National Lampoons "Ghanaian Vacation"

The next morning we were to leave before daylight because the film crew wanted to get some shots of the fishing boats and children at dawn. Alex threatened dire consequences if the transportation was not on the scene by 4:00 a.m. and a boat waiting at the dock.

Surprise! It happened! A “taxi” picked us up at just before 4:00 and we headed toward the dock. And what a taxi it was--an approximately twenty-year-old multicolored Datsun sporting a cracked windshield and only one headlight. There was probably a day when it’s doors may have actually opened and closed.

Amazingly we made it to the boat ramp to find a boat there—with a motor on it! The driver parked the “taxi” where the headlight would help in transferring our our gear to the boat. Alex and Julio placed the camera, batteries and film on the ground in front of the car. I had transported the rest of our things and aboard the boat when it happened:

“CLANK!!” The car jumped out of gear.

Alex made an effort to dive in front of the moving vehicle to rescue the expensive television camera but was knocked aside. It was no use. The car plowed over the camera—gaining momentum as it rolled down the ramp toward the boat (with me in it)! The driver jumped in front of the car but quickly surrendered before being crushed between the it and the boat. I drifted a ways into the lake after the impact. We all watched helplessly until the car was completely submerged—and there she came to rest…with her lone headlight shining faithfully up at us…through the dark waters of Lake Volta.

I can understand how this may sound like a scene from a “National Lampoon Vacation” movie—but believe me—no one there was laughing.

Julio was able to rig the camera together with bailing wire and bubble gum (okay, okay…it was actually super glue and tape) and he still had one battery which wound give us one hour at a time before requiring a charge.

We put the camera to use for the rest of the day by filming Kweitey’s visit to he clinic for his physical and to film some great shots of the children playing.