Murphy's Law for volunteers

Well, it all just seemed too good to be true. That return flight for £617 which I wrote about in the last blog appears to have been a myth. I was patiently waiting for Travelhouse UK's agent to get back to me yesterday and today so I could book the quoted Ghana airlines flight he had told me about on Saturday. When there was no response by 4pm today I rang him, but as I was almost out of credit and in the internet cafe ready to finalise the details, I asked him to ring me back.

That took another hour, and I was anxiously looking at my watch as I was due to go to work shortly afterwards. Problem was, I couldn't hear what he was saying on the phone. But I caught enough to hear that the flight he thought he had for me could not be booked. Even though it claimed to be available when he tried to access it the latest return date available was March 27th 2009. I already knew this from my own efforts online.

So I asked him to email me the details immediately. Still waiting................

Next, I went onto Ghana airlines website, which was down on Monday night and wouldn't allow me to access their fares. If I was to get a one way non-refundable ticket it would set me back €497. The same would apply returning from Accra to Ghana. All other flights, whether it be from British Airways or Lufthansa are far more expensive. I just don't understand why Ghana airlines, who must have the worst airline website service in the world, do not allow people to book beyond March 27th 2009 even though their flights are valid for one year.

I emailed them yesterday for info. on this. Still waiting..............

Then more bad news poured in. Seems like Dorota will be staying in a room with another volunteer so our hope that I might be able to bunk in has just gone out the window. Now I really do have to worry about accommodation, despite casual assurances from a host of people that everything would work out in time. Well, we'll have to make it work out some way cause the dice just ain't throwing up any 6's at the moment.

So the question is, should I revert back to the offer of 6 months accommodation and 2 meals a day for €770 with a host family in the hope that Dorota could stay there when she wants? Should I request a host organisation to set up a concrete placement for me prior to my departure, rather than keeping my options open to work with small, grassroots organisations that have little infrastructural support? Should I bring a tent and a sleeping bag and kip anywhere I find space?

My tired brain and need for concrete information and security says yes on the first 2 counts. The latter, before you think I'm dumb, is only a joke. Hopefully Dorota will be able to sort out something over the next two weeks. In the meantime I'm going to keep my hand in my pocket, creidt card in my wallet, and keep plugging away at getting a flight.

Given that I am going to receive my new 10 year Irish passport on October 9th and that the Ghanaian embassy is only open that same day from 10-12, I may have to wait until the following Monday to get my visa sorted. Good news is that I only need 2 photos, passport, relevant filled out form and the name and address of a host organisation in order to receive a visa to work as a volunteer. In order to get a 1 year visa one would need an invitation letter. Nevertheless, it seems that immigration on the Ghanaian side only give 60 day stamps and require one to check in at a local office to renew the stamp. There should be no additional cost of course, in theory that is.

I hope that every cloud in this saga has a silver lining. One thing is for sure, every independent volunteer has bucket loads of bureaucratic hardship.