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Canopy walk, Kakum National Park. Day trips organized for those of us not directly involved in conference proceedings gave us an excellent opportunity to experience aspects of Ghana that we might otherwise have missed. Thank you to those responsible for this initiative. Kakum National Park, known for its canopy walkway, was our first venture. The lush green foliage of the rainforest, beautiful though it is, obscured the forest floor, so in spite of our best efforts we didn’t see any elephants. Heard some trumpeting, which is not quite the same thing. Didn’t see any birds or butterflies either, but then we were wending our way through the treetops at the wrong time of day for bird watching. The suspended bridges, seven in all, were netted, which made up for their width (one foot) and swaying motion. Mike Turner, a member of the Hull delegation, was quite comfortable with the process and he has had two hip replacements! However, not a walk recommended for anyone who suffers from vertigo or for those overly concerned with time. As we had to traverse the bridges one at a time, the visit to Kakum was not short.

En route to the stilt village at Nzulezi on our second trip, we passed the usual sidewalk vendors, some with their “boutiques” adjacent to the now decaying colonial buildings. It had become apparent to us that we could buy anything we needed or thought we needed from these seemingly makeshift stalls. Bargaining for a price reduction is accepted practice.

We didn’t use the dugout canoes but rather a few standard western style vessels, people powered. Someone had to remember to bail out the water collecting in the bottom of the boat at regular intervals. After all, our affable guide assured us, crocodiles lurked in the waters. He pointed out a snake in a trap within reach as we edged our way through the narrow, shallow streams connecting the lagoons. Better in the trap than hanging from branches that brushed against our limbs. The lagoons were beautiful, the waters still and quiet.

The villagers of Nzulezi have not adopted the tourist trappings of drum-tapping welcoming parties, choreographed dancers or fetish-filled markets. Their homes, clearly in need of repair, are on piers supported by slender columns above fetid water. A poorly furnished schoolroom for all grade levels lacked a qualified teacher as wannabe educators, once qualified, leave the village, never to return. The “streets” in the village further testify to the present poverty. We were made welcome, addressed by not the paramount chief but his delegate, encouraged to ask questions. A sobering day.