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"Volant"

Wow, what a long series of flights. Twenty-some hours sitting still! I staggered off the plane late at night at the small airport here, cleared customs, and headed toward a sea of unknown faces, hoping one of the Novica team would recognize me from the Web site. But much to my surprise, I immediately spotted someone familiar - Antonio from Mexico. Antonio is our world-wandering vice president of international operations. We occasionally run into each other in far-flung corners of the globe.

Antonio strode forward to greet me. He'd made it past the security guards - always does. Sometimes they think he's a movie star (and sometimes he just says he is!). He swept up my bags and ushered me through the crowd to where Victor stood waiting.

Victor is Novica's roving international shipping coordinator. I'd never met him in person, but we had spoken on the phone many times when he was still based in Peru. A few months ago he'd helped arrange a visa for Novica weaver Leoncio Tinoco, back when Tinoco was invited to teach weaving techniques at Los Angeles high schools.

We exchanged bear hugs and then Antonio turned to introduce me to Eddie, who heads up the Novica Ghana office, and Kofi, Novica's second-in-command here. After more big hugs, the four gentlemen ushered me out of the crowd and into a waiting car. Robert, also from Novica Ghana, sat behind the wheel. I hadn't expected such a big reception - especially at this late hour. It was wonderful!

We brought each other up to date on the latest developments in our various missions as we drove through the darkened streets of Accra.

Too soon we pulled into the Paloma Hotel's back entrance. Antonio and Victor are staying here during the few weeks they'll be in town. Antonio loves this hotel, and described it as the most "authentically Ghanaian" hotel around, "with iguanas crawling up and down the walls." He knows I have a soft spot for lagartos.

The hotel compound is near the Novica office, and conveniently features an adjoining Internet cafeand an open air Ghanaian restaurant. A live band was entertaining a packed room when we passed by on the way to our rooms. They were playing brassy, lilting local "highlife" music.

Eddie and Kofi made sure I was pleased with my room then took their leave. Antonio, Victor, and I weren't about to retire just yet - three foreigners turned loose halfway around the world. We headed downstairs. I asked Antonio where they were taking me.

"To the restaurant," he replied.

"Which one? Where?" I was almost skipping with enthusiasm, eager to begin exploring this capital city, and whatever entertainment it might offer its nearly two million souls.

"The hotel restaurant. Right here. It's a good one," Antonio replied, instantly putting a damper on my enthusiasm.

And I wouldn't be going out anywhere else, Antonio said. Not tonight, not any other night. Accra is experiencing a wave of terrible voodoo-related murders involving women, and the Novica clan is afraid I'll be the next victim if they let me out of their site - sight, that is. I realized my wings had just been clipped. So this is how it would be.... Hmmm...

The murders are a serious crisis here. One victim was recently discovered in the swampy canal behind our hotel. The general belief on the street, apparently, is that the voodoo deaths are related to the Ghanaian presidential race.

Voodoo priests are commonly hired to increase one's power or wealth, and one way of increasing power and wealth is by sacrificing people. The death count is rising precipitously right now as the presidential race heats up. Perhaps a serial killer is stalking the streets with unrelated issues, but many people here believe there's a connection between politics and the increasing number of dead women.

Whatever the cause, the Novicans weren't about to allow me to go out - and that was that.

The Paloma wasn't a bad place to be stuck, thank goodness. Before we knew it, plates of exotic fruit, fried plantains, and all manner of never-before-seen-by-us dishes arrived magically at our table.

Victor and Antonio told me stories of their travels and past few days here in Ghana. We feasted and laughed and shared stories for hours. Victor brought us up to date on Peru, where there have been dramatic political changes of late. Antonio talked about missing his home in Mexico's Yucatan. He lives out of his suitcase, and hasn't had time to go back there for ages.

We finally called it a night just a little while ago, with only a few hours remaining before our big, early morning, all-staff meeting at the Novica office.

Now it's hard to fall asleep. I'm eager for the day to begin. This is my first time deep into Africa (having never been south of Morocco).

My curiosity is running wild....

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