One lucky Bermuda High School student joined her Aunt Nadine, Uncle Stewart and Cousin Nadine, with family friends the Adderley's, on an adventure on the African continent this summer.

Fourteen at the time of the trip, now 15-years-old and in Year 11 at BHS, Vanessa Jones told The Royal Gazette the two-week vacation was "the experience of a lifetime''.

Vanessa kept a journal throughout the trip with her family and then sat down with Young Observer to tell us about a trip that took her from the ethnic shopping-grounds of the Makola Market to an old slave fortress in the military-controlled Volta Region.

Before leaving Bermuda, the family had to take some precautions like getting six different shots for diseases like malaria and yellow fever.

Other precautions had to be taken while on the trip, like not accidentally getting water in their mouths when taking a shower because of the water's impurity.

They also had to become accustomed to Ghanain money called cedis (pronounced see-dees).

The exchange rate is 6000 cedis to the US dollar. Vanessa said a soda pop would cost about 2000 cedis, around 33 cents in Bermudian dollars.

As the passenger aircraft approached the airport, Vanessa could see over the capital city, Accra.

"Looking down at the city was a beautiful sight, better than I expected.

There were lights everywhere -- like a Christmas tree.'' The flight from London took over six hours but Vanessa was still aware enough to put on a jacket on the chance of coming across disease-carrying mosquitoes.

Her first surprise upon arrival was the air.

"The Ghanian air wasn't as fresh as the British air - very humid like Bermuda. It felt sort of hot and humid.

I couldn't believe I was in West Africa. It was nothing like I expected.'' The terminal was beautifully decorated with African engravings but terribly packed she said.

"We couldn't even reach the conveyor belt because of the hundreds of people waiting for their luggage,'' she said.

The family managed to get all ten bags, move to a baggage officer -- who checked two bags before letting them pass -- and left the terminal.

"There were so many different men trying to take our bags -- one ran off with Mrs. Adderley's carry-on bags but luckily Mr. Adderly caught up with him and stopped him.'' Vanessa had to quickly adapt to an atmosphere uncommon to more western, developed countries like Bermuda, Canada and the United States.

The group could not find Uncle Stewart's family who was supposed to meet them at the terminal so they took two taxis to a nearby hotel.

The taxis were very different from Bermuda though -- the family had to barter with the taxi driver before they could get in the taxi.

"We didn't get in a taxi a few times because they didn't like our prices but most times they would accept our price because our money is worth so much.'' Vanessa said.

She found travelling by taxi in the city just as interesting.

"Our taxi drivers drive fast -- between 80 and 100 kilometres per hour.'' The taxis often zipped right past the 50 kilometres per hour speed limit signs.

She mentioned how, on one occasion, the taxi driver got pulled over.

"We think he had to pay a fine for having more than four passengers in the car.'' They got into another taxi that was again stopped by Police.

"Nothing happened because the Police were looking for dead women in the trunk.'' When they arrived at the luxury hotel, The Golden Tulip, Vanessa noted it was very elegant but she was surprised by the large, circular pool on the property.

"I certainly didn't expect that in Ghana,'' she said.

They moved to another property the next day and met Uncle Stewart's family, Niryah, Botia, Tsorieian and Eli Ashur.

The next day, everyone went shopping in the Makola market -- famous for its Kente cloth.

"It was jam packed with hundreds of people sitting on the sidewalks trying to sell all sorts of things. They sell everything there -- water, fruits, vegetables and dried fish.'' "There were some stores in the Makola market which was next to Rawlins Park that sold some Kente cloth.

"Of course us Bermudians went crazy and bought all this material.'' She bought two six-yard lengths of the cloth material -- some of which would become a dress after a visit to the tailor.

"We basically designed the clothes then the tailor would take our measurements and make the clothes.

"I bought two different cloths -one purple with silver fabric and one pretty blue material. Both colours were six yards and they cost 75,000 cedis which is equivalent to about $25.'' The market was full of people carrying goods on their heads and Vanessa asked the family why this was the case.

One of Uncle Stewart's relatives, Niryah, explained that carrying heavy items on their head was easier than in their arms because they have their whole body supporting the weight.

"I found it interesting to see the Africans doing things their way.'' Vanessa wrote in her journal.

The group spent the next two days in Accra, starting with a visit to the Art Centre.

"I really enjoyed the art centre. I bought some place mats, a necklace and some ebony carvings. I probably spent about 100,000 cedis -- definitely less than $40.'' Vanessa said.

They spent their last day in Accra having clothes made from the Kente cloth before packing up their gear and preparing to take off the next morning for the jungle regions in the north of Ghana.

The conclusion of Vanessa's trip to Ghana will appear in next week's Young Observer.

Out of Africa: Vanessa Jones kept a dairy recording all the events of her amazing two-week trip to Ghana earlier this summer.