Welcome to Wa!

Amber Prince & Lindsey White

Happy Birthday Paula!

We awoke early this morning and enjoyed a buffet breakfast at the Royal Basin Hotel. The Sunseekers bus was re-packed with our luggage and we once again readied ourselves for the long trip to Wa. The drive was an extensive one, spanning over seven hours. We were allotted two brief stops at relatively nice gas stations to re-fuel our vehicle and our bodies. To pass the time, the group participated in a variety of activities: read Nicholas Sparks & C.S. Lewis, watched movies, listened to music, and thought pensively.
The big disappointment of the day arose when Damba announced that it was too late to visit the Hippo Sanctuary. However, it was not cancelled! The adventure has simply been postponed for tomorrow.
In lieu of seeing the behemoth creatures, we journeyed to Wa Naa's Palace. According to Damba, there is a dispute about the rightful ownership of the palace. Once the former Naa passed away fifteen years ago, his replacement was greatly controversial and was not allowed to reside in the palace. The home is still under construction, being re-modeled in the traditional fashion of Muslim architecture.
We were able to walk around and explore the building, seeing the different rooms and remnants of the previous historical structure. Errant goats meandered alongside the group, bleating and snacking on litter. A few members of the group decided to explore beyond the permissible area, and walked onto the roof of the building. They were quickly shouted down by an angry police officer.

After adventuring through the palace, we got back on the bus and headed to our temporary residence, the Upland Hotel in Wa. The rooms are wide and spacious, hosting king size beds for many of the pairs. We enjoyed a lovely meal at the Upland restaurant, bringing ice cream for Miss Paula to savor, as it is her birthday! The rest of the evening was spent in the company of friends, devoting quality time to one another.