This road is less than 50 feet from my bedroom and goes north to the Ghana border with Burkina Faso and on to Mali and its famous city of Timbuktu. Except for the early morning hours between 1 and 4 A.M. when I am told there are armed bandits on the road, it is full of vehicles headed north and south with all kinds of loads; people, food, fuel, cashews, construction materials, animals, and an assortment of items the Ghanians call "pretty, pretty things." Like the bus in the picture, many vehicles are heavily overloaded and moving rapidly, a dangerous combination. The blue items on the roof are hard plastic water barrels and the yellow are what I call "jerry cans." Plastic, but identical to what the military used for hauling extra fuel or water. As this is the wet season, I am sure they are headed to a market.
I have a blue water barrel near the kitchen and bath room areas in the house. When I arrived I went to the bore hole (well) to fetch water almost daily, using the yellow jerry cans. More than a couple of trips to fill the barrel. The caretaker of the house was appalled that others would see me hauling water and so insisted that she and her teenage daughter take care of that chore. She can fill the barrel with three trips to the bore hole, balancing a large container on her head with wonderful posture and grace. It is amazing. I am pleased that they will help me as I am the biggest user of water in the house. I always want the full bucket bath each evening, water to drink, cook and clean, wash my clothes, and use for the toilet. Now that the wet season has begun, when the rain starts it is all hands with available containers outside to catch the water from the roof. A few nights ago I was up early in the morning to quietly use the bathroom, and stumbled over an assortment of pots and pans full of water in the hall way. Woke the household.
According to the farmers, the full wet season is late this year. Maze should be well over four feet high, but is around 18 inches. We are now getting three to four very heavy rains in a week, mostly in the afternoons and at night. Some of the rain storms have lasted for hours accompanied by a real display of lightning and thunder. I am told there should be more to come.
Sure cuts back on the chore of fetching water.
On departure day from Washington DC, June 7, 2011, I posted my first blog about my new job. Time has been full and gone quickly. Thanks for your interest along the way.
On departure day from Washington DC, June 7, 2011, I posted my first blog about my new job. Time has been full and gone quickly. Thanks for your interest along the way.
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