(Spencer) Riding the Roller Coaster

Hello my friends!

Last weekend I rode the lorry from Karaga to Tamale and I would like to take you along for the ride! (All the photos are first person perspective so imagine yourselves in my position)

In Ghana there are two methods of public transportation:

• Government operated STC and Metro Mass buslines. These buses are of a large coach style, very similar to a Greyhound in Canada but less comfortable. Capacity of 50 seated plus more who maybe standing
• Privately operated Lorrys. Imagine the child of a school bus and a large white van; that child would be a lorry. Ranging capacity depending on the bus, people are packed like sardines; I would guess 15-40. When the inside of the bus isn’t enough there is the roof for people to sit. Other names for a lorry include tro tro and minibus.

The time is 2pm and the sun is beating down high in the sky, the temperature is approximately 30 degrees.  Fortunately, there is nice group of guys who I am waiting for the bus with in their favourite shaded sitting spot. Just past two, the lorry arrives from Gushegu and stops at the rode side. Immediately, it is mobbed by people trying to get on it to Tamale. Before I have even took ten steps all the sitting spots are filled and people are stuffing on the bus to stand. Not the ideal situation. Someone grabs my hand, points up at the roof of the lorry, and says to ride up there.

The roof is where our journey together begins. Climb up the ladder at the back of the lorry and once I set foot on the roof a man, whos name I later learn to be Raphael, calls me to sit right at the front of bus on the roof.  A few moments later the lorry departs from Karaga and starts rolling down the road. Once we are free of the limits of the town the lorry starts ripping down the road at a unbelievable speed.

We are all over the road, making a slow zig zagging pattern. Farmland flanks both sides of the road.

I tried keep this steady but the bus was very bumpy. I don’t know the speed of the bus but it felt terribly fast. Wind was howling past my face and blowing my hair all over. It was now I saw the parallel between riding the top of the lorry and a roller coaster

• Both go very fast 
• Both sway back and forth, though one is supposed to, the lorry because of the bad roads
• Both send wind past your face with such force your pushed back in your seat
• Both scare you silly while you have the time of your life!

Ghana is very green during the rainy season and this is only the beginning of the season. Everything comes into full bloom. Also around this time, Mahafuz, who was the other man sitting beside one made a comment about how good the driver of the lorry was. I thought; if this is good, what is bad?

Passing another vehicle. When asked why ride on top of the Lorry simply quote this image.

Passing through a village which I have been told is named Yamo-karaga. The houses to the left are called compounds. They are series of mud huts that are built in a circular shaped and connected with mud or grass walls. They house entire extended families in one large compound. The piles of wood will be used as fuel for cooking. All the animals are goats which live freely in Ghana that is until they are eaten.

  

A small body of water, what cannot be seen is the crocodiles that are basking in the sun just out of the photo.

Stopped at an intersection in the roadway to Tamale, at Nanton. When the bus stopped, people from the town ran over with food for sale, and I tried some delicious deep fired item. It tasted of onions. Yum

Under the beautiful trees =)

The last village before arriving in Tamale. The bus never let up speed the entire trip unless we were passing through a village with speed bumps. Interestingly this village did not have speed bumps so we ripped through at great speed.

The unexpected twist. We were on the outskirts of Tamale when the bus made a stop, Rapheal said to Mahafuz and me to get off the top.  A few people were unloading from inside the bus, it seemed that we had arrived at the end. Not exactly where I wanted to be in Tamale but I would survive, an expensive cab was sure to be in store.  Instead of the entire bus turning inside out it starting driving away, Mahafuz and I wanted to be on that rogue lorry.

He started running towards it, and I followed. We caught up before it was past our reach and grabbed onto the ladders on the rear. Clinging on for what felt to be dear life we rode the rest of the journey into Tamale hanging to the ladders. Risking life and limb I bring you this =)

Oh yeaaa! The streets just outside of core of Tamale, in the heart of the city the traffic is horrendous.

We arrived at our destination just outside the heart of the city in one piece and treated ourselves to sugarcane. There is a difference between a rollercoaster and a lorry; a rollercoaster is over in a minute while this lasts hours =)

One of the most fun experiences of my life I am sure, thrilling the entire time with a twist ending worthy of M. Night. Shyamalan.

Last stop, everyone out, hope you have enjoyed the ride. 

-Suhuyini