A Rocky Start in a Vibrant City
Accra, Ghana. It’s loud, it’s colorful, and nothing ever seems to go exactly as planned. But that’s part of the magic. From the moment I arrived, it was clear that this city had its own rhythm – one that you can’t fight, only follow.
This is the first part of my journey through Ghana, and we’re starting right here in the capital. In this episode, you’ll hear about the border drama I went through just to get in, meet my travel buddy Cynthia, ride through the city with an Uber driver who somehow knew more about my hometown football team than I do, and get my first taste of Accra’s hidden gems.
FACTS ABOUT GHANA
Location
Ghana is in West Africa.
It’s on the coast, with the Atlantic Ocean to the south.
It shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso, and Togo.
Size and Population
The country is about the same size as the UK. It covers just under 240,000 square kilometres. Ghana has around 34 million people. The capital is Accra, and it’s the biggest city in the country.
Languages
English is the official language. You’ll hear it almost everywhere – at the airport, in schools, on the news. Most people speak it well, but many also speak local languages. The biggest ones are Akan, Ga, and Ewe.
Religion
Most Ghanaians are Christian – over 70%. About 20% are Muslim. There are also traditional African religions, especially in rural areas. Religion is a big part of everyday life.
The Flag
The Visa Saga:
Ghana’s Not-So-Simple Entry Process
Before even stepping foot in Ghana, things were already complicated. I was in Portugal when I realized I needed a visa – and not the kind you get on arrival. This meant sending my one and only passport back to Denmark.
There I was, passport-less in Portugal, walking the streets like a tourist without an identity. I kept imagining the awkward conversations I might have with police officers if I were asked for ID.
“Well, you see, my passport is on vacation in Denmark.”
The process got even more complicated when I learned they needed a printed photo – no digital uploads allowed. Trying to get a photo printed in a random corner of Lisbon turned into a whole side quest of its own.
After weeks of stress and refreshing my email inbox more times than I care to admit, my passport finally returned, Ghana visa included. I held it like it was made of solid gold. Lesson learned: if you’re headed to Ghana, start early, and maybe don’t wait until your passport’s on the wrong continent.
Checking Into My Accra Hotel
(and Becoming Grumpy Palle)
I had arranged for an airport pickup with the hotel – or at least I thought I had. I sent my flight number, got a confirmation, but when I arrived at Kotoka International Airport… no one was there. I waited. I messaged. Nothing. Eventually, I had to fend for myself and find a ride through the crowd of drivers and hawkers.
When I finally checked in at Eastoment Hotel, I was tired, annoyed, and – as you’ll hear in the episode – sounding very much like a diva. Honestly, not my best moment.
The poor receptionist was nothing but polite, but I was clearly working through my post-border-crossing stress. On top of that, I’d booked a second room for my travel friend Cynthia, who was arriving two days later, and the hotel was now claiming it “might not be possible” because of an incoming group. After already paying and getting a Booking.com confirmation, that didn’t sit well with me.
Luckily, they sorted it out in the end. Everything turned out fine. But I still cringe when I hear myself in that audio clip. Definitely Grumpy Palle™ made an appearance.
Riding with Uber…
and Talking Danish Football?
My first day in Accra took a surprising turn when I hopped into an Uber and met Emanuel Baniman. We started chatting, and when I mentioned I was from a smaller Danish city called Randers, I expected the usual blank stare.
Not my Uber driver, Emanuel.
He lit up and immediately started talking about Randers FC. He knew more about how my local team was doing than I did – which was both impressive and slightly embarrassing. It turns out he’s a big football fan with big dreams and sharp insight.
“Randers? I follow them – they’ve been playing well lately,”
Emanuel told me with a smile, before sharing predictions about their season.
Hidden Gems You Won’t Find in the Guidebook
Accra’s got its main attractions – Independence Arch, Jamestown, and Osu Castle – but I love hunting for the lesser-known spots.
Like the Nubuke Foundation, an art space tucked away in East Legon where local creativity thrives. Or the Villaggio Vista towers, where you can sip a drink at the rooftop bar and look out across the entire city, all the way to the ocean.
