If you know me, then you know that traveling is my all time favorite hobby. My grandparents instilled a love for exploration as a young child with road trips to places like Florida, New York and other destinations. We would make stops along the way, eating breakfast at Shoney’s or ordering room service at our hotels. We visited sites like the burial place of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Disney World, the Apollo Theater and several other places in between. Since then I’ve kept the travel bug going working on visiting every state in the United States and traveling abroad to places like Cancun, Montego Bay, London, El Salvador etc. Now I’m a pretty spontaneous person. When I get the urge to travel I will look to see where the best deal is, and up and go. Well, I can’t quite be spontaneous with my next big trip…
I’m going to Ghana! I came across a trip itinerary that I couldn’t refuse and in true Brandi form, I booked it! Well, it didn’t take me long to realize that I probably should have planned a bit more first, but I’m learning a lot through this process. Not all travel can be approached in the same way. For anyone that is thinking about going to Ghana, I want to help you to plan for this amazing experience as best as possible.
Extra Expenses to Consider
Aside from airfare and logistics, there are some other expenses you’ll need to factor in.
Travel Insurance- We should know by now that anything can happen at a moments notice and you want to cover yourself just in case. (If you know about my Jamaica trip then you know from that point on I was a believer in insurance). There are many companies that provide this service and fees/amount of protection will vary.
Travel Visa-You can’t just up and go to Ghana. You’ll need to apply for a Visa. You can apply through Arkansas, Washington DC or New York Ghana Consulates. Be aware that each Consulate has its own application that will vary (some ask for more information than others) and each will get your Visa back in a different period of time (depending on how many applications they get in). My non-rush tourist visa required one money order for $60 plus a second money order for $20 administrative fee. I applied through Arkansas. Keep in mind you’ll have to mail in your physical passport book with the application. If you have other travel, you’ll need to take this into consideration with timing.
Passport Photos-This goes with the Travel Visa, but it is another expense you’ll need to factor in. You must attach a valid passport photo to your Visa application. This will cost about $17. Places like CVS and Walgreens are good for this. Check to make sure they have to correct camera at the location you go to (I thought they all offered passport photos but they don’t).
Yellow Fever-The Yellow Fever Vaccine IS required and they do check prior to your entry to Ghana. Keep in mind your card won’t be valid until 10 days after you receive the vaccine because that’s how long it takes the antibodies to be present in your body. You’ll need to factor that into your timing. Shop around for this. While I know some that paid close to $500 through their physician, I was able to make an appointment with Tarrant County for $153. This is not always readily available, so you’ll have to go with whoever can get you in within your timeframe. The good news is it is recognized anywhere from 10 years to a lifetime depending on where you travel.
Travel Adapter-You’re going to want to ensure that you can stay connected with your electronics. For this you will need a travel adapter since the outlets are not the same as what we use in the US. You can find inexpensive travel adapters for about $13 on Amazon. Make sure it’ll be delivered in plenty of time before your trip.
Airfare-This is a required expense, and not an extra expense, but tickets to Ghana can be expensive. There are some websites that you might find helpful which allow you to break the purchase up into payments. For this you can check out websites like: https://www.airfordable.com/
Things to Plan Prior To Your Trip
Layover Plan-It’s likely that you won’t have a direct to Ghana and direct back to the US flight. If you have a long layover do some research on the airports and cities you’ll be flying into. You may be able to take advantage of some airport Lounges with memberships like Priority Pass or one day passes. Most lounges offer amenities like sleeping pods, free drinks (including alcohol), free food, charging outlets, showers and more. If you have a longer layover, you may be able to get out and explore, but please plan this ahead of time.
Shared Google Doc-When traveling you should have someone that you trust to share your travel itinerary with. I suggest sharing a Google doc because your trusted person can see the itinerary as it was intended prior to departing, and you can edit the document so they can get live updates on any last minute changes you might make. I suggest letting them know where you’ll be staying each night and places you’ll be visiting.
Packing List
Here are some suggestions on things to include when packing.
Check the weather so you can properly plan clothing. Bring a jacket for airport travel.
Comfortable walking shoes
Sunglasses/Prescription Glasses/Contacts
Bodywash/Soap
Towels/Loofa (some places may not provide small body towels)
Power adapter
Ear plugs
Toiletries
Body Wipes
Prescription Medications
Phone (with international data plan)
Malaria Pills (can be purchased once there)
Pain medications
Sunscreen
Insect repellent
Hand sanitizer
First aid kit
Yellow Fever Certificate
Notify Bank of travel plans (bring cash which can be converted once in Ghana)
Places & Experiences Wishlist
I’ll update you all on what places I actually make it to and experiences I have. For now here is my Wishlist of things that you may want to add to your list as well. If you have been to Ghana before and have suggestions for things I should add to my list, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m open to suggestions.
Custom Clothing
University Tour
W.E.B. Du Bois Centre
Slave Dungeon Tour
Ancestral Naming Ceremony
Afrochella
I haven’t been on my trip yet. I am still working through my planning process, so this blog post will be updated along the way. Once I get back, I will write a follow up on how things went while there. My soul is definitely ready to return to the land of my ancestors and the excitement keeps me motivated through the planning process.