Never in this whole trip did I have to carry my own backpack.
That is someting typical of Ghanian people, they care for each other. When using public transport, they want to make sure you are in the right bus or car. This goes as following:
You start at your hostel, telling the taxi-driver the destination you want go to by trotro. The taxi driver will drive inside the bus station, meanwhile asking people what is the right vehicle, and stops next to the vehicle you need. When the taxi driver stops, someone takes your bag and stuffs it in the right vehicle. You buy tickets and sit in that vehicle. Then you wait till the vehicle leaves.
Meanwhile you can do all your groceries from inside the bus. Food, drink, toothpaste, mirror, soap, a book about how to do a perfect job interview. Possibilities are endless.
The mate is yelling for the ‘last one’. Then a woman with three kids is coming. Kids do not count as a seat. They can just go in the minivan and sit on a lap or somewhere between legs. The woman is the last one, so the trotro is leaving.
When you have to switch vehicles the same happens: You tell the driver where you wanna go. Then the driver will stop in the bus station next to the vehicle you need to get. Someone is getting your backpack and stuffs it in the right vehicle. The driver of the bus you just left is telling the driver of the bus you need to get where these tourists will go. You buy tickets and go sit in the bus.
This will keep continuing till you arrive at your final destination. Nobody is expecting anything from you, they are just being nice and helping the tourists to get around.
So riding the trotro may not be the most comfortable thing to do, but it certainly is very easy and gives you a feeling of how nice and helping the Ghanian people are. You will definitely miss out when you do not ride a trotro in Ghana.
