Walking ATMs

  I meet these three Danish people outside the Manhyia Palace after the colourful Adae festival (actually only the two girls are Danish, the guy is probably from India). I'm carrying the Ghana Bradt guide wrapped in a newspaper page, but they will know anyway. "Would that book you're carrying be the Bradt guide by any chance? We'd need to have a look at the map of Kumasi featured in there". Wow.


I tell them it's in Spanish, but they won't mind, they're just interested in how to get to the tro-tro station to get a bus back to KNUST -or Tech, as everyone here calls the Kwame Nkrumah Science and Technology University. I tell them I'm waiting for my taxi to Kejetia market to arrive, and since both places are very close to each other, they might just prefer to wait and board my taxi instead of walking.

After a brief hesitation, they accept. They are students at KNUST doing some Master in Administration there. Aegyman -the cab driver- won't have any trouble with taking four people instead of one (I've read the regular number of people carried in taxicabs in rural areas is six, two in the front side and four at the back) and on our way we go towards the crowded area in Kumasi (it's a Sunday). After a short ride that will take us across St Peter's Cathedral, a local cinema and the packed Kejetia outskirts, we arrive to the station and the students get down. The Indian-looking guy asks me on leaving whether they're supposed to pay anything for the ride. Answer's no - "you're my guests".

I read at the Bradt guide that Ghanaian people are claimed to be the nicest, most gentle African citizens towards travellers. And indeed they are nice and helpful. But most times it'll be for a fee.

One is very aware of the poverty issues local citizens face when travelling across these countries - you just need to have a pair of eyes on your face to realize that. But the huge, shining Mitshubishi, Toyota or Nissan 4x4s and pickups are also quite evident (specially at the luxury hotel parking, it should be noted). And being very nice to the visitor expecting to receive a generous cash gift in exchange is not what I'd call gentleness. This is always an issue when visiting any developing country -almost a cliche. But I've been to a few of them already and this sensation of tourists being perceived as walking ATMs -as cows to be milked was my own metaphor, the other, better one is Bradt's- was strongest in Ghana. And this is not necessarily related to poverty levels, but to the number of tourists around. Specially if their main concern is actually taking pictures of turkeys.



My personal advice after a week stay: make sure you always carry as many 1 cedi or 2 cedi banknotes as possible (not always easy to get hold of, as small change is usually scarce). I saw the amounts visitors to Elmina Castle had given to the children from the local football school -they showed the list to me- and that's what I'd call spoiling a country.