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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Jan 08, 2009 07:00 PM I have the second visa!
Ghana introduced new money two years ago. One new cedi (the notes are quite dirty alredy :)) is worth 10000 old cedis and worth 1.23 USD.
It is confusing because the people still in their minds use the old currency units. So, they will tell you thet the papaya at the street vendor costs 4000. You have to convert it - it is 0.40 new cedi or 40 pesoes. Nine years ago when I was here for the first time I did not heat abous pesoes. Now I have to know that bottle of coke costs 40 pesoes, one banana 10 pesoes, the pineapple - 50 pesoes.
In the centre of Accra there is nice park with the mausoleum of well - known politician - Kwame Nkrumah. Can you imagine that they charge 6 cedis for the entry to the park? An it is forbidden to take the pictures through the fence...
I got my second visa! It will open my way to Sierra Leone!
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Jan 07, 2009 07:00 PM Ghana. Walking around Accra...
The capital of Ghana is spread wide so I have to walk quite a lot to reach my destinations. Taxis are plentiful but rather expensive if you want to use them privately.
The white means rich here so the taxi drivers always push the horn passing me... Almost non-stop. -Why this white in the blue jeans is walking in the heat and dust, he should take a taxi!
Well, in the morning I reported to the Liberian Embassy with a hope to receive promised visa. The lady iat the window said that I should give them also 2 photos (yesterday she forgot about that, because she was thinking only about the bribe). Thanks God I had a supply of photos with me, so it was not a problem.
The problem appeared because there was no authorised person to sign my visa. Wait again! His excellency arrived finally at 11.40. I got my Liberian visa! Hurrrah!
The High Commission of Sierra Leone (that's how they call the embassies of Commonwealth Countries) is 25 min walk away. It is quite different, friendly embassy - they collected 1 form, 2 photos, 80 USD, passport and promised visa to be ready in 24 hours (update your info, Kris...). I trust them!
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Jan 06, 2009 07:00 PM Another lesson of African corruption
I have been in Ghana 9 years ago. Accra changed a little. People are still nice ang speak English, they built also few high buildings. But now the reason to be here again is to get visas to the next countries on my trail.
Embassy of Liberia is located in the Airport Residential Area - I took tro-tro (cramped minibus) to get there - the ride costs only 0.30 cedi. Embassy is located in the litte and dirty house. At the beginning I went to next pivate villa thinking "this can't be the embassy!".
9.00 - no staff in the embassy. I was waiting in the shade. They arrived at 9.40.
The visa cost hefty 90 USD. But... You have to fill one form and... supply a letter to the embassy. Here is the trick. It must be typed! (I did not see any computer in this embassy) Where can I find the typewriter in the residential area??. -We can write it for you but you must pay. Show me how much money you have! OK. 10 USD extra. But we must send somebody with the papers far away! ??? Another 10 cedi will be OK...
Normally it takes 3-4 days, but since you have a birthday today the visa will be ready tomorrow!
Thanks God! That's Africa! Nothing new, I know from previous voyages that especially the West is well corrupted!
Thanks to all my friends who sent me their birthday wishes!
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Jan 05, 2009 07:00 PM Back to Africa!
The flight from Gdansk to Warsaw was on time. In Warsaw there was minus 20 deg Celsius at the sunrise when I started to Amsterdam. Why? I use in this voyage again raoynd - the world ticket offered by KLM and partners - that's the best solution... Flight from AMS to Accra Ghana took me 6.5 hours. They serve even wine and beer but their MD-11 is crampy and packed-up to the last seat. It was black on the plane - 90% of Passengers are Africans...
We landed at 8 pm in the dark. 28 deg. Celsius! Almost 50 deg difference in one day! Hot and humid... Bus to the junky terminal, a lot of waiting - they are nice but pretty well disorganized. Long waiting in front of the immigrations and then for the luggage. I was happy to get finally my backpack. Thanks God money change desk is in the baggage hall, they pay 1,20 new cedi for 1 USD. Plenty of private cars works as a taxis - they will cheat you - the ride to the center should not cost more then 10 cedis. Smell and noise of Africa. It is my 9th visit to the Black Continent, isn't it? We started driving in the darkness.
It was 9.40 pm when we arrived to the Calvary Methodist GH - it was full. I was lucky to find the room nearby - at the Holy Spirit Cath Catedral. They charge 25 cedi for clean single with shared bath and continental breakfast. It is good to know - they are not in the guidebooks! Uff! Shower! Welcome back to Africa!
