This direct flight lands in Accra at 8:30 am. By some fluke of whatever, I was one of the last on the first shuttle bus out, which means I was one of the first off the bus and into the customs and immigration line – actually the 3^rd person in line! That part was nice, but it didn’t make much difference, because everyone else had also gotten through well before our luggage arrived. But, all luggage made the trip, so we are good to go! The Airport West Hotel shuttle was waiting, and we went to the hotel. We all wanted to shower before grabbing something to eat.

After getting some sandwiches, or soup or curry depending on our tastes, we took off to go “walk about” on the east side of Accra.

First we walked to the Shoprite mall. It is only of the only enclosed indoor malls I’m aware of in Ghana. It has a very nice, safe Forex Bureau to change money, and I get about the best rate there (it doesn’t seem to be standardized everywhere in the country). So we all changed money, and then went to walk to the Tettah Quarchie Art Market. This is a good sized warren of small craft shops, and one of the best places to shop for souvenirs. Everyone was pretty tired, because most had not slept well on the plane, and then we were jetlagged to boot. So by the time we left and had returned to the hotel (after walking 3 – 4 miles) I think all were pretty tired.

For dinner we decided to go to the DNR, a Turkish restaurant not terribly far from the hotel. When I talked with the front desk to arrange a taxi that could carry us all, the manager graciously offered to have the hotel shuttle van take us there, and then return to pick us up when we were done eating. That was a very nice, comfortable and much appreciated offer – which we gratefully accepted!

Tomorrow morning our driver should be here by 8:30 am to take us down the coast to Elmina. We plan to meet downstairs for breakfast at 7:30, and then we’ll be “on the road again” with strains of Willie Nelson, or the movie Shrek depending on what jumps to your mind…