I smile when I use the word “excursion”. I don’t know if I ever used it growing up. I guess we would use the phrase, “field trip” if we were doing an outing for school or something. And this was like a field trip with my Bible study ladies and widows. We needed to have something fun to do together and celebrate Christmas.
We heard of school groups touring the Tamale Airport, which is very small, and thought maybe the women would like to see an airplane up close. It seemed that they do a short tour and see some things. We thought that would be perfect.
But things never go the way you think they will, eh? I left the house at 7.30am to pick up 4 women. Samuel was with the driver of the trotro, a large van, going to Tingoli to pick up all the other ladies. I was so thankful everyone was on time and I met the trotro at the airport junction just as one last woman, who lives on that side of town, was arriving. It was perfect. We drove into the parking lot of the airport before 10am and there I saw two buses and another trotro. Unbeknownst to us, three groups of school children also made plans to see the airport. Samuel and I hurried inside to try and get our group started before the others but, alas, they put us all into one big group.
They started us outside on the tarmac. Already the sun was hot and we were cooking out on the runway. The children and teachers were very kind and respectful but the man talking about the airplanes had to do it twice. And because the group was so big I know some ladies did not hear all the information. We were not able to see a plane land but as people were getting off the plane we were able to stand on the runway and watch them. We were able to walk up to the plane and take pictures. Some of my ladies had phones and they were snapping away. I think the best part of the day was watching the ladies when the plane took off! They were amazed and even more amazed that by the time it would take to get them back to Tingoli, the flight would arrive in Accra, 270 miles away. We would have liked to go inside the airplane and sit down, as I had heard other groups have done, but since our group was so big, we did not have time. (And also not enough seats!)
We were invited to go and tour the new Tamale International Airport. I have not heard much about this new airport that is to open in 2023 but we were up for it, thinking it would be a, “here-it-is-look-around-now-go-home sort of thing. This part of the tour actually ended up being the long part.
We got back into our buses and trotros and I went to my car and it was pointed out that my tire was flat. Grrr…I decided to leave it until we returned, which should not be too long, right? All the vehicles made their way to the new airport. The place looked all white and spiffy. The man loved telling us about all the CCT security cameras. I think every room we went in he would mention it. We did get to see where they look at all the cameras and one student was able to make a message on the loud speaker that “the plane will be boarding soon”. It was difficult for all of us to go in certain places at once because we were just too many. So, they did it in groups, which is understandable, but it really took time. We had to wait for our turn and some places there was no place to sit down. By noon the ladies were tired and hungry. Some of them had their children with them and they were crying.
Samuel and I were like let’s just go. But we felt that would be rude AND I could not really go in their trotro because I came to the new airport with a different car the students used because of my flat tire. But finally, the tour ended. I do think the school children loved every minute of it so that was good. But it seemed like when we returned to the airport, and I took out my women who were to go in my car, the trotro burned rubber outta there. :) Samuel had a place organized where they would get packs of food and drinks on the way home.
Unfortunately, for my ladies, they had to wait. It seemed my spare tire was jammed down in my trunk area. No man could pull it out. I have never had this problem before. So, the men around me took my tire off, drove me to a fitter who fixed it, drove me back to my car, and put the tire back on. In the meantime, THANKFULLY, I bought packs of food for my ladies before we arrived at the airport and they were sitting in the shade looking comfortable, though I am sure they were tired too. Finally, around 2:30pm we left and I was able to drop them all off. I enjoyed the laughter in my car as I drove. I don’t know what they were talking about but I was proud to serve them in this way.
I drove home with a full heart and tired body.
Samuel called me later that evening. He said the ladies talked about the excursion in the trotro on the way home. They were very thankful to see all those things. They thought it was a bit long but they enjoyed the day. They are so kind. I was wiped out! I laid on the sofa that evening and watched a Christmas movie.
I am really grateful that it went well. Even with the long day, the flat tire, and hot weather. We were together, laughed, got some good pics, and were away from our normal environments. It was a blessing.
P.S. One last thing, the tour guide at the airport…his name was (and I am not making this up) Larrious. As in, hil…never mind. It is funny to me :)