Day 7

Having spent the evening, editing Hawa's proposals, I ordered a 'small' portion of dinner which would easily have fed 4 and spent the evening getting to know my fellow guests and workers.

I met Ceasar, my new best friend/ tour guide/ body guide who is permanently stoned but appears to be a font of knowledge. He told me that the fastest growing religion in Ghana is Rastafarianism and there are approx 700,00 rastas in Ghana today. I think most of them live where I'm staying! I fear I am days away from greeting everyone I meet with a fist bump and a heart felt 'Rastafi'. I am curious as to what impact is having on the HIV/AIDS pandemic here but I think it's best to get to know them before diving in with such questions. Each person ask why I am here and when I tell them I want to research the impact of the pandemic, they tell me it's a problem, that they are grateful that I am here but they are unwilling to discuss HIV at a personal level. I'm here for enough time that I think this may change.

One of the older guys runs a football academy for young boys to keep them out of trouble and is hoping to build a school and I hope to speak to him and establish what, if any sexual education they will receive.

I spoke to a guy called Micheal who is here visiting family but lives with his girlfriend in Germany. He told me about a better, cheaper beach I could stay at and I gave myself a big kick for paying for 2 weeks up front but I'm overlooking the beach and a 5 minute walk from the city. I am moments from the Nakrumah memorial! I arrange to somehow get to big millys over the weekend to check it out.

Day 8

My tour of Ghana begins bright and early with Hawa arriving at 8am to drive me out to the edge of the city where she has bought land on which she plans to build a new office for her NGO and living quarters for her and her staff. I have no doubts her NGO is up and running but I suspect she views me as a cash cow which given my current circumstances is more laughable than worrying. I'm happy to give her money for fuel here and there in return for being driven around in luxury. Even if I secretly miss the atmosphere of a sweaty crowded Tro Tro but when I told her this, she thought I was mad.

After seeing the land she has bought and been shown where she will build my house (yes, my house; large pinches of salt are being taken now) we head back to Accra and I find Caesar waiting for me. We head off to Nakrumah park where he tells me the history of Ghana and how Nakrumah presided over Guinea for two years before his death. There are a dozen or so weddings taking place when we visit. Nakrumah is still held in high esteem here and much loved. From the park we walk to independence square and after I have taken several dodgy pictures of the arch, Caesar agrees with me that I am an excellent photographer and the arch is indeed wonky!

We walk along the beach to the castle but when a big man with a gun appears, decide to leave that for another day and we walk back into the city for dinner. We eat sitting on the floor by the roadside and I actually break my no photo rule just to show you all....I know Shelley will freak out! The food is amazing but I'm too stuffed from lunch to eat much.

I head back to shower and change and walk back along the beach to a club for which we are too late. I suspect this could be as Caesar needs a lot of 'rasta' breaks to get in touch with his concious. He smokes a lot of weed.

Day 9

At last, up to date with you all and hoping to day is the day things start to happen. I'm going to the Korle Bu this morning to meet the head of the HIV unit and hope she will at least allow me to interview her and maybe some of her staff if it is not possible to work there. Having already paid so much to the volunteer org and now paying for food and accommodation, I really cannot afford to pay anymore to work there. Accra is an expensive city and my room at the Phoenix is costing me $30 a night- the cheapest room in the city!!