Bentsifi’s Tattle - A guy about town

Leslie bellowed out the loudest. I don’t remember the joke but just after our laughter subsided, there was a clasp of thunder in the distance. JayJay, who by then was about to enter the boathouse, stopped at the entrance, his recent jovial countenance changing, and called out to Amy, one of his assistants. "Amy, get everyone out of the water. Unfavourable weather activity!"

There was enough command in his voice to render immediate action response from Amy. Within seven minutes, all 20-odd adventurers who having just finished our "capsize training" and now swimming in their life-vests, were out of the water and up on the level ground we were.

We are on JayJay's BraveHeart Expedition's 'Poseidon Kayaking Expedition' jaunt, having paddled 2.8km earlier in the day, within the gorges of the great Volta Lake, and onto one of the islands where BraveHeart has set up this fantastic place as 'Survival Island Adventure Resort'!

By this, JayJay opens up that terrain for great outdoor sports adventure and tourism. And, for an adventure man who himself has assaulted Mt. Kilimanjaro in Kenya 16 times, he knows his "salt" and that's why I have submitted to him on several occasions when he has led me to do things I never would normally do.

 Particularly since I have rheumatism systons and lately, debilitating sciatica! That not  withstanding, he still encourages me and I follow him on Shai-Hill-Elephant-Rock-abseiling, Afadzato-climbing and Volta-Lake-kayaking jaunts!

'Poseidon Expedition'

Here on the 'Poseidon Expedition', we slept in tents, formed groups and were given produce and ingredients to cook our own meals! We went hiking in the woods, abseiling for hours over kilometers of open waters and it gave us, all 30-odd adventurers from various countries around the world on the trip, a great spirit-freeing experience!

This is something you must experience too. There's going to be more treks, of course. And I'll keep you posted about them. Even WangoWango will soon go Kayaking too. You could join that also, although that one will not be as rigorous as the Poseidon one.

Get off the couch

Now, don't say there's nothing to do in Ghana!

Even on the cultural front, there are lots of events happening that mean to keep us all energized. Here are a few coming in in the weeks ahead.

So get off the couch, as my friend Asantewaa often says, and get some "culture" and art.

There's the exhibition, 'All that Glitters', by Yaw Owusu at Gallery 1957 inside Kempinski Gold Coast Hotel.

Going till the August 15, Owusu creates sculptural installations that repurpose found objects including pesewa coins, shifting the value of otherwise worthless materials into things of beauty.

There's also 'Orderly, Disorderly', featuring works by over 90 artists from the College of Art-KNUST, including alumni, recent graduates and guest artists.

This exhibition invites audiences to deal with the contradictions that form part of our everyday lives. It shows at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra till  September 1.

With the theme “WATA MATA", the seventh edition of the annual 'Chale Wote Art Festival', which takes place in various venues in the capital, comes off from  August 14 to August 20.

As usual, artists will be building and exhibiting works in James Town and various venues in the city including Nubuke Foundation.

Biggest film party

Finally, the biggest film party ever, showing 30 films from around the globe in venues including Silverbird cinema at Achimota Mall and Mantse Agbonaa at  James Town, will herald the Black Star International Film Festival from  August 18 to August 21. Go have fun!