Well, we are back in civilisation again, but I think the group is falling apart even more. Its been a rough few days...but there was so much potential for it to be good...but it really hasn't been. There's a lot to say so I'll try to make sense.
Let's see - the last post was crossing into Ghana. So we bush camped that night and things were fine...I think. It all started going wrong when we arrived at Mole National Park.
This park is included in our package (one of the only included options) so I (and others) have been looking forward to it. Its not a huge African game park like in east Africa or anything, but it has elephants and antelope and crocodiles and stuff. So I was looking forward to getting out and seeing some stuff. Or just doing anything really. So we drive all day - and the end is a terrible dirt road. Its super hot out during the day now and the bumpy road in the truck in the heat actually makes me quite car sick (and I don't think I'm the only one)...so after a long day of driving and rushing we reach the park at exactly 3:30...which is when the afternoon safari walk starts. So instead of asking us if we wanted to do the walk then or if we wanted to do it in the morning - the leader jumps out of the truck and books us all on the afternoon walk. Then she comes in the truck and tells us to hurry up and get ready we have to go on the walk. wtf?! I was a bit annoyed and asked - "Is this really the best time to see animals" and she replied with "For God's sake people - you are in Africa go see some animals." BITCH! So we all dragged ourselves over and then we had to split ourselves into groups. It was all just so painful. I actually sat down on the bench and had a cry...its been a long time since I cried in front of people - but wow...I was just feeling that miserable then. But we had a reasonably nice walk. Saw some antelope and monkeys and warthogs. No elephants of course because they were hiding in the heat of the day. But it was ok. Then Geoff, Eti and I booked a hotel room. They had 3 person rooms so we shared one together. But I must say I'm super annoyed. There is this guy - Dave on the trip (PS - I'm composing a blog describing everyone - so you'll get an intro to people soon) - but Dave is like in his late 40's and well, very very strange and kind of inappropriate a lot...with comments and stuff. But he is tired of sleeping in his tent but too cheap to get his own hotel room. For some reason he thinks that I will share with him. He asks me every time lately. The only people I am happy to share with are Geoff and Eti and Jo when she was around. Otherwise, I have enough money (or I can pretend I do) to stay in a room by myself. I'm not going to share a room with someone I don't really like to save like $5!! Anyways - Dave asked if I had an extra bed in my room and was shocked and sad when I said I was sharing with Geoff and Eti. So that was a quick night. I felt miserable and after eating a couple pretzels for dinner I went to have a quick shower and go to bed.
The next morning there was another safari walk starting at 7:00. So we had been told we could do that and then when it finished around 9:00 everyone would eat breakfast and then we would leave. The plan when we were told is that we would bush camp a night on the way to Komasi. So we ended up having to be in 2 groups on the morning safari. Me, Geoff, Eti and Judith along with 2 girls not from our group. And the others all went off with a different guide. So our guide was great we walked and he explained everything to us, we watched the monkeys and it was really nice. especially in the cool of the morning. Then he got a call saying there was an elephant. This was at 9:00...so we decided to go and find the elephant - it was really cool walking through the woods along the game trails and following the elephant tracks. We did finally catch up with it and stood probably within 20 meters of it. It was a huge male with a broken tusk from fighting and stuff. So we got our pictures and watched it eat for a while. But this meant that we didn't arrive back at the campsite until 10:00. WOW - were people pissed. And all of a sudden it turned out we were in a rush (AGAIN) to get to some monkey reserve...that no one had told us about...so they bitched at us and then we set off. Everyone all pissed and cranky again..except me because I sat at the front open bit so I would be car sick with American Anna - who is sweet and just wants to stay out of the drama. So we rushed and rushed, but I think everyone should thank us for being late. because we got to the monkey place too late to do a walk that day (in the heat of the afternoon again) so we did it in the morning when it was cooler and we were all rested and stuff. I think that was much nicer. But I must say - its been nice to actually do something during this trip, rather than just sit on the truck. I think our leader got told off by the bosses because there have been lots of unhappy emails from passengers to the office!!
So then after the monkeys we rushed and rushed into Komasi - skipping lunch. She also has worthless navigation skills so we drove all through town (heaven forbid they print out maps of the cities)...so in the blistering heat we drove through town hungry and hot and blah! Miserable - but we finally reached the guest house we are staying at. While everyone else pitched their tents in the dirt I went to get a room. We were shown the basic rooms first - but I had been dreaming of air-conditioning. So I asked if there was anything nicer and the lady said their were rooms with A/C and bathrooms but they were expensive. I said money didn't matter and I wanted one. Its like 40CD - which is 12.50GBP!! I can afford that for a couple nights of peace and happiness!! SO I slept in the wonderful A/C last night and had a shower in my giant shower. YAY!
