I read; I travel; I become. - Derek Walcott

23 October 2019, Koase to Afrancho, 47.80km
Hyiawu Fair Haven Guest House 70GHC (R200)
 
Literally as I stood holding the passage door open for Charl to wheel his bike onto the porch, a strong wind delivered the threatening storm. A chicken seeking shelter was blown squawking in protest across the yard. And then the rain came down. It was 06:30, and we were happy to wait it out, glad it had not arrived just five minutes later when we would have been negotiating the short stretch of dirt between the Ebenezer and the N12. Shortly before the rain reduced to a drizzle, the hotel owner arrived and stopped to chat to us. He asked where we were headed and I mentioned the next big town, Techiman, just 30km away. “Jesus Christ”, he exclaimed. We were surprised into laughter; it is unusual to hear blasphemy in this hugely religious society. When we then said we had cycled almost 7,000km from Cape Town, I do not think he believed us.
It drizzled for the first 20km, keeping us blissfully cool. In thin sheets of water running across the road, hundreds of earthworms slithered, many over 30cm in length. Those crossing the road, had a chance of reaching the verge; those travelling the length of the road, stood little chance of survival. We tried to avoid the worms, weaving this way and that between them. Many lived and wriggled for safety; many were dead or dying, the dead less distressing than those dragging mushy back ends. Now and then we would hit a worm which would squirm in horrible death throes. When you begin to apologise to earthworms, have you lost the plot?
We did a lot of climbing. We saw a trucker, yelled at by a policeman at a roadblock, get out his vehicle and shake the man’s hand, cash in his palm. We were shown around a gari (cassava flour/meal) factory by charming young Sheila. And we visited a coffin-maker. Many Africans turn coffin-making into an art-form. Coffins are shaped and painted in gloss. They can be Bible-shaped, or cocoa bean or cassava-shaped, or designed to look like a drum or church or car. We were shown 100 photos of coffin-shapes to choose from. Wonderful stuff.
Two amusing things: Charl spotted a barber shopped named Barbarian. And taking a tro-tro to Akumadan in search of an evening meal, I caused the already-seated passengers to laugh and laugh when I asked the driver’s assistant to “give me a push”, struggling to get up the high step into the sliding door.

For today's route see below photos
For overview route, click on ROUTE tab above…