The Goldring Travel 2025 Culinary & Cultural Journey entered its final days with immersive experiences in Ghana that are hard to pigeonhole.
For some of my clients, it has been an amazing experience that very few can ever attain, for others a bit of a frustration because it has not been an “expedition” but more of an “adventure cruise,” and for others it was an OK luxury cruise…something it was never portrayed to be.
However, uniformly, for those who experienced the Goldring Travel custom safari, which had numerous modifications from much longer game drives, the best guides, private vehicles, VIP white glove airport experiences, to, well, you get the picture, before this adventure cruise, it was a home run.
Now, I do not want to get ahead of myself, as there is much to write about, but the Silversea Silver Wind, once adjusted to being seen as an “adventure cruise”, has provided so many experiences that just can’t be done on your own (no less in this amount of time). And, therefore, I have decided to cancel a couple of other commitments and stay on to sail to Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Canary Islands, Morocco, and end in Lisbon, Portugal.
Now, we are “Ghana” get back to Ghana. (Sorry, but it is such an easy dad joke.)
I am not sure what I expected in Ghana, but whatever it was, this wasn’t it. While there is a continuation of incredible poverty, there is also a sense of vitality. And, while there is a definite division between the haves and have-nots, education is stressed, so those who “almost have” have aspirations. And with that, things such as an almost hurtful to the locals diaspora and a reduction in the amount of garbage, became quite evident—lots to think about and absorb…even just sitting for hours in a tour bus seat.
Because I was staying on for the next leg of the Silver Wind’s adventure cruise, four days were being spent here. Two days in Takoradi sandwiched between two days in Accra.
Our first day in Takoradi was a textbook example of contrasts. After a long drive, taking in so many aspects of the crowded and impoverished small villages, we arrived at Elmina Castle, once a major facility in the slave trade. Before entering the castle (it lived a number of lives both before and after its time involved with slavery), the town was filled with dozens of boats. While they were described as fishing boats, most of them appeared to be rundown homes and shops…alas, life outside a castle’s walls.
Inside, the dark history was hidden behind whitewashed walls. Former storage rooms turned into jails for slaves (where they were left to suffer until death) and Europeans (who were eventually released). A church that was converted into a slave auction house. And, of course, The Door of No Return, where slaves went from horrific conditions through a small door onto waiting slave ships, where 8,000,000 died and only 4,000,000 survived the journey to Brazil, the Caribbean, or America.
In barbaric contrast, above the slave areas were the governor’s quarters and church. While female slaves of the governor’s choice were sent up a set of stairs to be raped, the cries from below, as well as the stench, had to be horrific. The inhumanity might able to be acknowledged, but never fully comprehended.
After this emotional and troubling experience, it was, necessarily, time for a change. Juxtaposed to the horrors of Elmina Castle, we had a nice lunch at Kakum National Park and then a fun seven-suspension bridge experience.
While it was a lot of fun, I have to once again note that as much as folks want to believe they can do whatever they want, many on this journey simply cannot. And that raises the issue of whether it being your vacation means that you are entitled to jeopardize the vacation of everyone around you who is negatively impacted. Here, there were a few people who, given enough time, probably could complete the seven bridges; they were given an “out” to do a shorter version but rejected that option, obviously causing numerous folks frustrations and loss of the fun experience waiting for them. We all reach that point of limited mobility, so being self-aware is necessary when you choose not to travel “private”.
The next day, it was another long and, for a bit, frustrating day for the Shai Hills and Krobo Glass Beads tour. After an hour’s drive, we arrived at a nature reserve for a hike which Silversea rated as extreme. However, when I saw a number of guests literally struggling to even board the tour bus, alarm bells went off. Shortly after we departed, one of the expedition team asked our guide if there was an easier route for some of the guests because the guests said they could not do a hike. What?!
Yup, the selfish few compromised the hike for everyone else. When we reached Shai Hills and a conversation was had with the local guide, he said, “Looking at those on the bus, I think it is better that we take the gentle walk rather than the adventure hike.” What a waste of a morning…but I am sure the selfish infirmed folks that screwed it up for the majority were happy…or maybe even the gentle walk was too much. Infuriating!
