Great!

I wouldn't even know where to begin to describe the traffic here in Accra!  It is NOTHING like I've ever seen before!

It is a nonstop rat race!  There are around 4 million people in Accra but only a few have a car.  So their options are to walk, to take a taxi or to catch the Tro-Tro (bus).  If you're really brave, or stupid, you can grab a ride on a motorcycle.  Just keep in mind that both the pedestrians and motorcyclists have absolutely no right of way on the roads.

The motorcyclist weave in and out of the cars.  I know we've all seen this done in San Francisco and such but in America there are traffic laws that are followed.  Not here!
I honestly won't be able to do it justice when trying to describe it but it is pure mayhem!


mayhem |ˈmāˌhem|
noun; violent or damaging disorder; chaos : complete mayhem broke out.


So, there are stop signs, traffic lights, crosswalks, speed limits, etc....but do you think they are there for any specific reason?  Nope!  It's always a mad race to the finish line yet there is no finish line.  You honestly take your life into your own hands if you choose to take a taxi.  The Tro-Tro's are larger so there is a bit more safety but not 100%.

Then add the street vendors to the mess!  Wait!  Motorcyclists do have the right away when it comes to the street vendors.  They have to jump out of everyone's way!  

Look at these 2 little girls walking the streets trying to make some money by selling water.  This is not abnormal at all.  Most of them are forced to work by their parents but to them its life and they seem to be okay with it.

You see MANY wrecks here!  You don't call the police when you get into an accident...

...you just get out of your car and fight it out and then drive away.

Cars are broken down everywhere!

This is how they transport their cattle.  However, sometimes the cattle are running freely down the road.

This is how they advertise at times.  They load a couple big speakers in the back of a truck, play really loud music while handing out flyers (that end up all over the ground) while in traffic.

I snapped a picture from the back of the Tro-Tro where I was sitting.  I know my mom would die if she knew I was the only girl on the entire bus....love you momma!

The main problem with the Tro-Tro is the smell.  Again with the smell.  Remember how I said I needed to get use to the smell of body oder?  Well, this is the best place to work on it.  People put their arms out the window leaving us that are left in the middle of the bus to catch a breeze that comes directly from their pits.  Wonderful.  

Also, most of the cell phones here have FM radio so it's not uncommon to have 4 or 5 different radio stations playing at the same time; in addition to the drivers gospel music and people talking on their cell phones. 

Tiny little taxi.  Usually, the doors don't stay shut and you have to open them from the outside to even get out.

Douglas.  He wants to take me to the beach! :)

You spend at least three hours in traffic driving home because of all of the road construction and craziness on the road.  Utah is blessed to have U-DOT (or whatever it's called).  

Sometimes, Lydia and Kweku will call their driver to come sit in traffic so the two of them can just walk home.  They have a driver to help with kids at home and at school.  Kweku arrived home a couple of nights ago at 9:30 and looked exhausted.  He said he only made it half way home and decided to pull over, park his car and walk to rest of the way home.  The driver wasn't available to sit in traffic for him.

Lydia's brother-in-law is writing a book while sitting in the traffic about what he has learned while sitting in traffic.

Picture a Round-about.  Now picture one where you don't yield for anyone and there are two additional lanes made up.  It is a leap of faith that you make it through without being smashed by another driver.

The drivers all think they know of a shortcut so they take the roads that aren't really even roads.  Its like a small version of climbing the rocks in Moab.  I'll have to snap a good photo of the typical shortcut road but for now you can see the picture at the end of this post to get a small taste.

So, one day I had to run home from school really quick and didn't want to pay for a taxi so I decided to borrow the old broken down car that the school uses while their bus is down and out

BIG MISTAKE!!!

I was coasting along nicely with no power steering, no lights in or out of the car, breaks sort of working none of the gauges working and I even stopped at the stop sign.  Yep, I still obey the laws of the land even though I get honked at for doing so.  I go to make a left hand turn and 

BAMMMM!!!!

The road literally gave out from under me!  There is a huge hole in the ground and the way it was fixed was by filling it up with old tires, covering it with dirt and some sort of a bar and then some more dirt.  

 Well, I happened to be the lucky one who didn't make it over the amazing bridge!  My front drivers side tire was completely stuck.  Here I am, trying to drive in a country where there aren't any traffic laws, I don't know anyone around.  I can't just google the nearest tow truck, I hit my head and my wrist but the worst of all, the SWEAT!  It never stops!!!  But then, out of nowhere, every single person in site stopped everything they were doing to come lift my car out of the hole for me.  They were all apologetic for the accident even though they had nothing to do with it.   The best part about it, not one of them expected anything out of helping a stranger in need.  

Again, I will write a post about the people of Ghana.  They are the some of the most amazing people I have ever met...until they get into a vehicle!

I wasn't the only one who got sucked into the makeshift bridge!  At least I wasn't driving a Tro-Tro!

 I wouldn't trade any of this for the world though-even the B.O. Tro-Tro rides!  

I love Ghana and always look forward to the next experience!