Ghana Miss You

The last day is here. I'm all packed and listening to Frou Frou's "Let Go" which has been the theme song for my project out here, played driving in the dark along the long road to the Cape Coast, in the office when I needed a boost to keep working through the hot afternoons when the air conditioner in our little office decided to spurt out shards of ice rather than any cool air.

We're expecting Charles to come and pick us up in an hour's time to hit the Friday night traffic. Traffic here is superbly congested, and unlike London where one can weave one's way onto side roads to cut traffic lights and get moving, here there are only the main routes, and everyone is in their car off somewhere.

Reflecting back on the last two months I honestly cannot believe how fast the time has gone, but when I think of the massive amount of work Amanda and I have got through it makes sense that Monday would soon turn into Friday, and so on through the weeks. We had our final review call yesterday and said our goodbyes to our friends in the office today. It has been a very warm and friendly experience to spend time with the friends made at CARE, on the hash and at the gym.

Things I'll miss:

• Pippa's Gym being 1 minute down the road, and opening at 5:30 for insomniacs like me
• Sunshine Salad Bar. The best wraps and hygienic salads in Ghana. Fact.
• The sunsets, sunrises and palm trees especially at Makoadze on our hash weekend
• CARE Friday morning tea time, complete with cornish pasty-like pies to start the end of the week in style
• The fact that you can get spring rolls pretty much everywhere
• Kelewele, the wicked and delicious snack that makes a portion of chips feel like a green salad
• The fact that a new dress costs £12, made to measure
• The handshake 'snaps'
• Having my bed made for me every day. Oh wait, I'm a consultant, that happens all the time
• Working for CARE. What an awesome organisation.
• Wearing flip flops to work

Things I won't miss quite so much

• The AC at Pippa's, or lack thereof. I have attractive chafe marks on my upper arms where my t-shirt has rubbed away the skin because you can only sweat *so much* before that happens
• The open sewers
• The smell of the open sewers
• Chickens scratching around in the open sewers
• Ghana time. "I'm coming" you hear. Just don't expect them to arrive any time soon!
• Ghana administrative bodies. Much head shaking, bribery and corruption.
• Taxi drivers beeping their horns at you incessantly, and refusing to believe that you don't require their services
• Proposals of marriage. The first one's flattering, the tenth one is a bit wearing.
• Having to brush my teeth with bottled water. Hassle. (I know, I'm so spoiled.)
• Bars with extensive menus that don't actually have the ingredients to make any of the drinks

More from England. Akwaaba and goodbye! xx