Day 76

Yesterday, Hannah and I were given a guinea fowl by a colleague. He phoned when we were in Burkina and told us to come by his house to pick the guinea fowl. We turned up, were invited into his house and told to wait small. We waited. Watched some football. Tried not to doze after our long journey. Waited. It turned to 5.15pm… it started to darken. Eventually we went out and said we’d like to get home before dark. Donald then said “Ah, I’ve kept you long. Let us eat, then you can go.” I explained that another friend was coming to my house for dinner… soon… and we didn’t want to walk in the dark. “Ah, you can eat quickly then go before it gets dark.” So we eat – rice and stew – then dropped the guinea fowl at my meat man, for collection the next day.

And this was what we got! I made lemon guinea fowl (using up some of the fab packet sauces I’ve been sent, thanks Grandma!) and egg fried rice.

Gifts in Ghana are a little different to in the UK. Birds, food or cloth are common. Sometimes people give large framed pictures, a bit like a greetings card with a long verse on them. If a baby is born, you can give clothes or soap or nappies. I quite like the simplicity of the gifts and very much appreciated the guinea fowl.