Travel to Accra, Ghana

April 4-6, 2015, 

I sound a bit crabby this trip.  I decided not to sugar coat anything so you’ll have to put up with that, but I wasn’t getting much sleep because of waking up coughing in the night.  Our object this trip is to check on a project previously turned in (two sets actually), and to look at one more area so as to turn in another project.  So, with that, here is all my blah, blah, blah…

I had gotten our grandson’s not-so-nice cold with the added coughing benefit for weeks afterwards.  I got a blessing so that I’d be able to travel and feel okay.  In the meantime I had watched again ‘17 Miracles’, a little film about the Saints’ handcart company’s travels.  I felt that if they could push a handcart in the snow while starving, I’d probably live through my trip.  Nevertheless I’d hoped for the best, and I really did feel blessed.  Except for occasional coughing spells, which probably frightened the lady to my left in a 3-seat row, I felt really quite okay.  Another blessing was that we found out that we no longer had the ‘points’ (plenty of miles, which don’t always count) and that we’d not be able to take an extra suitcase or stay in the lounges.  However, when I’d made the reservations we still were platinum members, so we did get to stay in the lounges in LA & in London after all—I was most grateful.

The first flight was filled to the brim, not an extra seat on this very large plane.  It was probably all those travelers getting to London for Easter.  We arrived in Accra the next day on Easter, which also happened to be Jim’s birthday and General Conference. Before we left for the LA airport we were able to see the first session of General Conference.  I am glad for technology that will also allow us to listen to the rest of it at home (taped) or on our computers while traveling.  Somehow in the planning, I forgot to look at my personal calendar! 

So thrilled to still be able to access lounges on this trip.  Sporting a cold, I was happy for any comforts.

On our second flight out from London there were a number of people in coach, but all the more expensive sections had few people---in our traveler plus section there were only seven of us.  When Jim’s screen didn’t work right he just sat somewhere else.  It was heaven.  We had the bathroom to ourselves.  Since it was an older plane it was nice to have other perks.  The first and longest flight was in a new plane, so the seats were more comfortable and they had large, personal TV screens, but now airlines are eliminating bathrooms and galley’s where they used to serve extra food during the flight.  Those bathrooms were gone and so was the extra food.  So even British Air is learning all the tricks to get more money and it is quite annoying.  Don’t you wish they’d just charge you what they want and then give you a seat and the luggage and the amenities?  Airlines must have a new slogan—‘let’s nickel and dime the passengers whenever we can—here’s to the unfriendly skies’…but it does beat a suicidal pilot…

Since so few were on our second flight we had time to get acquainted with a very nice young man from the UK who was the steward in our section.  We saw him again at the Novotel where the airline employees also usually stay.  After visiting awhile and hearing what we do, he gave us a bag of shoes that he wanted to donate to someone in Ghana.  So, we’re adding that to the other donation bag that we brought.

 

When we got to Accra someone had taken my suitcase off the carousel, saw that it wasn’t there’s, but didn’t put it back on.  After all the luggage came off and mine was not there, we were in a bit of a panic.  We found it sitting there off to the side.  Blessings!  Blessings!  Then when we got to our room we were surprised to see a very large platter of fresh fruit, chocolate cake and truffles.  Wow, they must be in competition with a lot of new hotels in the area.  It sure was a wonderful surprise.  But then so was the bill—they are charging more money…

When unpacking a few things in our hotel room I noticed that a spider was attached to my hair brush---I presumed he must have died on the long trip in the cargo hold, frozen a bit, wouldn’t you think?  Well, he was quite alive, much to my surprise.  I felt a little guilty therefore, for flushing him, after he’d survived such a long, 2-day trip….

Like Spidey, my hair made the trip rather well, but I still looked like I was playing a part in a TV drama where I was a refugee, recently rescued, with very dark circles around my eyes.  Getting off a plane after two days does feel like one has just been rescued…

Well, no rest for the wicked.  Off this morning to Ho, sporting hardly 5 hours of sleep in three nights…ugh!

Love from Ghana,

Mom & Dad, Jim & Karen, E/S Greding