ghana day 16
After a busy week, we embarked on an incredible adventure in Ghana on Saturday. Our day began bright and early at 7 am (it seems nobody sleeps in here) with a 2-hour bus journey leading us to the turn-off for the Amansuri Wetlands, just another 5 km away. However, this final stretch was a far cry from the decent roads we had been traveling on. Our driver had to navigate a ‘road’ with our bus that was more suited for walking or a 4-wheel drive vehicle. Against all odds, we reached the Amansuri wetlands.
Our first adventure involved boarding small canoes, with about 4 or 5 people in each. Our wooden canoe had a few leaks, but we all managed to find a seat and a scoop to bail out water during our journey. Our ‘captain’ propelled us through the wetlands using a long stick to push off the riverbed. We navigated through marshland, surrounded by a river of reeds, following a single water pathway carved out over years of use, reminiscent of a well-trodden mountain trail. Amidst a bird sanctuary, we observed numerous birds and flowers. Our route took us from the vast expanse of the river into a narrow channel and through a rainforest, my favorite part of the trip, gliding through the mangrove forest. The serene beauty was briefly interrupted by another canoe filled with a group singing an African song. We passed each other with high fives, and their singing soon faded away. Emerging from the forest, the wetlands opened up to a wide river, where we swapped the long stick for paddles and took turns helping to steer our canoe. The canoeing took an hour in the 30-degree weather, but occasional cloud cover and a bit of rain made it quite comfortable. I think I’m even starting to get used to the humidity here!
Our journey then led us to the village of Nzulezo, a unique community accessible only by water and primarily by canoe for its residents. Built entirely on stilts above water, the village is home to 450 people. Upon disembarking from our canoes, we were warmly welcomed by the locals. They guided us down the ‘main street’ and through the town to the far end of the village. Having explored many interesting parts of the world, I found this experience to be the most fascinating yet. The town, primarily constructed from wood, a lot of bamboo, and some rubber plants, extended over the water on stilts. The residents lived in small rooms that made up their houses. We were allowed to photograph the town, but had to seek permission before taking pictures of the people. The village featured a small market and a single-room schoolhouse for children up to grade 6. The inhabitants, reliant on fishing and farming, had to bring in all other necessities by boat. Lacking electricity, a generator was their sole source of power.
We had the honor of meeting the town chief, who shared the village’s history in an African language, translated for us by our guide. We then presented any gifts we had for the school children; I had brought several pairs of children’s sandals for the occasion. Many of us purchased small wooden carved canoes as a gesture of gratitude for their hospitality.
Exploring the village further, we saw a small farm with goats and chickens, also built on stilts over the water, like the rest of the village. Despite its size, the community had three churches. We then embarked on our hour-long canoe trip back, relishing the beauty of the wetlands once more.
Our trip concluded with some leisure time at the beach, located at the start of the wetlands and right on the coast. I roamed the shoreline, collecting a few beautiful seashells.
It was an extraordinary day.