DEET and nets + rain

Hi everybody!

I `m going to stay in Ghana for about a month and then travelling around...Togo, Benin.

Concerning the repellent with DEET and mosquito nets...is it easy to buy this stuff on the spot or would you recommend to bring some from home?

And during the period of mid July till mid August...is it worth travelling to the north of the country? Doesnt the rain complicate it too much? During the rainy season, does it rain all day long or are the just some frequent showers during the day?

Thanx!

Hi

I just got back from Ghana in late April. I did not use DEET or my skeeter net once. Perhaps things are different during the rainy season, but when I was there, bugs were not an issue. Keep in mind that I did not go north of Tamale/Mole. Further north conditions may be different.

Whatever you can use to protect yourself in any part of Ghana; use it!

Mossies bite & some can be fatal; I hope you are taking anti-malarials with you!

Kira

I contracted malaria, almost certainly in southern Ghana (based on the timing of the acute phase), during dry season. So did several of my friends on that trip.

You will make your own decisions about all sorts of personal health and safety issues in West Africa. Best you do so on the basis of accurate assessment of risk and consequence. Don't fall for fallacies based on the reported experience of individuals---including mine.

FWIW, I now bring my own net and DEET. I seldom need the net, but when I do need it I'm really glad I've got it. You can certainly buy stuff locally, and this might be easily accomplished....but then again you might wander around local markets endlessly searching, which is probably not the way you want to spend your time fresh off the plane, jet lagged and exhausted by heat and culture shock.

Or maybe that's just me.

enjoy,

Mark

Thank you all for the info!

I am definitely taking some DEET with me. I just wanted to know whether to buy stuff for my whole stay or whether it is then easy to buy in Accra. Thanx for the clarification Mark.

And coud anyone tell me how is the rainy season in West Africa? The whole day rain or just several showers during the day? Is the north part of Ghana easy to travel?

During the rainy season it does not rain all day or even every day. There might be a heavy downpour that lasts a few hours during the afternoon or evening. It's still warm, though, so even if you get caught in it without an umbrella, it's not a big deal. You'll dry off soon enough afterwards.

The rain may make some of the unpaved roads difficult to get through the mud, if you're traveling to rural areas.

Whether it's worth it to travel to the north depends on what interests you. There are lots of things to see. A Google search for Ghana tourism will give you plenty of ideas. Or you could pick up a copy of the Bradt Guide to Ghana at your local bookstore. There's even an online Bradt's Guide -- http://bradtghanaupdate.wordpress.com/</a> -- which you can check for updates before the next edition comes out. Guess how I found out about that? A Google search.

Have fun!

Of course it depends on what you like, but I would recommend the North to anyone traveling to Ghana. After spending 4 months living in Accra, places like Tamale and Bolga felt really safe, and I felt free to meet and go places with new people. I found people in these towns friendly, but not as aggressive as people in Accra.

It will also give you a feel of the Muslim-dominated north, and you'll get to see some traditional Ghanaian architecture, and interesting villages.

If you have time, I would also recommend the ferry that goes from Akosombo to Yeji. This was BEAUTIFUL trip.

With all that said, you will also be able to see a lot of nice places in the south. And no place will be quite as hectic as Accra.