My flight to tamale was booked for 6am in the morning. So I arrived at 5am with plenty of time to settle in....... But when in arrived and went to the desk the women just shook her head and said 'no something is wrong with the flight, we are not flying today' ...... What?
I turned to the guy standing next to me ... he was a very kind man called Ayane, who then turned to another guy and introduced me. Turns out he was the owner of the plane and explained that something happened to the plane, they are only taking the small plane, which fits 12 people and no luggage. He also promised to get us on a later flight. Whew!
So back to the hotel for more sleep!!!
Felt much better when I woke up later and had breakfast.
Was the first to arrive for check in.
Saw Ayane, who came and sat with me. This is part of his story - someone needs to write a film about it!
He was born 1959 in tamale. When he was 7 his father died, so he was raised by his uncle. His uncle took him out out of school to work the farm (even though his own children went!) so he never learned to write. He used to sing on the street for money, and one day was discovered and taken to Nigeria to do a show. After this show he bought some sandals and tee shirt and promptly sold them when he arrived back in Tamale. With the money he received he bought more stuff and so his business has started. Now he owns a travel agency, organic mango farm, factory, been a politician, speaks 15 languages, buys and sells goods, and has many many other businesses. He has travelled around the world many times and says that that travel is his education.
When sept 11 came he did a peace walk from Chicago to new York. He has also walked from Ghana to Libya across the Saharan desert. He told me he only had two problems on his walk: one, got followed by a family of chimpanzees in burkino faso and two ran out of food and water in the Saharan desert on day 7 out of 10. Luckily he met Italian motocycle tourists who helped him.
Ayane was an inspiration. He also knew everyone at the airport, and was extremely helpful to me, even helped carry my bags!
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