Sunday, February 25, 2007

From the "things can't get any worse, can they?" dept.

Thursday, February 22, 2007
Sunyani, Brong-Ahafo Region, Ghana

It's funny how my posts are getting shorter as the journey goes on. But each day is becoming almost a carbon copy of the day previous.

The three of us rose from bed around 6. Smiley took off to do some non-driver related tasks like filling the torches with kerosene. We've such a small crew that everyone is doing everything. It's the only way to keep the things from flying off the tracks.

The clothes that I had hung up to dry the night before were damp, but dry enough to wear. In fact, a damp shirt first thing in the morning is quite pleasant in such a hot climate. I'll file this away as a trick to beat the heat when the hot season (!) hits in Takoradi.

As per usual there was no opportunity to get breakfast, but I giggled happily as I wolfed down my loaf of bread and bottle of "Doug-safe" water.

The Flame event started on the outskirts of town and followed a route though screaming school children and flag waving bystanders. Asamoah and I were shooting less material, simply because so much of it was the same. Instead he concentrated on clipping people about freedom and I looked for images that were specific to Sunyani.

After a couple hours of patriotism, we left the good people of Sunyani behind and headed south to Kumasi, capital of the Ashanti Region.

There was more bickering in the car, I ate more rice, and a few hours later we were sitting in the parking lot of the regional ministry. And sitting. And sitting. And sitting.

This was the single worst experience of the trip, and one that nearly caused me to pull out.

As the organizers were inside arranging things with the ministry we waited in the parking lot. We had little food, little water, and there were no shops close by. We hesitated to take off as we kept thinking the never-ending meeting would soon come to an end.

A couple I know from Canada are living in Kumasi, and I kept calling to say I would be able to meet up with them soon.

After about six hours -- NO SHIT! -- we were finally on our way to our home for the night. If sitting in the parking lot for six hours was bad, the accommodation was worse.

It was some sort of student guesthouse with two tiny beds to two tiny rooms. No fans. No power outlets. And a shared bathroom with nine other rooms on the floor. Reservations were required to have a shower in the morning.

Enough was enough. While the journey to this point had been tough physically and mentally, at least the good still outweighed the bad. But not any more.

I was completely fed up, ready to pay for my own hotel (despite knowing this would be a bad precedent).

We headed back to the ministry where the organizers were and I told them that the accommodations, especially in light of the sacrifices we all had made during the week, were simply unacceptable.

After more waiting in the parking lot, alternative accommodations were arranged. They were better -- I had my own bed, a single bulb connected to stable power and believe it or not, a working air conditioner and a functioning shower.

Still, I was ready to pull the pin. The bad was now outweighing the good.

I went to bed without dinner, completely pissed off. A few hours later I was brought out a deep sleep by a knock at the door. Some of the team had gone for a midnight snack and brought some food back. I declined, rolled over, and went back to the previously scheduled second feature at eyelid theatre.

Cheers!

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