From Tamale we made the relitively short trip down to Techiman, where we stayed in the compound of a mental health hospital; mainly for children. We chose this guesthouse because it is in a decent location to visit the monkey sanctuary, and the rooms were pretty cheap. We had read in our guide briefly about the place, but it was so much different to what we had imagined. Our rooms were in the compound of the care centre, so the children were around us all the time. When we arrived we were shown to our rooms, then we decided to look around a little before dinner. We were first met by a man in his mid 50's who called himself Professor Dela. From what they could work out, the caregivers told us he was probably a taxi driver before he had an accident which left him mentally handicapped. He would always talk enthusiastically about cars, and would always rush to the entrance any time a taxi came into the premesis. After Dela, children started coming over to us with a volunteer from Holland, who explained a little about the place and the children who were there. She told us that most of the children were autistic and unfortunately most of them were abandoned by ther parents.

We returned to our rooms, and there was a folder on the bed which had a detailed profile on each kid. It told about their history, and how they were handicapped. It was amazing to see how these kids were cared for, and how fortunate they were to be there. It was hard to read that some of the kids had been found in plastic bags in the jungle, left there to die, and if it were not for some hunters passing by, they would have done. It would have been easy to get caught up on their distressing past, but it was also very comforting to see that they were treated so well. There was one caregiver for every 3 children, and they would dress them, feed them and play with them all day.

So we spent the first day there, then the next day we took a taxi to Boabeng-Fiema, the monkey sanctuary. This was one of the places i was most excited about visiting, and it didn't disappoint. We arrived there at about 11am, and we were met by the son of the man who had set up the sanctuary which protects 5km around the villages of Boabeng and Fiema. This was because the locals hold a sacred belief of the monkeys which inhabit the jungle. There are 2 species which exist in large numbers here, thats the black and white colobus monkey, and the mona monkey. The black and white colobus monkeys are much more shy, and won't come and take bananas from your hand, but the mona monkeys turn up in large numbers to come and take the bananas. We bought alot of bananas from a woman near the entrance to the jungle, and we would rip them in half then offer them to the monkeys. It was incredible. I loved holding a banana above them, then they would jump up and take it from my hand, peel it, then eat it. We were surrounded by about 30 - 40 monkeys, and occasionally they would get into a fight over the bananas. Once we had fed them all our bananas we carried on walking through the jungle, where we came to a cemetary. It was no ordinary cemitary though, because it was for the monkeys. When a monkey dies, a 'monkey priest' (real job) would come and give it a proper funeral. When he dies, then he is buried among the monkeys.

From Techiman, we came down to Kumasi again for the night before we left for Achiase. In the morning we took a final group picture, then Kirb and I left for what was going to be one of the longest journeys we took throughout travelling. We left at about 9am, and after a brief breakdown on our tro tro, and a few transfers we finally got back to Achiase at about 6pm.

Kirb was only back for a day though before he went to travel again with his mom and aunt who had come over for 11 days. School didn't start again for another week, so i was extremely bored, and I was left with no other choice other than to read. I got through the da vinci code and dara o'briains autobiography in this time, which only leaves me with 2 more books for when kirb leaves for good on the 30th. Luckily Jake has the harry potter books, so ill probably read all of them again. On the wednesday i became pretty ill, and i was sick, with a fever and headache. I thought for sure it was malaria, but i waited it out until the next day, and by then i was fine again. It was very strange, and i guess it was just something i had ate, but kirb is sure it was just separation anxiety.

During this week, Jake and I walked into town to get some oranges. Now, in this month we had travelled, the season had changed from the dry season, to the wet season. This means that, once there had been oranges on the head of every small child, but now it was mangoes. So, we looked around a little, but found nothing. We then passed our lunchlady from Sacred Heart, who doesn't speak a word of English.. not that stops her. She asked me where i was going and i told her in the limited twi that i know that we were looking for oranges. She took it upon herself to make it her quest to find us oranges. Before we really knew what she was doing, she was taking us round the backstreets to peoples houses, asking if they had any oranges to sell. It was surreal. I tried to tell her that it was ok, and we would settle for a banana, but she wasn't having any of it. In the end, we got some oranges, and it was amazing to see how far they would go to help us.

I'm out of time now, so ill write about the past week with kirbys mom and aunt here next time.