And for a truly local dining experience, skip the tourist restaurants and head to Bush Canteen – a cluster of informal, open-air food stalls where you won’t find menus, but you will find some of the most flavorful Ghanaian dishes served with no fuss and a lot of love.
The Yellow Book Incident:
Almost Denied Entry
Two days before the scenes I just described, I was at the Ghana border, trying to get into the country – and almost didn’t.
When you travel to certain countries, you need proof of vaccination. For Ghana, it’s yellow fever. And to show that, you need the little yellow vaccination book, officially called the International Certificate of Vaccination. It’s a bright yellow passport-sized booklet filled with scribbles and stamps from various doctors and nurses – like a global sticker album, but less fun and far more important.
I’ve had this booklet for years. It’s been with me across continents and was full of stamps for everything I’ve ever been vaccinated for – and probably some things I forgot I even got.
But this time, there was a problem. A serious one.
At the border, the first officer looked at the yellow booklet… and then at me. He said:
“Your name is not on the front page.”
Wait, what? I’d never even noticed that. No one had ever questioned it before. It’s always been accepted. But now, here in Ghana, it wasn’t.
He waved me over to another table, and that’s when I quietly hit record on my phone – just in case things got interesting. (Spoiler: they did.) So, I asked:
“Can I just write it in now?”
“No no no… It has to be written by the person who gave you the injection.”
That’s what the second officer replied.
“Well, how would you know the difference if I did it five minutes ago?”
I asked. I even suggested walking out, writing my name on the front page, and walking back in.
Nope.
“For now, we can’t accept that,” he said. And then he dropped the line that raised every hair on my body:
“Right now, what we have to do is take the card.”
That’s when it hit me. If they take my vaccination booklet, I’m grounded – not just here, but everywhere. That little yellow book is my ticket into half the countries on my itinerary.
So I responded… very quickly.
“That’s not gonna happen.”
Did He Just Suggest a Bribe?
My pulse was through the roof. And then… the man leaned in and quietly said something about money.
Now, listening back, I can’t say 100% whether it was a bribe – but in that moment, that’s definitely what it sounded like. Have a listen, and tell me what you think.
So I asked to speak to someone above him.
Right then, a woman in uniform walked by. I explained everything. I even said, “I have a feeling he’s asking me for a bribe.” Her eyes widened a bit.
“No no no. That’s not something we do here.”
After hearing my side of the story, she told me she would let it go – but only this once. And she told me I mustgo to my doctor and have them write my name in the booklet with a pen.
I was so relieved. I must have thanked her five times. And for some reason, as I walked through the final gate and entered Ghana, I shouted:
“I love Ghana!”
SIM Card Stress
(and the Joy of eSIMs)
On my first day in Ghana, I spent most of it doing something I used to have to do every time I arrived in a new country: buying a SIM card.
That meant going to a local shop, standing in line, waiting to speak to someone, showing ID, registering the card, and hoping it worked. Not a huge deal – but it does eat up time and energy you’d rather spend soaking in the culture (or, let’s be honest, eating jollof rice).
But these days, I use GigSky and their eSIM service. It’s a game changer.
No need to stand in line. No need to swap SIM cards. I just open the app, choose the country I’m in, activate the eSIM, and I’m online within minutes. I actually used a GigSky eSIM during a recent cruise from Qatar to South Africa – and even onboard the ship, it worked surprisingly well.
That’s because many cruise ships now use Starlink for their internet infrastructure. While passengers don’t have direct access to Starlink itself, cruise lines use it to power onboard GSM and LTE coverage, so your devices work pretty much like they do on land.
It’s not perfect – connection quality still depends on your location and how many people are using it – but it’s a huge improvement over the painfully slow satellite internet we used to get at sea.
If you travel a lot, I really recommend checking out GigSky’s eSIMs. It saves time, frustration, and lets you hit the ground running – or podcasting, in my case.
Cynthia Has Arrived
Two days after my own arrival (and all that drama), my good friend Cynthia from Florida arrived to join me for this West Africa adventure.
If you’ve been following the podcast, you’ve met her before. We met on Couchsurfing back in 2021 when I was in Florida, and we’ve traveled together to Saudi Arabia, Georgia, Armenia, Australia, and New Zealand. On social media, she calls herself Cynthia Globe – and for good reason. She’s been to even more countries than I have.
