. We heard some faint screeching that was getting louder and
louder, until we looked up and saw some small batman-shaped objects whizzing
overhead… bats… and a lot of them. There were literally thousands flying low
and chattering disgustingly. Having skimped on a rabies injection, I closed the
car window tightly.
