One Unforgettable Journey - Part 3

So the saga continues, but unfortunately all the excitement is over.

So down the road we go, probably another 2-3 hours more to Mole N.P. We managed to make it there without any more major catastrophes, only one near miss. The driver at one point lost control (I think he fell asleep or something)and drove right into the bushes and nearly rolled the van. Half of us dove out while the others leaned way over to the other side to prevent the van from rolling on its side. I was pretty sure the van was finished with and we were going to have to spend another night in the bush, but we got it back aligned on the road and were off again. Later in the day we finally made it to the park, exhausted, dirty, and hungry.

Mole (pronounced mole-ay) is certainly the gem of all of Ghana's national parks. The highlight is it's wildlife, especially elephants. The place is abundant with wildlife, including several species of antelope, deer, warthogs, baboons, monkeys, and probably countless birds and insects. Rumor has it that lions exist somewhere in the park. Several of these species have become pretty habituated to humans so at times it could feel more like a zoo. The hotel in the park had baboons and warthogs right out the door and elephants weren't too far away. Despite this though, it was fun to sneak out and wander around in the bush to observe the animals in a more natural setting.

Mole was the ultimate destination for this journey so from here I shot back south to Cape Coast. The journey back went smoothly, much to my relief. Even though this leg was less eventful than the journey up, there is still that excitement that exists from just being in a foreign place. It is a real joy for me traveling exclusively by public transport. It is not necessarily comfortable but fascinating. There is so much to see, from sitting at a crowded, noisy, and dirty bus station anticipating the next bus, to watching the country go by through the window. There is a lot for the senses to process and that is what makes travel so wonderful.

Safety first

Ancient Mosque in nearby Larabanga

Savanna sunset