The vast majority of my international travel has been financed by working as a secondary math/science/ELS teacher. Schools automatically took care of the many details. Yet for this trip to Ghana, no school is picking up the tab although, thanks to a very seasoned tour leader, many of the bureaucratic details such as getting a visa are being handled.
The combination of our tour guide’s essential/suggested packing list and research have given me a protracted shopping errand, which I’ve been chipping away at since January. After initiating the passport renewal process, I made an appointment for a yellow fever shot and messaged my nurse practitioner about antimalarial medication.
When I picked up my atovaquone-proguanil medication, I just laughed because, at the time, I had been studying for my pharmacy tech exam and that was one of the 600 medications that I memorized.
As I thought about all the creature comforts that I wanted to have for my two-week stay, I knew that my THC-free CBD topical and hemp oils were at the top of the list. Our tour leader stated that I could bring my CBD products. Online research confirmed that CBD wasn’t on any Ghanaian narcotics list. Nonetheless, the legality was “evolving.”
So, I bought two amber dropper bottles, one for the CBD and the other for CBG, and a metal tin for the CBD topical. I want to be lowkey about the whole thing.
As much as I enjoy my electronic things, I didn’t want the hassle of charging those items. I found an international charger/adapter locally. I’m only taking my phone and airpods, leaving the laptop and tablet at home. Besides, I’m part of a large tour group, including relatives. So if anything happens to my phone, then they can send me their digital pictures.
I’m packing analog tech in the form of a journal and a mechanical pencil to jot down the experiences for this trip. Granted, the “journal” is an outdated planner from 2014, but still the pages are blank and it’s small enough to fit into the purse that I’m traveling with. Unlike my previous journals, my intention will be to use those notes to write multi-part blog posts to document my travel.
Since we’re paying good money to stay at one of the best hotels off the beach in Accra, I bought two new bathing suits. In real life, ie when not on vacation, I swim once a week, so I’ve already “tested out” the suits.
Our tour leader suggested that we spray our clothes with permethrin (another pharmacy tech drug!). I believe this was the same thing that we Peace Corps Volunteers had dipped our mosquito nets in, but I only remember doing that once the entire time that I was served, not every six weeks.
When I used to work and travel around developing countries, I’d always pack toilet paper, minus the cardboard roll, in my purse. I’m very happy that personal hygiene technology has evolved. I may use these wipes to double as a washcloth as well since I don’t want to pack a regular washcloth. I’ve not been able to find a small camping towel. Unlike regular washcloths, camping towels are fast-drying and lightweight.
Even more challenging to find than camping towels are books about Ghana. I’m not sure if this is a result of all the book bans that have become a scourge of diversity and intellectual thought, but the digital libraries of Austin and North Carolina have next to nothing on Ghana between the two of them.
I was mildly successful when I searched travel books, but there was no travel book devoted exclusively to Ghana in either digital library although I found snippets in guidebooks on West Africa, along with a niche travel book about the best street food around the world.
As usual, I’m sure once I arrive, I’ll think of several things that I wish I had brought with me. In those times, I’ll just make due with whatever is available, reminding myself that I’ll only be there for two weeks.