This time, we’re hitting Ghana, Togo, Benin, and later on São Tomé.
It’s always a joy to travel with Cynthia. She’s curious, social, and endlessly optimistic – exactly the kind of person you want around when things don’t go to plan (which, let’s be honest, is often).
Vagabond Hotline
If there’s one thing you learn as a frequent traveller, it’s that small tricks can make a huge difference. Whether it’s a clever way to pack, a secret to finding cheap flights, or a simple habit that makes life on the road easier, every traveller has that one tip they swear by.
I’ve picked up a few over the years – like rolling my clothes instead of folding them to save space, or always carrying a backup credit card in a separate place just in case. And I know I’m not alone – because when I asked you to send in your best travel hacks, you delivered.
Some of these are next-level smart. So, if you’re looking to travel smoother, cheaper, or just a little bit smarter, you might want to take notes.
Jake from Chicago, USA
“I never travel without a binder clip. Seriously. It works as a phone stand, a way to keep hotel curtains shut, and even a makeshift wallet when I don’t want to carry my real one. Once, I even used one to fix a broken backpack strap. Who knew office supplies could be a lifesaver?”
Jenna from Sydney, Australia
“My number one rule: Always ask the flight attendant where the crew eats at the airport. They know where to find the best food that’s not overpriced tourist junk. Thanks to this trick, I once ended up eating the best dumplings of my life at a tiny staff-only café in Shanghai Airport.”
Carlos from Buenos Aires, Argentina
“I never pack a full bottle of shampoo or shower gel anymore. Instead, I steal the little hotel bottles every time I stay somewhere. I refill them at home, and when I travel, I just pack those. No leaks, no big bottles, and I always have ‘free’ toiletries. My wife says I have too many, but I say I’m just a strategic collector.”
What’s your favorite travel hack? Share it with me at theradiovagabond.com/contact, record a voice message through theradiovagabond.com, or send me a DM on Instagram @radiovagabond. I’d love to feature your tips in a future episode!
And of course, I’m putting out a new question for the Vagabond Hotline – and I’d love for you to be part of it.
The headline is: “The Strangest Thing I’ve Ever Eaten While Traveling.”
Trying local food is one of the best parts of travel. But sometimes, you end up with something… unexpectedthat you don’t know if you’re supposed to chew or run away from.
What’s the weirdest, wildest, or most questionable thing you’ve ever eaten while traveling? And was it actually good?
Go to theradiovagabond.com/contact and tell me your story! You just might hear your voice in a future episode.
What’s Next:
More Accra Adventures and a Trip North
This episode wraps up my first few days in Accra – but we’re not done here just yet. There’s still more to explore before we head north.
In the next episode, I visit one of the most unique places in Ghana: a fantasy coffin workshop. You’ll meet the son of the legendary Paa Joe and hear how Ghanaians celebrate life in death – with coffins shaped like fish, airplanes, sneakers… even microphones.
We’ll dig deeper into Ghanaian society – from government structure and income inequality to what daily life is like for many locals, including a schoolteacher earning about $125 a month.
You’ll hear more surprising facts about Ghana and Accra – including a few you won’t find in any guidebook.
I’ll also share a moment that still makes me laugh: the time I sang “Danish Man in Accra” with a live band in a bar.
And yes, there’s more to come beyond Accra. Later in the series, Cynthia and I fly north to Tamale, then travel overland through Mole National Park, Kumasi, and Cape Coast, before circling back to where it all began.
It’s going to be a journey full of contrasts, missteps, and magic. But for now, the adventure in Accra continues. Stay tuned
My name is Palle Bo – and I gotta keep moving.
I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Please tell me where are you and what are you doing as you listen to this episode? You can either send me an email on listener@theradiovagabond.com, go to TheRadioVagabond.com/Contact or send me a voice message by clicking on the banner.
Either way, I would love to hear from you. It’s so nice to know who’s on the other end of this.
SPONSOR
A special thank you to my sponsor, Hotels25.com, who always provide me with the best, most affordable accommodation wherever I am in the world.
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