Konquering Kakum
The first time I went to see Kakum was several years ago. I had heard about The Kakum canopy walkway and I was going mostly in order to be able to reply to others query that I had been there. You know
how it is when some people ask you if you have been to this or that place and when you say no they look shocked because they have been and need to feel that is the place to be. I don’t like
to think I would care an iota but being a nature lover, Kakum canopy walkway
was something I needed to answer ‘yes I
did’ to....not the best reason to go and your reason should be better than mine.
Word? It is perhaps Ghana’s most popular visitor attraction. When you visit Ghana do Kakum
I went. The first thing I realized that I did not know
was the canopy was not a few steps away from the entrance. In fact it was quite a hike some of which was
steep. If like me you love walking and climbing you
will love it, inspite its unexpectedness. I was wearing flat shoes but not the most comfortable ones. Because I didn't know it was some trekking distance I didn't bring water either and I was already far from the entrance restaurant so I had to trudge along dry mouthed.
Word? Wear comfortable shoes like sneekers.
Word? Take water or juice along. A hat may help if the day
you embark to do it happens to be extra hot.
Finally I saw the canopy. Only a limited number of people
are allowed on it depending on body weight. I hoped
it will be a piece of cake. It was not. The narrow plank creaked and swayed and
I was like ‘What now? Once I finish this I am not going on it again. Some
thrill. The only thrill will be to say yes I have been on it'.
However there was one aspect that fascinated me and that is
the view when you stop and look down through the protective and super strong
high roped sides. I stopped? Well yes.
Some of the creaks made me freeze and instinctively peek down to see if there
was a trampoline below. What I saw way, way down was the top of other trees ! Imagine
being at the top of a tree and you can
see the top of other trees way below. Awesome ! And then through the top of the
other trees you get a peek to the ground below. This just takes your breath
away as it sinks in that the canopy bridge is held by very, very tall trees. And that
is where you are: very, very high. It is very thrilling that there are trees
this high !
Word ? Do not fear the creaky sounds as canopy is very
secure and if you can go a little extra on fearlessness you may be able to take
your camera out and take some photos.
Did I say canopy bridge? At the end of my hurry- up- and- get- it- over- and done with- walk I arrived at
the other end with a victorious smile. While looking where
to get off for my juice and cake and perhaps some acknowledgement of my great
feat, I saw the person who was before me walking on another canopy bridge that somehow
I had not seen before. What the blistering barnacles is this, in the words of a famous character. I want juice and cake
and a trophy. In answer to my ???!!!**** look the guide on the second tree platform told me ‘o
no the canopy bridge is not just one held by two trees. It is indeed 7 bridges. When you
finish one bridge you rest a bit on the platform connecting two trees, take photos and move on to the next bridge . I hope the 'smile' I gave him did not scare him.
Word ? Be ready for surprises.
Well I did it. Turning back would be missing the reason for coming.
The next time I was asked if I had been to Kakum, I could
sing ‘ I diiiiiiid. It was a piece of caaake. Such
funn but why o why was it only 7 bridges !……………
And for you reading this; scared or not it will be an exhilarating experience .
For those who are scared it gets better. By the time you get to the last bridge you walk it with attitude. A conqueror’s attitude. For those who are not scared
7 bridges are indeed not enough…………
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Nobody
Knows the Travels I Have Seen
Lifestyle Lessons from Sleeping in an African Village
It was a long way from Accra. From city life and it was at Tafi Atome, a tourist village in the Volta Region. The village had the option to sleep in modern accommodation or in the villagers’ homes or outdoors. The men had gallantly deferred modern beds with fans in the rooms to the females while they were open to whatever was available. But many women wanted to sleep outdoors. They wanted to experience the real deal. They were in an African village and they did not want to miss anything. They figured they can sleep in a bed anytime but outdoors in an African village……
And me? Was I eyeing some sleeping spot outdoors to enable me catch sight, at dawn, of the monkeys we were excited to see ? Not quite. I was ‘O God, please give me a bed. A comfortable bed’. Sleeping is relinquishing our consciousnes and sometimes we have no control of where we sleep but if I could I wanted to put some elements of control while I am who knows where. Thomas Howard in his excellent book 'Splendor in the Ordinary' says sleeping is like temporary death. Well that being the case I wanted to have a door closed from any creepy crawlies or even the monkeys we had come to see, though I knew the latter will not wander at night. In the bedroom I knew the ‘wildlife’ that may be there mainly coackroach, wall gecko and ….mosquitoes. The last are known to have toppled the biggest macho men and I have known for a long time that I am no match for them, but in the end they are part of tropical life, so knowing how to deal with them is also part of life. As favour will have it I did get me a comfy bed in one of the villager’s homes.