But last night was a rough night. I came out of my room after my nap to see what was happening for dinner. It was all in chaos. People were upset and Kris even told me he needed a hug - usually I am the one forcing hugs on people - but I knew it was bad when he said he needed one. Then he had a big blow up about how the cook group hadn't bought meat for dinner!! WTF!?! We are in a city - people can go and buy their own meat...cook group gets such a small budget its really hard. But Toni was on cook group and she has really alienated people - so everyone was mad at her and it was all just a mess of yelling and people were crying. Poor American Anna is on that cook group too - she had to talk to Kris and tell him to be nice. When "Baby" as her nickname is - needs to tell people to be nice - its gone too far. Of course the leader doesn't do anything to make people calmer...she just adds to it by getting all upset because someone spilt the oil and then announces that since there is no meat she isn't eating dinner there and leaves to get drunk! WTF?!?! So a bunch of people go off with her, including Kris. Kaye stays behind to help everyone cook and make Judith (also on cook group) feel better because she and Toni fight and - wow...I've never seen a dinner with that many tears. Honestly - I haven't seen this many tears on a holiday in my entire life!! Its ridiculous. Even little Jenny mad a comment about how ridiculous everyone was about not having meat for dinner every night. Anyways - we all survived dinner, it was quite nice actually with butternut squash and stuff...but no meat so I guess it was no good :P
We all went out to have a few drinks after but the leader and Kris were to drunk to even make sense and they disappeared. Then Kaye left because she wasn't drunk enough to hang out with them and she was upset. At the end it was Geoff Eti and I and Judith having a drink and listening to some music. It was nice. And even nicer to go back to my room alone and lock the door and sleep in the A/C.
SO tonight is my turn on cook group. We managed to buy a brick of frozen minced mystery meat. We don't have much to go with it but whatever. I have to post this now because I only have 5 minutes of Internet time left!! I'll write more tomorrow - if I survive cook group!
Let's see - the last post was crossing into Ghana. So we bush camped that night and things were fine...I think. It all started going wrong when we arrived at Mole National Park.
This park is included in our package (one of the only included options) so I (and others) have been looking forward to it. Its not a huge African game park like in east Africa or anything, but it has elephants and antelope and crocodiles and stuff. So I was looking forward to getting out and seeing some stuff. Or just doing anything really. So we drive all day - and the end is a terrible dirt road. Its super hot out during the day now and the bumpy road in the truck in the heat actually makes me quite car sick (and I don't think I'm the only one)...so after a long day of driving and rushing we reach the park at exactly 3:30...which is when the afternoon safari walk starts. So instead of asking us if we wanted to do the walk then or if we wanted to do it in the morning - the leader jumps out of the truck and books us all on the afternoon walk. Then she comes in the truck and tells us to hurry up and get ready we have to go on the walk. wtf?! I was a bit annoyed and asked - "Is this really the best time to see animals" and she replied with "For God's sake people - you are in Africa go see some animals." BITCH! So we all dragged ourselves over and then we had to split ourselves into groups. It was all just so painful. I actually sat down on the bench and had a cry...its been a long time since I cried in front of people - but wow...I was just feeling that miserable then. But we had a reasonably nice walk. Saw some antelope and monkeys and warthogs. No elephants of course because they were hiding in the heat of the day. But it was ok. Then Geoff, Eti and I booked a hotel room. They had 3 person rooms so we shared one together. But I must say I'm super annoyed. There is this guy - Dave on the trip (PS - I'm composing a blog describing everyone - so you'll get an intro to people soon) - but Dave is like in his late 40's and well, very very strange and kind of inappropriate a lot...with comments and stuff. But he is tired of sleeping in his tent but too cheap to get his own hotel room. For some reason he thinks that I will share with him. He asks me every time lately. The only people I am happy to share with are Geoff and Eti and Jo when she was around. Otherwise, I have enough money (or I can pretend I do) to stay in a room by myself. I'm not going to share a room with someone I don't really like to save like $5!! Anyways - Dave asked if I had an extra bed in my room and was shocked and sad when I said I was sharing with Geoff and Eti. So that was a quick night. I felt miserable and after eating a couple pretzels for dinner I went to have a quick shower and go to bed.
