Surviving Beach Withdrawal

Hello My Darlings !

Well, the first post of 2007 and I must therefore begin by wishing you all a very happy new year filled only with the goodest and bestest things in life (who needs grammar when you’re trying to make a point!). It seems like an eternity has passed since I last wrote, though it’s really only been eight days…But a busy eight days no less. Amazing how fast time flies when you’re sitting on a beautiful beach doing absolutely nothing!

So yes, the new year adventures were a success. Gislain, Elizabeth, Tracy and I left early Friday morning to go West, where life is more peaceful indeed. The drive was lovely, complete with air conditioning, beautiful scenery, loud music and even a Mr Freeze to start it all off (Gislain and Jacques loaded up a container with some good ole Canadian produce before heading over to Ghana). I don’t normally eat Mr Freezes, but in the 30+ weather and with a vacation looming on the horizon, I don’t think that frozen blue-flavored sugar juice could have tasted any sweeter. After about five hours watching incredibly lush and green scenery go by, along with occasional towns and villages, and catching quick glances of the ocean, we arrived safe and sound to Safari Lodge…or a little piece of heaven as some might like to call it.

The brainchild of a friendly Texan couple, James and Angela, the lodge has only been open for a few months. It is simple yet elegant, with eight small room/chalets complete with a bed (mosquito-net included…which is good cause in addition to mosquitoes there are also these really really really big spiders that seem to like to cuddle up to warm bodies during the night), wooden furniture and oil lamps (as this is also an electricity-free venue). In addition to the small chalets, there is a huge outdoor dining room, where we were fortunate to taste an array of sumptuous dishes over the course of the long weekend. Indeed, it appears that James is not only trained but extremely gifted in the culinary arts, and so it is that my incessantly expanding tummy was treated to some of his amazing concoctions from baked brie to fish tacos to ostrich steak (my apologies to the vegetarian blog-readers). There was also a steady supply of beer, wine and even little cocktail drinks on hand (none of them served in coconuts alas) and so by no means did I suffer from dehydration over the course of my stay. Important things to keep in mind when traveling in tropical regions.

And of course, to top it all off: THE BEACH! The Safari Lodge property stretches across a beautiful sandy beach, with coconut trees all around and fishermen’s boats in the distance (incidentally enough, our suppers were quite often delivered fresh from one of these boats). The current can be strong, such that it is advised to remain pretty close to the beach at all times. This being the case, I still managed to spend a good portion of the weekend in the water, enjoying the waves with a boogie board or sans, and at times swallowing a good portion of the ocean through my nostrils (nothing like a good gulp of saltwater up the nose to make one feel on vacation!). Of course, braving the ocean is a tiring activity, and the rest of the weekend was therefore spent on a beach towel or chair, reading books or just listening to the incessant lull of the crashing waves. It is accompanied by this soothing background melody that we rang in the New Year, at 10:30 as opposed to 12 cause by that point, everyone was tired and ready to go to bed (it can be quite draining to spend a day doing nothing on the beach!). There was champagne, sparklers and even fireworks (that Jacques and Gislain had brought from Accra) to complete the festive event. A few of us also went on a late night turtle hunt (not hunting literally) as it happens that ‘tis egg-laying season for beach turtles, and they seem to favor this coastal area. We saw marks in the sand and the carcass of a dead turtle (which was more sad than exciting really) but alas, no sea turtle or little babies breaking out of their shells. I don’t know if this is a good omen or a bad one…or an omen at all, but I’m sure there’s some superstition somewhere about seeing or not seeing sea turtles at the stroke of midnight on the 31st of December. I’d like to think either way it means 2007 will be a good one.

Mind you it didn’t necessarily start off on the best foot, since in addition to being violently separated from the Safari Beach Lodge on Monday morning (we had a long way to go before Accra, after all), I developed a strong case of sinus infection (I blame it partly on the ocean-up-the-nose). It was therefore in bed, congested and feverish that I suffered through beach withdrawal for a few days, drowning my sorrows in Kingsbite chocolate and various DVDs borrowed from the Jacques and Gislain collection. With the help of some friendly antibiotics, lots of bed rest and intensive cocoa-therapy (hey, why not…they do offer such treatments in spas after all!), I was feeling better within two days. And having taken advantage of all my excuses, it was time once again to get back to work. The process has not been too painful, might I add, and I feel more motivated and excited to get back to it than anything (proof that I am still very much a dork and/or doing exactly what I need to be doing.) I haven’t been back to SWAA yet, since we re-open on Monday, but did manage to have a meeting with an organization yesterday, and to spend the rest of my time writing some notes, brainstorming and sifting through my documents.

I hope to do a bit more over the course of the weekend, while still finding some time to celebrate my newfound health. Tonight, we are doing drinks at a local “terrasse” (aka tables and chairs set out on the sidewalk). Tomorrow, my new roommate is arriving…a young woman by the name of Melinda who is French but has been living in Montreal for the past years (it’s a small world after all). I met her briefly today, and she seems really nice…so I look forward to getting to know her… and doing so in French, which is always a pleasure! Sunday, I will go spend some time with Lucy and then maybe pay a visit to Mrs. Field as I am very much looking forward to visiting with her again.

I must admit that I am not unhappy to see the holidays becoming a thing of the past, as beach relaxation aside, it did prove slightly painful at times to be so very far from my family and my friends during this period. And with January officially started, the countdown has also begun in preparation for Eve’s arrival, scheduled for the 29th in the evening! I can hardly wait to finally see my big sister, and to have a chance to share with her this incredible place where I’ve been so fortunate to spend the last months.

Well, my lovelies, I hope that your holiday season proved relaxing and enjoyable and again, I wish you all the very best for this New Year.

I miss you all very much and send you my warmest salutations from chilly Ghana (the Harmattan has descended upon us…making the air slightly (very slightly) cooler such that some Ghanaians walk around in tuques and jackets… Somehow I still manage to sweat profusely in a t-shirt and skirt…a testament to the fact that everything --including weather-- is indeed relative).

Gros bisous mes cheris !
Sophie