After the beautiful African stories told by one of the village elders as we sat around the bonfire and after the group dance under the night sky we all went to our various beds. The bed being a different experience for different folks. Some hung around the porches where they will be spending the night and chatted with the villagers about this and that before sleeping. Although a night person I am not known for insomnia and within a short time of closing my eyes I am fast asleep. A sound sleeper till morning.
This time though I woke up in the middle of the night. I lay there wondering why I was awake. Was someone in the room? It was pitch dark. I prayed for protection and put all my senses in high gear to feel for a presence. I did not feel anyone was there. It was pitch dark. It was also peaceful. I lay there wondering what had awoken me. Any sounds? It was very silent. I 'pricked' my ears. It was very silent. I remembered we were in the middle of a forest and felt awe at this deep silence that was comforting as it was riveting. And then suddenly I realized what it was. It was very dark. It was very silent. It was the way it was supposed to be. Total rest. Nightime and sleeptime were supposed to be like this. And this city gal was used to a security light outside the bedroom window and the sound of the airconditioner or fan and sometimes bedside radio. I have been sleeping in this artificiality and my body was trying to adjust. Maybe the cells in my body were pinching each other ‘are we really going to be allowed to really rest the way we are supposed to…” and waking me in the process…….
I have since realized how important it is to have a time in a natural setting from time to time. It reminds us of what natural living is all about. To be honest it is very difficult to do away with a fan or airconditioner as the weather in Ghana is too hot for at least 9 months of the year. And the remaining 3 months are not cold. But the darkness bit is easy to get if artificial light from outside streams into your sleeping area at night. It can be tackled by lining the back of our curtains with a dark, opaque material, preferably black in colour to give the eyes a much needed rest.
Villagers sleep early. No ice cream splurging for them at midnight. By 8pm and earlier they are preparing to sleep and by 3 am (ouch) they are up. The birds do the same. So much of creation follows the rhythm of sunrise and sunset. The discovery of electricity has been a great luxury to us but it has also made us turn a lifestyle in tune with nature upside down and it has not all been good. Family life is disrupted as we have heard so often because of the resident superstar, the televison and so are our eating and sleeping habits.
The body has pores all over it and the light goes to the cells through them. Ordinarily our bodies know that at night we sleep so the cells 'prepare to go to sleep'. But alas modern day folks are not interested in that; what with dinner parties and night outings and television. So when after sunset the digestive cells of the body are bidding each other goodnight, the brain in that body is planning for a late dinner. The cells tell each other if only they will put the lights off these tiresome human beings.
Not too long after that some food particle comes down and the stomach cells are groggy and ask each other
-What was that?
-What do you think. Same as yesterday. Same as every night. You think these human beings will give us a break.
-Oh no I cannot carry food to anywhere. I am tired and I need to rest
-You have to. It’s your job
-But I am too sleepy. I may put it in the wrong place. Last week I put a whole bunch of things in the wrong place.
-Who cares. Serves them right if they get sick
-Interesting thought…when they get sick they do stop eating don’t they…….at least at night?
-They are so undisciplined. They love medicines even more than they love food.
-Ugh. I hate medicines. At least food I know what to do with. But medicines always confuse me
-Well don’t forget some of their food has so much chemicals you don’t know what you are getting
-That’s true. Last time I got sick when one of the food or medicines or whatever touched me. I almost fainted and decided I will not budge so I don’t know where that ended up..........
……….you get the gist? 'Villagers' give their body a rest at night. From food, from noise, from light although sadly many see that as backwards. It is true that it is not realistic to live without modern amenities and neither will I want to. But it is great to at least be aware so that, as much as we can, we give our bodies a rest.
It will be even greater if brilliant minds that invent horrible things can put their genius to give us the benefits of modern amenities that are more in tune with nature. And what about us night owls who are awake at midnight and cotton headed at 7.00am: do we follow the same eating rules of morning birds or could it be that the digestive cells inside our bodies are also uhmm night cells?…what do you think?