9th March. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

6^th June. Kintampo Waterfall Car Park. Central Ghana.

N08 05'17.4” W001 41'58.3”

The staff were kind enough to let us camp the night in the car park here. 200 metres off the road minimises traffic noise, the falls are a background murmur and we are alone with over 100 chooks and roosters from one day chicks to randy roosters who have spent the last couple of hours chasing the squawking chooks. You think with the myriad of chickens running around they could take a rest. They are at peace now, perched above and to two sides of us. Don't like to think of the noise we will be woken by in the morning. I found what appeared to be a newly hatched chicken but couldn't walk. I think it must have been rejected by the hen because of its disability.

A short drive today, we were both feeling pretty washed out, Joan especially. It seems when you relax a little like we have since arriving in Ghana it becomes difficult to get back in the swing of things. It was good getting the car serviced and at the cheapest price yet. Granted I did have the 2 diesel filters they used. The bakkie always seems to go better after a service. Problems have been minimal so far, hope it keeps up.

Back into rain forest type of country but with a lot of cropping such as bananas and yams. The road has been good but don't like to talk about such things as they change so quickly over here. One minute a beautiful 2 lane highway, the next a potholed dusty rock strewn track. We have learnt to appreciate it when it is good.

7^th June. Tongo Hills & Tenzung Shrine Reception

A pleasant shock while buying a few things in a shop in a small city in Northeren Ghana: Nobilo Marlborough Sav/Blanc for $7 and the Hardy range for the same price! And they weren't refills as can happen. Amazing.

The place where other overlanders stay at Bolga didn't sound the best, we had a bit of time to kill as we had to plan our time getting to Ouaguadouga, capital of Burkina Faso for the Monday or Tues to get visas, so headed off a few kms to the Tongo Hills. An unexpectedly lovely area of rocky outcrops leading up to a animist shrine on one of the higher levels. It was late when we arrived. A vicious storm had hit us on the road with galef orce winds and driving rain. Dangerous to drive in. We, and most others had to pull over and wait the worst of it out. We pitied the school girls walking home in it.

Before camping the night, Ernest, our guide for the next morning, had to take us over the the chief's palace to ask permission from him for us to stay the night. A lovely 73 year old, a few grey whiskers on his chin, living in this enormous palace with his 18 wives and countless children. The palace consisted of many rounded compounds the walls of some making the outer walls of the structure, not high, at most some 2 metres. I don't know much about the religion here but sacrifices play a big part. Around the back of the palace a group had just killed 2 dogs and were singeing them on a fire. Not sure whether they eat the flesh before the sacrifice. As well as dogs, chickens, goats, cows and even donkeys are sacrificed at certain times. The altar where they had been killed still had the blood dribbling down the side. A cave nearby had a row of donkey skulls arrayed. This was where people came who had problems with their business or marital affairs, if things improved they would kill a donkey. The caves we went to were more a rocky overhang. One of interest was the one that was the classroom before the school was built in the late 1980s. Then school was something new and the teacher used to climb onto the top of an outcrop and ring the bell to make the parents let their kids come to school.

The vegetation as we go north is changing. We see now shrt grasslands, cultivated fiels with single trees growing. The road often has beautiful old trees alongside giving shade and tranquility to the driver.

8^th June. Auberge Kakayon, Tiebele, South Burkina Faso.

Well, how many of you had heard of Burkina Faso before we mentioned it as part of our route? Used to be called Upper Volta and was a French colony in the old days. It's one of the poorest countries in Africa but has a reputation of the people having a very relaxed lifestyle, tidy and the cities nicely set out. Again we made a diversion some 30kms off the main road to Teibele. A small town renowned for the painted walls of its houses. This afternoon we visited another palace, (2 in one day? We must be in the Loire Valley!) This time the bloke was a king. We didn't meet him but Aziz the guide took us around. The painted walls were very impressive. I hope some of the patterns come out in the photos. Pierre, the Rastaferean managing the auberge is a really laid back character. We are the only ones staying here.

The border crossing today was one of the quickest we have experienced. When the customs bloke know what to do with the carnet it makes such a difference. Often it has been stamped incorrectly which caused problems.

The land is drying out now. They had rain a couple of weeks ago, planted the peanut crop, and are hoping for more followup to save it from shrivelling.