Transportation in Ghana

Most interesting and funny stories from Peace Corps Ghana volunteers revolve around transportation. Getting used to getting around in a new place always takes some getting used to, but add being in a foreign country to the mix and things get more interesting. Thankfully Ghanaians are incredibly helpful people who are always looking out for others and are willing to give of themselves in order to ensure the safety and well being of others. Unlike in the United States, most Ghanaians do not own a personal vehicle, making for a glorious system of public transportation that all people in the United States should be jealous of. Transportation choices include buying, borrowing, or getting a ride on the back rack of some one's bicycle, getting a ride on the back of some one's motorcycle, small car taxis, tro tros, metro mass buses, STC buses, the occasional boat or canoe, and hitchhiking with "rich folk" who have personal vehicles. Many taxis will not leave the station without less than 6 passengers (we have fit 12 in). Most tro tros seat at least 25 people. Metro Mass buses seat 7 across, and STC is the mansion of transportation with air conditioning and only seating 4 across, of course you have to endure Nigerian soap operas playing on loop the entire ride. The following are fun stories of transportation in Ghana that have happened to me or my fellow Peace Corps Volunteers. These stories are not always funny when they happen but after time they become hilarious.

One evening during training I was trying to get home from a neighboring village where I attended language classes and it began raining. When it rains in Ghana everything stops. Eventually a taxi to my village filled and we were on our way shortly after nightfall. Within two miles the taxi broke down. Magically after an hour of waiting around in the rain, another taxi came and picked us all up. Within another mile, the second taxi broke down. The man sitting next to me asked, "can you walk," and I of course replied yes. So we walked the remaining 5 miles to my village through waist high rivers of rain water. Needless to say the taxi would have never made it and my host mom was petrified that I was out in the rain let alone that I walked.

A friend of my was travelling by tro tro. They had stopped at the side of the road for a bathroom break. For whatever reason, my friend decided to lean against the side of the tro tro while waiting for everyone to finish their business. A goat travelling on top of the tro tro apparently got the message that it was time for a bathroom break. It urinated over the side of the tro tro directly on my friend's head.

I would often beg a ride (hitchhike) to the regional capital from my house because I lived on a main road. I would usually get picked up by personal vehicles or taxis or tro tros that weren't full. One day a small taxi car slowed down and pulled over for me. I was perplexed by the fact that the car was only carrying one passenger on a market day. As I got closer I realized why. In the back seat was a full grown live bull. The only passenger hopped into the back seat allowing me to have the front while he sat on top of the bull. We picked up more people who also sat on the bull on the way to town.

While riding in a taxi one day, smoke started pouring out of the vents. The driver kept driving. As the car filled up I yelled, "Driver! Smoke! Fire! Stop!" The driver replied, "Oh sorry. Oh no," and pulled over. The driver's friend fixed the fuse box by biting off pieces of radio antenna wire and fashioning them into fuses. The rest of the trip went smoothly.

There is nothing like getting vomited/pooped/urinated on by a baby who is sitting on its mom's lap next to you during a long bus ride.

Often you would feel something brush up against your legs and realize there were chickens and goats under your seat.

Seeing 5 people on a motorcycle or bicycle is not uncomon.

Intestinal issues are common. Thankfully plastic bags are plenty so if you happen to have to suprise vomit while in transit you might be lucky enough to get handed one without holes to fill.

Your car/bus/tro tro might break down multiple times on the way to your destination but someone can always fix it, even if they have to pull out the entire engine on the side of the road.

A friend who can only get to their site by boat, got the pleasure of riding in circles for quite some time because something on the boat broke and they could no longer go straight or turn off the engine. They were eventually rescued by another boat.

Life in Ghana is good!