1. Internet and Telephony in Ghana
before i start, i would like to thank all friendly members who responded to my requests for even generic help and information: thanks!
i would like to write a series of postings on practical manners that we all face as first time visitors in ghana and i will probably end up compiling them into one big posting.
so, let's start with communications.
1. international and local calls.
-get a local simcard. extremely easy. you need your passport, though. you can get one as little as 1 or 2 cedis. ifnot, you will hav ethe most unpleasant experience when yoo return home and see your personal or corporate mobile bill; for example, t-mobile charges for european subscriptions, between 1.60- 2.50 euros per minute plus 80- 100 cents asa start cost per call.
-you can get the simcard eitehr at the mall or at almost any street vendor-kiosks that sell phone credit (strange but true).
-you also need to buy separately additional credit for phone usage. i get 5 cedis and i am happy with it.
-i recommend either glo (my first choiceany bonuses and local free call airtime). they give you so m) or tigo. i call all over europe with glo. i pay around 30 cedis (yes correct) per minute on average.
-usually the card is preactivated, but it might take up to next morning to function properly. so, don't get frustated it the card is a bit sick the first evening.
2. internet on your phone.
-magic word is "internet bundle". ask for it when you buy the simcard. it is cheaper and make life easier.
-i used first tigo. unlimited bundle, for 10 cedis a week; price might have dropped. now with glo, i pay 4 cedis per. month! not clear what is the data limit, i suspect 250mb. i was happy with it for full 10 days, but again i didn't download or upload any images on my phone. good surfing speed.
-with both glo and tigo, internet bundle get activated the next morning. some time around 9 or 10 am.
-if you have an old phone, go to the (accra) mall to get your subscription and ask them to put the settings for you. you don't pay extra for that. there is a tigo kiosk by the staircase to the movie theater.
3. internet for your notebook / tablet.
-forget about isdn or adsl or cable internet. almost all internet in ghana is mobile internet.
-avoid internet cafes. too expensive and full of scam artists and other con-men.
-cheapest and best in signal quality is tigo. hated mtn.
-price for tigo usb modem (it is actually a huawei modem) + 1 month unlimited is 47 cedis.
-price if you have your own usb modem might be the same (actually is 40 cedis).
-again you need your passport. activation is instant, after a 20-30 minutes registration process.
-tigo usb modem works also on windows xp with no hidden surprises.
good luck.
Street Workers in Accra: Lapaz
Lapaz is one of the neighboorhoods of Accra. Basically you can go there from the Mall on the George Bush Motorway toways Cape Coast.
The 'show' starts usually at night. To go there disctrictly ask for a taxi to take you to Abrantee (pronounced Abr'anchye meaning Gentleman in Ga) a well-known restaurant with live music in the weekend. Sometimes Abrantee performs himself. I like it.
There are 3 'pockets' of street walkers. When you are outside from Abrantee you should go straight across the street. But you can't because of the highway. In your left (having Abtantee behind you looking at the street across) , within 4-5minutes walk is the Lapaz bridge. Go cross it. If you go down using the left straicase you will see the FIRST pocket of hookers between all that refreigirator junk. Can't miss it. They tend to be shy.
If you take the right staircases of the bridge then within a minute walk if the street. There are no street names. Turn obviously left. You pass the swoarma / pizza restaurant, the citilink restaurant and a few meters later (only on that side of the street) you will see hookers- the second pocket of them. As a second reference point, they are in the corner before the Phantom Hotel. These are the hard core professionals and they will probably speak to you. There areusually 10-30 of them there.
The third pocket is in you do not go left on that street and you continiue walking parallel to the highway. After the all-purpose covvenience corner store, the side walk turns into a little hill and within a few meters on your left is a small area like a small parking lot full of women who obviously have no reason to be there except. You guess it!
Now real prices: expect to pay 15to max 20 Cedis for a quickie. 30-40 Cedis max for a whole night. Please believe this: if it's raining and thus no customers, you can have a quickie for 3 Cedis and a whole night just for her cab fare to her house (10 cedis max). So, find out how good really are your negotiation skills!
Good Luck guys!
There are no street names in Accra
[QUOTE=CesareBorgia; 1456203]Any one experience with car rental of a Ghanian company (europcar and avis too expensive)?
Or any recommendations?
Will rent a car on my stay in December.[/QUOTE]You are aware that there are no street names in Accra. Except onGoogle Maps (it works perfectly) and in the old town by the sea. Eg see High Street.
Taxis are extremely cheap and you should always negotiate. I pay max 15 Cedis from the airport to Lapaz (I like this area for various reasons) but I am usually asked 50 Cedis because I am a white man. Keep in mind that taxis have lots of competition from the mini-busses (well van-like buses) that usually charge between. 7 and. 8 Cedis for a distance that taxi will ask 20 and accept 5 cedis.
BTW, there are also shared taxis, for example if you go from the Mall back to your hotel in Accra or in Tema. Price is usually 8 to 1 Cedi per person.
Hope it helps. Otherwise go to Ghanaweb (very complete business section) and look for car rental companies. Keep in mind most businesses use cellular numbers, they don't use voice mail and they don't pick up immediately (you need an exercise. In patience sometimes).
Good Luck