January 26, 2011

Bela Mohammed drove us to Accra. Bela is a large man, both in physique and heart. His sleek black Volkswagen was far more appealing than an STC bus playing terrible African movies. We drove along the coast toward Accra, Bela talking all the while, waving at friends and checkpoint guards. We talked about many things, education, healthcare, the oil industry and the prospects for a bright African future. Incidentally, he was unconvinced of the latter. After a lapse in our conversation, I asked him if prostitution was a big issue in Ghana. After a bit of a pause, he said, "Well, some of those girls are good". I took this to mean that they were good hearted lasses lead astray. He continued, "Good in bed, you know. Good at what they do". I nodded and said "Hm".

Bela drove us to a hotel we'd stayed at last time we came through Accra so we could pick up David's paddles (did I tell you he bought the same kind of paddle we used to paddle the boat on the Black Volta?). They look like spades or hearts with really long shafts.

At the airport, David wrapped the paddles in a scavenged piece of cardboard (formerly a BonAqua box) much to the amusement of others in the terminal building. You know how loud packing tape can be. Though I thought the packing job was splendid, the ground staff made David get the paddles wrapped in that luggage saran wrap anyway.

We flew over the Sahara at night and I imagined the tiny lights as great cities in the sand. 

Goodbye Africa!

Landed in Brussels in the dark. The sun rose as I flew toward Vienna.

My kind cousin Janko and my kind uncle came to get me at the airport.

So, I've driven along the road to Bratislava countless times, but this time I saw things I'd never seen before. You know, I've never been to my homeland in the winter months. The leaves obscure a lovely landscape. In their absence,  I saw snow capped mountains and castles on hills and astronomical observatories. Everything was blue, white and grey, quite the opposite of an African spectrum.

I arrived at my grandparent's house and fell straight into the warm embraces and soft comforts of home. I luxuriated in feeling cold and stared at the bright white snow in the courtyard until my eyes watered.

So, there end my African adventures. I'm more than certain the sultry sun and the hot hearts of Africa will not fade quite as fast from my mind as they will from my complexion. There is still so much I haven't told you! There are still pictures I promised to show you!