Stuck truck—just part of overlanding
Stuck up to the back axle
It’s been several days since we had internet but there has been plenty to keep us busy. We camped for two days at Brenu Beach on the Cape Coast. We visited two depressing but enlightening ‘castles’ from which slaves were sent to the Americas. Then more camping at Kakum, a national park in Ghana.
And this being an overland trip, of course we got stuck. On our previous African overland, we spent a lot of time stuck in the sands of the Sahara Desert, but yesterday’s sticky situation was in the mud.
There’s been torrential rain around us—you can tell by the puddles—but we’ve only had sprinklings of rain.
A bit of wood might help with traction
Gathering rocks and gravel to put in front of the tyres
Luckily we weren’t stranded for long. A joint effort including the driver, Jason, some fellow passengers and some helpful locals had us on the way in about 15 minutes.
Now that it’s caked in mud, the truck looks like a real overland vehicle.
P.S. I’ll write about the other stops soon. Just give me some internet. I’ve been trying to post this short item since last night. Too many error messages. On the upside, we had our first hot showers in nine days. We’ve had showers, but only cold.
A taxi skirts around a puddle. We skirted on the other side
Where to next? 
Glad you’re on the move again! What is your route?
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This post gives an overview of our route.
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Pleased you managed to get moving again. There’s nothing like days without a nice hot shower to help one appreciate what we otherwise take for granted. I bet it felt like your best ever shower (well at least the best shower since the last time you went without for days). Hope you manage to keep moving, and have lots more hot showers – not to mention some decent internet cover. Keep safe Peggy and Poor John.
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It’s been so hot and humid in Ghana that even the cold showers have been welcome. But I plan to wash my hair tomorrow and that last hot shower for a while will be most appreciated.
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What a way to start your vacation! Hope you’re safely on your way now.
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It wouldn’t be an overland trip without a few breakdowns. All part of the adventure.
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who has arrived there, but can look at such a Hindani ales erlebenis, (without accommodation) Geraffen look, he is welcome in africa, in the Passat zone, thank you very much !!
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You are most welcome. Glad you stopped by.
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as well !!!!!! You are welcome. Nice that you passed by. No jam !!!!!
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I’m pleased that you weren’t stuck for very long. And hot showers after days without. That must have felt so good. I hope you have better internet access soon.
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It’s been so hot that even cold showers are great. Fingers crossed for better internet. Still not expecting it.
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That truck is super stuck!! Glad you got out!
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Ah, that’s just an itty-bit stuck. I’ve been in super stuck. Must post about the time we were stranded overnight in Cameroon.
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Re-visiting old haunts i see. Saw Gary’s photo and thought it was Brenu! Truck looks like it should have gone to the right…lol!
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Probably too narrow to go to the right, but I get your thinking. Geez I miss you.
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I see there is at least one lazy bugger sitting in truck whilst rest dig!
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You gave me the best belly laugh of the day.
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Glad you are moving. With your uncertain Internet service, I will hold off commenting on most posts giving you one less email to deal with. But be sure I too am following you adventures, something I have trouble even imagining doing myself.
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Thanks for thinking of comments. I’ve thought about turning them off, but decided I’ll just answer when I can.
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That is quite a truck. What an adventure! 👍
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Yes, and we’re just getting started.
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It’s good to see that help was readily available to get you guys going once more. I look at those photos and see such beautiful vast land.
Have fun!
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The Ghanaian countryside is beautiful. Such a pleasure to travel through slowly.
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I can imagine. It looks like it. 😊
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Quite an adventure going here, all will be good in the end
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Thanks Sande. Everything is going well.
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Ohhhh there’s nothing quite like a hot shower!!! Especially aftet 9 days of cold ones…talk about gratitude! Enjoy your trip! 🛀
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I’ll be especially grateful for that hot shower tomorrow when I wash my hair. Then back to cold or none for some days.
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I think I’d take none over cold, for as long as I could!!! 😉
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It’s so hot that cold is more like tepid. You’d survive.
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Who are you traveling with..company?………I wish I was there!
Sent from my iPad
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Wish you were here too. Overlanding West Africa.
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There’s nothing like sticky mud for getting bogged in! I like how everyone jumps in and helps.
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We couldn’t do these trips without team effort.
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Yes.
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Lucky to have got moving again so quickly.
I remember a 10 hour bog from that overland trip I did way back when – somewhere in the Central African Republic I think.
Alison
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We were bogged overnight in Cameroon. The truck almost tipped over. Must do a post on that one.
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Yes!
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Rolling with those sorts of things (cold showers, mud) is part of the kind of travel you’re doing, it seems. Aren’t those trips great? 🙂
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They’re fantastic, but you have to do them when your head is in the right place and your knees still work.
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Imagine an Emoji Face with Rolling Eyes, getten stuck in mud. Imagine an Emoji Face Smiling when you finally got moven again. Imagine a Emoji Face with a huge smile Ear-to-Ear when you finally had a nice hot shower… and now squeaky clean for a while!
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Thanks for the vision. I’ll keep imaging all those emoji faces as we travel through West Africa.
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Glad it was just a 15 minutes bogged down in the mud. The two ‘castles’ you refer to would include Elmina. My Dutch Uncle wrote a book about this dreadful period. It is called ‘Elmina never again’.
Can’t wait for the next post, Peggy. How is Poor John enjoying it all?
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Oh wow Gerard, thanks so much for telling me about your uncles book. Yes, one of the ‘castles’ was Elmina. Such a tragic story. Poor John is doing great. You know I don’t make him do these trips?
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Wish you adventures without problems !!! Send you my love!!!!!!!!!!!
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Thanks. All good so far.
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I love your truck, I have serious truck envy just looking at it! DOn’t worry about replying, will look forward to your next update- enjoy that hot shower!
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It’s a good truck, but I don’t love it as much as our first African truck in 2009. Had another hot shower today—11 days after the previous one.
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It’s good to know that 30% of the available able bodies work and the rest supervise is a universal narrative…There’s a musician joke about how many guitar players does it take to change a light bulb. One. To change it, the rest to stand around around and talk about how they could have done it faster/better/first. No matter where they are, a tour bus is a tour bus, eh? Where after about a week, a motel gimme moist towelette can go for as much a $5. Hang in there!
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Luckily we’re travelling with a fairly go-getting group of fellow passengers. Guess we’ll wait until things get ugly over a towelette.
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Flag that taxi I say! 🤣 Looks like you are making good progress despite the mud puddles.
I’d have had to sit out the castles where slaves were gathered for deportation, it was sad enough on ‘60 Minutes’ here.
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You’re right Dave. The so-called ‘castles’ are terribly sad and heartbreaking.
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Ah yes memories… getting bogged….what kills me about these sort of trips is the most painful days full of mishaps make the best stories afterwards. Are you getting more recipe books while you are there? Louise
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You’re right about the painful days making the best stories. More of those to come. No new recipe books yet. I saw three in Ghana that I already own and two that didn’t have interesting page 32s.
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This is amazing Peg. You folks really get around. ❤
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We’re doing the hardest travel while our knees still work. 🙂
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LOL!
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Gosh. What an adventure. Lucky it was just a temporary glitch in the road. Looks like everyone pitched in to help.
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It’s a very supportive group all round, which makes everything so much easier.
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Surprised it took only 15 minutes to dig out. So nice of the locals to give you a hand.
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We are such a novelty that the locals are almost always keen to get involved.
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Huzzah for safe traveling–and warm water! It sounds like you’ve got a really unified group that knows how to pull out of the tough situations. 🙂
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The group is amazing. Everyone is so supportive. Very lucky.
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