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Jan 04, 2009 07:00 PM 8th time around the world - why not?
Is this possible to chart on the map eight route around the globe via new, unknown places that fascinates me? Yes, it is! Just now I am listening to the Nat King Cole's lovely song "Around the World" and I am packing again my old backpack. The new adventure starts tomorrow... It is hard to predict if I will be able to follow all this route marked on the map. Especially the first - African segment could be difficult, but I'll try anyway... The preparations and planing took me more then half a year. It will be more then 3 months on the road across 6 continents. Regarding the lenght of the route it will be probably the longest of my eight round-the world voyages.
I will be sorry to leave here my 2,5-m high christmas tree - it still stands in my sitting room. But all this exciting world is waiting for me and I am ready to go and put into effect my next drem. My friends, keep the fingers crossed, please...
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Oct 25, 2008 02:00 PM My book is launched!...
Finally I got the first package of my books. Just look at the picture... What do you think? Too many photograps? My idea was to use also the margins to expose photos in the big size.
It is interesting to me what will be the opinion of the readers...
For those of you who know Polish and want to have the book (30 chapters, 304 pages, full color) - you can order it from this page:
http://www.kontynenty.net/zamawiam.php
Enjoy!
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Oct 17, 2008 02:00 PM My book has been printed!
It was a huge work and took me few months. 304 pages, B5 size, more then 240 pictures. It is of course about my travels and the adventures during the 40 years of my traveling. Kilimanjaro and Everest trek, Sahara and Antarctica, remote islands of the Pacific and Grand Canyon. Sorry my friends - it is only in Polish but I do hope that you will enjoy the photos. Be tolerant please - I am the beginner author and the target was to print it at a minimal cost... They bind the book now and it will be for sale in November... Enjoy!
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Jun 19, 2008 02:00 PM Sweet strawberries in Wojtkówka...
From Halifax I took a inexpensive Condor airline flight to Frankfurt and then LOT flight to Gdansk. 23 deg Celsius! Summer... Another interesting voyage is completed! With some adventures I saw new, interesting part of our world...
Home, sweet home... My Wojtkówka is not far from the Gdansk airport. I found it green and full of flowers. It is harvest time for the strawberries... A lot of work is waiting there for me but it will be also a time to meet my friends and travellers from all over the world. I expect first guest next week already. Welcome to Wojtkówka!
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Jun 17, 2008 02:00 PM Hazy Halifax - Nova Scotia...
Air Saint-Pierre has only two planes: turbo-prop ATR and 8-seater Cessna. I took the firt one flying today to Halifax - the capital of Canadian Nova Scotia province.
In Saint Pierre there was a lovely sun when we departed, but in Halifax it was cloudy and hazy.
I left a backpack in the cloak room in the airport (2,50 CAD plus tax) and took airporter bus to the downtown. The airport is located some 40 km off the city and there is no competiotion so they charge 18 CAD one-way for the ride.
The Citadel located on the grassy hill is the main tourist attraction in Halifax. Keep handy another 12 CAD for entry fee! Canada is expensive! In the Citadel I liked most the guards in Scottish skirts. They are happy to be photographed. What a pity that weather was so bad. I took few more pictures on the main Barrington street ( many English-style georgian houses) and St Paul church - the oldest in Halifax. The waterfront of Halifax reminds me a litte bit San Francisco's Fishermen's Wharf - you will find there many little restaurants and souvenir shops... Brrr... it is raining... Time to fly back home...
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Jun 16, 2008 02:00 PM Miquelon - remote France in America...
Three times a week public ferry sails from Saint Pierre to the other island of the French Territory - Miquelon. Ticket for round trip cost 22 euro. It takes me less then an hour to move from busy Saint Pierre to the remote, sleepy island... Miquelon in fact is bigger then Saint Pierre island. There are two hilly pieces: Proper Miguelon and Langlade connected by the long, sandy causeway. It is not easy to move around unless you are on organized tour /is cost hefty 56 euro from St Pierre/ or you can rent for 60 euro/day one of two cars offered by rental agency.
Anya from tiny tourist information office helped me to reach the Cap Blanc lighthouse, Mirande and Anse du Gouvernement fot the nice views. The church in the main settlement is also worth to see. It was sunny afternoon when we returned to the dock... Ferry to St Pierre departed on time... Another lovely day!
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