‘The Floors Are Shaking’: A Tranquil Weekend in Volta

Written by McKenzee Manlupig for UO Media In Ghana Blogs

The floors shook. It went on for so long. You could see the vibrations off the tv glass. We quickly closed every window and squeezed our eyes shut, trying to find some peace. 

Earthquake? 

No. Large chunky speakers, sitting right below our window. A dance floor, a wall away. 

We were visiting Volta for the weekend. A peaceful countryside. 

We asked a professor, also visiting from UO, if there were any fun dance places.

“No it’s not like that. Super chill and just naturey,” he said. And this was true. During this trip we swam under the biggest waterfall in West Africa, went bananas at a monkey sanctuary and felt the breeze boating down the river, during sunset. 

It was a stunning experience. A nice change of pace, opposing the bustling crowds of Accra and Kumasi. 

It started at 7:00 p.m. 

We got home from Wli falls. The experience was unreal. Standing underneath the gush tons of water falling from the sky. Witnessing the hundreds of bats resting on the cliff side. 

We arrived back at the hotel, relaxed from the hour walk, in and out. Sitting at dinner, one chaperone told us there was a little party on the property.

 I was actually super excited to have a dance floor so close.  I remember thinking,

“My dream actually! I can just go to sleep when I’m tired. Don’t gotta wait for no uber or nothing. Nice and comfy in my bed immediately,”

Later I would kick myself while I lay with my pillows over my head.

 It’s as if Drake was giving my roommate and I a personal concert at the end of our bed. A fate, I wouldn’t wish onto my own enemy. 

We had it the worst, being at the very end of the hall. A peer, four rooms down, said the noise was 88 decibels in his room. 

At first I found it amusing, at least we wouldn’t have to pay to get in! Gotta make the best of the situation and at least go dance. So my peers and I sat at the restaurant, just chatting, waiting for the dance floor to fill.

It never did. 

At about 1:00 a.m., I’m beat. We peak through the fence, to witness not a single person out there. 

We were to leave at 8:00 a.m. the next day. 

My roommate asks hotel attendants to turn it down, turn it off, there is not a single person listening to the music. The front desk lady almost giggles, saying there was nothing to be done. We couldn't even move rooms because apparently they’re all booked up. 

We were almost delirious at this point, thinking of intricate solutions. Pouring water on the fuse box? Sleeping on the bus? Driving home? 

Four doors down, a peer said he recorded the decibels to be at 88. Apparently it’s potentially dangerous to have long exposure at 85 decibels plus. 

Eventually, my eyes closed and somehow, I fell asleep. The music ended early, at 4:00 a.m., 10 hours later. It was supposed to end at day break but I guess there wasn’t a big enough crowd.

All in all, I wouldn't trade the experience for the world. Definitely a story to tell for the rest of time. Funny, to even think about it now.