From the "Flame Out" dept.

Friday, February 23, 2007
Kumasi, Ashanti Region & Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana

It was the standard morning. Pack. No breakfast, save for some stale bread and some warm bottled water.

The route of the flame through Kumasi was a long one. All the torchbearers stood in the back of a pick-up truck during the slow tour through Ghana's second largest city and financial capital.

It took something like four hours to complete the journey, thanks in part to horrific traffic jams. There are two many cars and not enough roads in Kumasi. To make matters worse, we ended up going the wrong way near the central market, completely bunging up traffic for what seems to be an eternity.

There is a lot of jealousy between Kumasi and Accra, the nation's capital. Several times we heard people yell "Accra at 50," in reference to "Ghana at 50," the catchall term for golden jubilee celebrations.

After the event, we picked up our luggage and stopped for lunch at a small chop bar (small eatery) that Smiley recommended. I was ready to dive into a big bowl of fufu, but as we walked through a back lane, I caught a whiff of an open sewer and I was done for.

I'd been fighting the effects of the heat, the dust, the lack of food and water, the physical demands, the mental demands all week and it had taken it's toll. My stomach was rolling, and the stench of shit did me in. In a valiant effort I was able to choke down a beer and watch the others eat.

I had time to think over how pissed off I was and decided that there was no way I could bail on the project. Although we were not even halfway through, it seemed that by quitting, I would be the one that would lose out.

Plus, a group of us had bonded, and that made it easier to deal with the challenges. We could at least discuss them, and sometimes laugh about them.

We left Kumasi quickly. Smiley was not happy with the slow moving traffic, so he simply drove between the lanes, blaring his horn at oncoming traffic. Because our vehicle flew two large Ghana flags and was plastered with decals, it was like Moses was behind the wheel. Traffic simply parted, allowing us to proceed at a remarkable speed.

Apparently a couple of flags and decals are all you need to break every traffic law on the books.

In addition we learned that we could blow through police checkpoints and tollgates at speed by simply yelling "Ghana at 50!"

It took more than four hours to reach our next stop, which was also my home, Takoradi. Our incredible journey was about to take a short break. We would have a day or two in Takoradi to relax and renew before the next event. Thank God.

My hopes of getting home early were dashed when the organizers made a last minute stop at the Western Region ministry for a meet and greet and to work out some details. About an hour later, and just before 9 p.m. we pulled up in front of my home. Both Grace and Kweku were out.

I pulled my stuff into the house, bid the group farewell (they were staying on the ministry compound) and hit the sack.

Cheers!