This is the second and final instalment from Vanessa Jones, a Bermuda High School for Girls student who travelled through Ghana during her summer vacation. She spoke recently with Young Observer's Jarion Richardson, who files this report.

"The expected journey was to be two and a half hours long -- Boy were we wrong,'' Vanessa Jones wrote in her journal.

Continuing from last week's Young Observer story, Vanessa proceeds on her trip to Villa Cisneros in Sogakope and North Volta River during her recent summer vacation to Ghana.

She said during the nearly four-hour drive north, "It was stifling hot, uncomfortable and nauseating, until I switched seats to sit nearer the front of the van.'' Vanessa was travelling with her Aunt Nadine, Uncle Stewart, cousin Crystal and the Adderley family, as well as Uncle Stewart's relatives from Ghana. The entire group had rented two vans to make the trip.

Along the ride north, Vanessa saw "cowboys'' and mud houses that were used as schools.

"It was amazing -- these little children that control huge herds.'' she said.

When they arrived at the Villa Cisneros, it was 5.30 p.m. and dark: "I mean DARK!'' Vanessa stressed. "But regardless, we went through the jungle.

"I never thought we'd make it home because it felt like we were in the middle of nowhere on bumpy and rocky road and (had) no communications like cellphone.'' she said.

The group saw animals like antelope, monkeys and baboons during the 45-minute ride. Vanessa said the animals were far away, but they still looked much better than in a television documentary. And during the time, the group also passed through a military-controlled region.

"Pictures were prohibited, but we took them anyway. I don't think it really mattered though because the officials said that it was okay.'' After the harrowing journey, the group arrived in Villa Cisneros. The next day they checked out after a luxurious breakfast by the water side, along the freshwater Volta River.

They drove to the Saltus' (Uncle Stewart's relatives) house near Tema.

"It reminded me of a Roman house because the garden right before you enter the house had no roof but walls and gate encircling it.'' Bahteeya, Uncle Stewart's relative, gave a tour of the house and garden that had mango, pumpkins, oranges, watermelons and pineapples.

"There was more sand than grass.'' Vanessa recalled.

After a brief boat ride, the group visited a native village on an island in the Volta River.

"On our way from the island we saw an area where the slaves hid from the slave ships back in the day.'' The group packed up Sogakope and drove back to Accra then onto Cape Coast and the slave fortress the next day.

On the way to Cape Coast, two things became apparent. One, Vanessa was slowly getting tired of the same food and two, their driver was a lunatic.

"Our driver -- is crazy,'' Vanessa wrote. "He speeds all the time and overtakes when cars are going in the opposite direction. He speeds over potholes in the road and sometimes he doesn't look at the road.'' But, despite all, Vanessa said it was fun.

When they arrived at Cape Coast, Vanessa got an in-depth look into the slave trade at an old slave fortress.

"It was ruled and built by the British or Dutch. They made black people walk from the north of Ghana to the south, that's probably more than 500 miles, to the Cape Coast where they separated by gender into their dungeons.

"The dungeons were small compared to the amount of people that had to stay there, all squooshed together in pitch blackness. It was terrible.

"The horridness lasted for three months where they were also expected to excrete where they stood, and rebellious slaves were chained to the wall.

"The pits slaves were kept in were usually a few levels underground. These heavily locked pits fit hundreds of slaves, although the rooms were obviously too small.

"This was absolutely horrid and to make it even worse, a church was situated on top of the dungeon. Sorry to say it was Christian.

"We were also shown the `Door of No Return'. That was where slaves went out of the dungeon to get on the slave ship to Americas. Just like what I learned in history class.'' After a disastrous hair styling event called wraps, Vanessa and family flew home to Bermuda.

When she got back she wrote: "Visiting Ghana was an exciting experience for me. I actually was able to see for myself what a third-world country was like.

"It was an absolute culture shock. I had a wonderful experience in Ghana and I thank my Aunt Nadine and Uncle Stewart for giving me an opportunity of a lifetime.''