I finished my second week in Takoradi feeling quite exhausted after a couple of busy weeks at the music school, and so sought a weekend of pure relaxation, which Busua Beach duly provided!

Busua Beach lies about an hours drive from Takoradi, and 'the' legendary beach in Ghana, billed as a paradise haven, heavily recommended by many of the backpackers I have met. I was a bit skeptical to be honest that it would therefore be a bit commercial and packed with tourists, but the opposite was true! It is indeed a breathtakingly beautiful beach - the stuff of picture postcards- white sand, deep blue sea, palm trues, lush vegetation, incredibly chilled atmosphere, but was very quiet indeed! Infact it was the first time I felt I've truly relaxed in Ghana, just sat in the shade of a palm tree reading my book, all I could hear was the sound of the sea (the cries of 'Obruni' and relentless honking car horns of Takoradi left far behind!). I stayed at a simple homestay called Sabinaa's Lodge, just by the beach, which was very basic but fine for my needs (well it was clean, had a bed, a fan, and a roof!). On Saturday night I bumped into two guys from South Africa who are working on a goldmine nearby, and I enjoyed chatting to them over several beers. The next morning I had some delicious banana pancakes sat by the sea, and though this was a novel way to spend November 5th! I explored a bit , watching the locals making the charcteristc 'dug-out' canoes- basically made out of a huge tree trunk, hollowed out and selaed with tar! Busua is somewhere I definately want to return to, and it is great that it is so near to Takoradi. By the time I left on Sunday evening, having had a nap in the sun, and a couple of swims in the sea, I felt totally relaxed and ready for my next week at Mansek!