Ho! Ho! Ho!

Last Thursday, all the volunteers in southern Ghana travelled to Ho, the capital of Volta Region, Ghana's most easterly region. It was a good opportunity to catch up with other volunteers and meet the new recruits who arrived in November. The meeting finished on Saturday morning, when Krishma and I took a tro tro to Tafi Atome, where there is a sanctuary for Mona monkeys. There are four tribes within the sanctuary and we found the one nearest the village and fed them bananas. The sanctuary was set up 11 years ago as part of a volunteer led tourism project.

Prior to the Ho meeting, and after three months in Ghana, I was unable to put off the inevitable any longer. I had a hair cut. There is no real discussion as there is only really one hair cut available and that involves a thorough going over with the clippers. I now have the shortest haircut I have ever had but it is very practical and needs no attention whatsoever.

This is the last blog entry I shall make before Christmas, so I would like to wish you all a very happy Christmas. I'm off to back my bags for the coast.

Christmas in Ghana

Christmas is approaching. This is relatively low key compared to home and probably no bad thing. There are Christmas hymns on the radio, and there are one or two artificial trees about. The Christmas holiday itself is a time for family and friends. Two of the five VSO volunteers in Koforidua - Abi and Krishma - go home for good at Christmas and Dan will be home for the holiday and back in January. We celebrated early on Friday - a holiday here as well to mark Farmers' Day. We ate well, pulled crackers, wore hats and played games.

I would just like to thank everybody who has donated to VSO over the past few months. Hopefully I thanked you all individually by e-mail, but if not I do apologise. In addition to the amount shown on the just giving website, CIPFA, my professional institute has donated 1,500 pounds on my behalf. The webpage will be closing on 31st December so this is your last chance to give. There is a link to the page just across to the right...

Some Snaps

Just a few pictures as a catchup while I am at the VSO office. From the top - Aburi Botanical Gardens, with Dan, Hugh and friend in Paga, the Tamale bus in Accra, moody shot of Koforidua and Cape Coast.