Accomodations INDEPTH
A look at the various accomodations I have encountered over the last few months.
Upon arrival in Accra we were whisked to the House of Lords Hotel (pro. House of Looords, just so you know). The accomodations were pretty snazzy. A/C, ceiling fan, as well as a semi-flushing toilet and a shower head that worked in some rooms. If the water had been running and electricity working, it would have been a paradise. Instead, myself and three other volunteers, Luke Brown, Ben Best, and Ian Froude slept comfortably and intimately on a king size bed under a still fan and silent air conditioning unit. This was my first taste of life in Ghanaian hotels.
Things weren't much different when we arrived in Tamale, where we were welcomed with open arms to the Maacos Hotel. During our one week stay, the hotel underwent two name changes, and they bought a freezer! The Maacos is famous for hosting an EWB member at any given time, and I would return for the occasional weekend to Tamale to discover other JFs or Louis, Director of West Africa projects hanging out in the courtyard. Our West Africa Retreat will be taking place at the Maacos. The hotel is managed by the extremely loveable Emmanuelle, who makes your stay as comfortable as possible, and when you're lucky, changes the bedsheets.
The OIC Guesthouse, where I would stay during work-related visits to Tamale, is a venerable palace of amenities. Although running water is rare, it has a shower head, and there is a water heater in the washroom... one day I will break and use it. The complete kitchen also houses a microwave, stove, blender (which Marka and myself used to make mango & banana smoothies one blistering afternoon), as well as a propane stove and rice cooker. Other meals we have prepared include spaghetti, grilled cheese, and soup. The house has a dining room, the first I have seen in Ghana, as well as a family room. It has two courtyards and three washrooms.
In Damongo, one of two accomodations is the Catholic Guesthouse. Another luxurious accomodation. This hotel featured running water, shower, and some pretty cool brickwork. The price was steep however, costing ยข92 000 for a room. Luckily, I only spent one night here.
If you're ever in Bunkpurungu in the Upper-East region of Ghana (hey, it could happen), I strongly recommend the Rabito guesthouse, of Rabito skin-clinic fame. This lovely guesthouse is a series of traditional mud huts with thatched roofs, vibrantly painted and arranged in a circular pattern around a bedrock-ridden courtyard. Each hut has a separate shower stall where morning or evening bucket showers can be had under the beautiful Ghanaian sky.
The complex, like the entire village, is powered by solar-power, and the rooms are cooled by leaving the door and window open. Bunkpurungu is taking a step backwards in terms of progress, and the electrical lines being built towards the village will spell the end of this entirely solar powered town's sustainability. However the reasons are obvious. Store vendors wish to sell chilled minerals, and people want to be able to buy televisions. Denying them these luxuries we so easily take for granted is not something we have the right to do.
My room in Damongo. Walls a vibrant blue and mosquito net in full effect. These are my permanent accomodations for the remainder of this placement.
A view from the opposite corner.
Have a question about any of my accomodations? Want more details? Leave a comment and I will be sure to answer it as soon as possible.
Upon arrival in Accra we were whisked to the House of Lords Hotel (pro. House of Looords, just so you know). The accomodations were pretty snazzy. A/C, ceiling fan, as well as a semi-flushing toilet and a shower head that worked in some rooms. If the water had been running and electricity working, it would have been a paradise. Instead, myself and three other volunteers, Luke Brown, Ben Best, and Ian Froude slept comfortably and intimately on a king size bed under a still fan and silent air conditioning unit. This was my first taste of life in Ghanaian hotels.
Things weren't much different when we arrived in Tamale, where we were welcomed with open arms to the Maacos Hotel. During our one week stay, the hotel underwent two name changes, and they bought a freezer! The Maacos is famous for hosting an EWB member at any given time, and I would return for the occasional weekend to Tamale to discover other JFs or Louis, Director of West Africa projects hanging out in the courtyard. Our West Africa Retreat will be taking place at the Maacos. The hotel is managed by the extremely loveable Emmanuelle, who makes your stay as comfortable as possible, and when you're lucky, changes the bedsheets.