The next morning there was another safari walk starting at 7:00. So we had been told we could do that and then when it finished around 9:00 everyone would eat breakfast and then we would leave. The plan when we were told is that we would bush camp a night on the way to Komasi. So we ended up having to be in 2 groups on the morning safari. Me, Geoff, Eti and Judith along with 2 girls not from our group. And the others all went off with a different guide. So our guide was great we walked and he explained everything to us, we watched the monkeys and it was really nice. especially in the cool of the morning. Then he got a call saying there was an elephant. This was at 9:00...so we decided to go and find the elephant - it was really cool walking through the woods along the game trails and following the elephant tracks. We did finally catch up with it and stood probably within 20 meters of it. It was a huge male with a broken tusk from fighting and stuff. So we got our pictures and watched it eat for a while. But this meant that we didn't arrive back at the campsite until 10:00. WOW - were people pissed. And all of a sudden it turned out we were in a rush (AGAIN) to get to some monkey reserve...that no one had told us about...so they bitched at us and then we set off. Everyone all pissed and cranky again..except me because I sat at the front open bit so I would be car sick with American Anna - who is sweet and just wants to stay out of the drama. So we rushed and rushed, but I think everyone should thank us for being late. because we got to the monkey place too late to do a walk that day (in the heat of the afternoon again) so we did it in the morning when it was cooler and we were all rested and stuff. I think that was much nicer. But I must say - its been nice to actually do something during this trip, rather than just sit on the truck. I think our leader got told off by the bosses because there have been lots of unhappy emails from passengers to the office!!
So then after the monkeys we rushed and rushed into Komasi - skipping lunch. She also has worthless navigation skills so we drove all through town (heaven forbid they print out maps of the cities)...so in the blistering heat we drove through town hungry and hot and blah! Miserable - but we finally reached the guest house we are staying at. While everyone else pitched their tents in the dirt I went to get a room. We were shown the basic rooms first - but I had been dreaming of air-conditioning. So I asked if there was anything nicer and the lady said their were rooms with A/C and bathrooms but they were expensive. I said money didn't matter and I wanted one. Its like 40CD - which is 12.50GBP!! I can afford that for a couple nights of peace and happiness!! SO I slept in the wonderful A/C last night and had a shower in my giant shower. YAY!
But last night was a rough night. I came out of my room after my nap to see what was happening for dinner. It was all in chaos. People were upset and Kris even told me he needed a hug - usually I am the one forcing hugs on people - but I knew it was bad when he said he needed one. Then he had a big blow up about how the cook group hadn't bought meat for dinner!! WTF!?! We are in a city - people can go and buy their own meat...cook group gets such a small budget its really hard. But Toni was on cook group and she has really alienated people - so everyone was mad at her and it was all just a mess of yelling and people were crying. Poor American Anna is on that cook group too - she had to talk to Kris and tell him to be nice. When "Baby" as her nickname is - needs to tell people to be nice - its gone too far. Of course the leader doesn't do anything to make people calmer...she just adds to it by getting all upset because someone spilt the oil and then announces that since there is no meat she isn't eating dinner there and leaves to get drunk! WTF?!?! So a bunch of people go off with her, including Kris. Kaye stays behind to help everyone cook and make Judith (also on cook group) feel better because she and Toni fight and - wow...I've never seen a dinner with that many tears. Honestly - I haven't seen this many tears on a holiday in my entire life!! Its ridiculous. Even little Jenny mad a comment about how ridiculous everyone was about not having meat for dinner every night. Anyways - we all survived dinner, it was quite nice actually with butternut squash and stuff...but no meat so I guess it was no good :P
We all went out to have a few drinks after but the leader and Kris were to drunk to even make sense and they disappeared. Then Kaye left because she wasn't drunk enough to hang out with them and she was upset. At the end it was Geoff Eti and I and Judith having a drink and listening to some music. It was nice. And even nicer to go back to my room alone and lock the door and sleep in the A/C.
SO tonight is my turn on cook group. We managed to buy a brick of frozen minced mystery meat. We don't have much to go with it but whatever. I have to post this now because I only have 5 minutes of Internet time left!! I'll write more tomorrow - if I survive cook group!
way too much drama! seems like everyone might be getting tired of the truck, the heat and eachother....hope you survive the last few days!
ReplyDeletehe he man i'm soooo glad I;m not on that truck. Though I wold have laughed about the meat drama, being a veggie. Looking forward to the personality profiles. Bet you are glad Geoff and Eti are on the trip too
ReplyDeletex