Scores of tourists scored a first when they dared the Afadjato climb 885meters into the Volta region sky as part of Joy FM's Ghana month - a tour of popular tourist sites in the country.

Standing that high above sea level, they got to see the sprawling greenery and peace that typify the countryside.

Travelling from Accra, participants expressed some strong determination to do the climb.

Host of Joy FM's Strong and Sassy, Naa Ashorkor and popular actor John Dumelo were part of about 50 tourists packed up with backups to brave this whole new world

 

"Here we come. We are ready to conquer", they chanted as they landed at the foot of the mountain trail. The tour guide warned they temper optimism with some reality because even experienced legs use 45 minutes to finish the climb.

He asked that they move in twos - man and a woman - a tag team to support each other in what was to be a test of endurance - and who knows that after walking the mountain, they could walk the aisle.

The mountain waited for the tourists to take selfies, knowing that it was soon going to drain a love for the cameras and replace it with a new found love for a bottle of water.

Chit-chatting, the patrons trudged a chiseled pathway still quite unsure of the path that lay ahead. It would take some 45 minutes to finish a quarter of the journey. 

And by that time, it became a dead serious affair, not for the faint-hearted. As the amount of effort needed began to sink in, some sunk to the ground. Catching their breath, when they really hoped to just catch the bus down there.

Young men and women miles away from old age suddenly found a walking stick as a close companion. Nature tested biceps femoris in legs more used to stepping on the paddle or standing in Accra queues than treking.

One woman gave up and folded up on the stony floor like a brown leaf. The sun bearing down on her was not hot anymore, the rocks were not dirty anymore as she found a most unlikely bed at a most unlikely place after making this most unlikely trip on the mountain.

A young woman who was posing for selfies was now helplessly holding on to a lean tree trunk which supported her back in some silent sympathy.

A man subdued by the demands of this mountain saw rooted at a spot, looking quite shaken as he stared helplessly down the mountain with one question on replay in his mind 'so who convinced me to do this?'

Still keeping his 'who-convinced-me-to-do-this' look, he continues with a countenance of dread almost fixed on his face.

Well, some also used the opportunity to make the point that Akon's hit song ' Hold my hand' was composed just for the two of them.

Naa Ashorkor found it necessary to occasionally get down on all fours as two legs became bad for the journey and four legs - a precious advantage on this steep mountain.

It was a journey that added a little more to everyone's repertoire of motivational messages. You could say, life is like a mountain, if you look back you could turn to salt like Lot's wife but if you keep going you could reach the top and smell the fresh air.

A tired lady slumped on a rock to have a feel of how Jesus perhaps slumped on the cross - the journey was already becoming an Easter reminder of the suffering of the Christ.

Yes! Naa Ashorkor delighted at an achievement she wouldn't be able to add to her CV. But hey still, she flashes the same joy she had when she graduated from her law class at the University of Ghana in 2015.

So one more trip down, two more to go. Next stop - Joy FM goes to the village on stilts - Nzulezu