At least we got to a decent viewpoint and spent a couple of fun minutes with some local school children.
After another wonderful lunch (Silversea is doing a great job with that), it was off to Cedis Beads in Krobo, Ghana; something my girlfriend really wanted to do. It was interesting, and a whole lot of beads, bracelets, and necklaces were purchased by all.
But the real fun was the ride back to Accra! Most of the roads in Ghana are, well, kinda roads with lots of huge potholes and dirt. That results in tremendous amounts of traffic on basically 1.5 lanes (.75 in each direction). With our required motorcycle police guides leading the way (and they put on a show of their own) – almost always into oncoming traffic – it was an amazing two hours of “OK. We are going to die!”, “OK. Now, we are going to die!”, “OK. Now we are really going to die!”
Honestly, no matter how bad and frustrating my morning was, it was soooo worth enduring for this incredible experience. Seriously!
This is a great example of not focusing on the problems, so that you miss the once-in-a-lifetime experiences. While that missed hike would not have ever been remembered as anything special, that bus ride will be remembered for a lifetime…a “Ya had to be there” experience!
Our second day in Accra was bittersweet as all of my guests (other than my girlfriend) disembarked and headed home. But it was done with the Goldring Travel touch. A private transfer to the Labadi Beach Club Hotel (yes, there are nice beaches in Accra, Ghana) with rooms ready for each guest so they could rest, take showers, and chill out before their long travel days home, as well as transfers to the airport.
As it was my intention to fly home as well, I figured I would make sure all was in order at the hotel and wound up spending the day with my guests, enjoying the pool and local cuisine. If you are ever in Accra, I highly recommend this hotel. The staff was beyond helpful and made sure all of my guests’ rooms were ready at 10:00 a.m. (We also had to disembark as the ship was undergoing a heavy sanitization; especially since there had been some ongoing GI issues, regardless of whether it came from malaria medicine reactions, travel stresses, too much food and wine, or actual infection. Silversea had been on top of the situation throughout, especially considering the remoteness of our location and the age of the guests.)
BTW, the Domedo (Ghanese spicy pork shoulder) with fried yams was delicious.
With everyone checked into their rooms, their airport transfers confirmed, and a few hours of enjoying the hotel, it was time to head back to the Silver Wind. Believe it or not, I was able to grab an Uber. That’s right, an Uber, back to the ship. However, I picked the wrong port entrance. Fortunately, there was a gruffy old man with an even older gruffy old car who claimed to be a taxi driver. For US$5.00, he agreed to take us to the correct port entrance. On reaching our destination, I handed him a $10 bill, to which he said he had no change. I said, “C’mon, you have change,” then he coyly pulled out a wad of local currency, smiled and offered it up, counting on me to be honest when making change in cedis, the local currency. We chuckled, shook hands, and he was off—a moment of kindness and charm with a local.
Our plan to sit poolside while the new guests embarked was frustrated as the Silver Wind had to drain and sanitize the pool with the changeover of guests, so it became a work afternoon. (Yes, I continue to regularly work on this journey.)
That evening, we set sail for our second visit to Takoradi, Ghana. Unlike the last time when the temperatures were in the seemingly omnipresent on this adventure cruise 90’s with 100 percent humidity, the clouds were getting darker, the winds were picking up, the dockside vendors started to bring their offerings inside their tents. Then came gale-force winds, monsoon-like rains, and collapsing tents.
Fortunately, Silversea arranged a museum visit for any guests who had already been to Takoradi (carefully keeping the option only for us…and there were 100 guests who were also taking the second West Africa leg). Bisa Aberwa Museum was a fantastic experience, and our local guide was one of the curators, making it even more special.
While it is unfortunate that no photography was permitted, the museum has three different levels, each with a different focus: Ghanese political struggles and unity, Pan-African issues, and the struggles of slavery and its impact on Ghanese lives, past and present/local and international. It was a most thought-provoking two hours with some beautiful, troubling art and/or historical objects throughout.
It was, for me, the perfect cultural ending to the Goldring Travel 2025 Culinary & Cultural Journey, but only the beginning of the unexpected second half of my West African Journey.
Next up: Ivory Coast and more.