The OIC Guesthouse, where I would stay during work-related visits to Tamale, is a venerable palace of amenities. Although running water is rare, it has a shower head, and there is a water heater in the washroom... one day I will break and use it. The complete kitchen also houses a microwave, stove, blender (which Marka and myself used to make mango & banana smoothies one blistering afternoon), as well as a propane stove and rice cooker. Other meals we have prepared include spaghetti, grilled cheese, and soup. The house has a dining room, the first I have seen in Ghana, as well as a family room. It has two courtyards and three washrooms.
In Damongo, one of two accomodations is the Catholic Guesthouse. Another luxurious accomodation. This hotel featured running water, shower, and some pretty cool brickwork. The price was steep however, costing ยข92 000 for a room. Luckily, I only spent one night here.
If you're ever in Bunkpurungu in the Upper-East region of Ghana (hey, it could happen), I strongly recommend the Rabito guesthouse, of Rabito skin-clinic fame. This lovely guesthouse is a series of traditional mud huts with thatched roofs, vibrantly painted and arranged in a circular pattern around a bedrock-ridden courtyard. Each hut has a separate shower stall where morning or evening bucket showers can be had under the beautiful Ghanaian sky.
The complex, like the entire village, is powered by solar-power, and the rooms are cooled by leaving the door and window open. Bunkpurungu is taking a step backwards in terms of progress, and the electrical lines being built towards the village will spell the end of this entirely solar powered town's sustainability. However the reasons are obvious. Store vendors wish to sell chilled minerals, and people want to be able to buy televisions. Denying them these luxuries we so easily take for granted is not something we have the right to do.
My room in Damongo. Walls a vibrant blue and mosquito net in full effect. These are my permanent accomodations for the remainder of this placement.
A view from the opposite corner.
Have a question about any of my accomodations? Want more details? Leave a comment and I will be sure to answer it as soon as possible.
posted by Kyle at 04:32
6 Comments:
Hey Kyle,
It's nice to see how you've been living these past few months. Quite the set up you have there in your room. It's no Pita Grill, but it'll do! I read about your camping trip on Marka's blog. Sounds amazing. Did you make spider dogs? Was there a bun man at that campfire?
Can't wait to read more of your blog.
Take care brother,
Trevor
Johnny!
You'll never guess what happened...I was just watching a Live 8 special on MTV Asia, and guess who I saw...YOU and that Blue Jay hat that is probably older than you are. I thought that was pretty cool.
Hope you are well.
Hey Kyle,
Thanks for the update. We've been waiting for what seems is months. Keep them coming as often as posible. Anyways, I was wondering who you are stayting with in Damongo? Is your place in the compound of a family? What about the project you are working on. Do you think that you are having any effect on it? Cheers man. Can't wait to see you in September.
Justin
hey pal,
Big fan of your housing recap...looks like a pretty sweet pad you've got yourself for the rest of the stay. Actually I was thinking of a similar net over my bed, not so much for the mosquitoes, just for style, imagine a netted in bunk bed...sweet.
Anyhow, take care of yourself, and keep livin.
P.S. Jack said hi, he spent the last week swimming in the mediterranean and drinking fine wines, the dig starts this week from what we hear.
Thanks for the cool replies. And for those of you who have access to MTV, their worldwide affiliate is rebroadcasting a 60 minute recap of Live8, featuring yours truly in some capacity. It has been playing in Ghana, and rumours have started spreading that I was on it, but I have yet to see it.
Justin, on the family note, I have an awesome family who has given me a new Muslim name for the remainder of my stay. I will introduce everyone to them more indepth when I have a chance!
As for the Blue Jay hat, I have it here in Ghana, and I have been known to whip it out on special occasions, including the Live8 one year anniversary.
Stay tuned!
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