Thread by @zubaidah_x

💫Thread alert - #DettyDecember in Accra tips💫

1. The first and most important rule of them all: NEVER go out with someone you don't trust. It's in your best interest to go out with at least one sensible friend who you know will have your back.

Also. That guy who's been making those unwelcome sexual passes? Don't go out with him alone.
Free drinks are nice, but not at the cost of your safety. If you must go, LET HIM KNOW it's not a date and you'll be going as a group. If he declines, well that's his choice.

2. Whatever you have to do, wherever you have to go, leave early! The traffic is crazy! Estimate an hour and two delay to wherever your destination is. Also, GPS/Google Maps works pretty decently in Accra.

Uber drivers accept both cash and card payments but most Ghanaian drivers prefer cash(some will fully fight you).you can get a regular taxi (Identifiable by their orange/yellow colour blocks) even though they tend to overcharge when they realize you’re a foreigner.

3. Unless they specifically announce they’ll be selling some at the venue, buy all your event tickets early. Inflation prices for sold out events can be very wild. Daylight robbery.

4. Carpooling to town is a smart way to not spend a lot on moving around. The Uber surges are craaaazy and going everywhere together saves you a lot. If one person is driving, you can all contribute towards gas, it’s still massively cheaper than fueling all your individual cars.

If you’re going out at night, you can rent a car for the night, share an Uber or contribute to the designated driver's petrol cost.
You could take turns being the Designated Driver each night. Please don’t drive drunk at any point in time. Please.

5. Hello diasporians.
Most forex bureaus close at 5pm. That gives you at least 7 hours everyday to change your money to cedis.

Make sure you change it by then because
a. Even if you’re being legit, “Oh I dont have cedis” doesnt work anymore, and you will 100% be stranded and

b. Most of the vendors that accept foreign currencies will give you a terrible rate which you will have no choice but to pay.

For those who will be carting said diasporians around, make sure they change their money to cedis or you will pay every bill when you go out.

6. Wherever you go, you should have enough money for at least 1 drink and your transport back home (If you don’t, you shouldn’t be out).
Finding a free ride to your destination is always easier than finding a ride back.

7. If you will drink, EAT FIRST. Don't drink on an empty stomach,that's a disaster waiting to happen.
Don't eat too heavy though, or everything you drink will just leave you with an uneasy stomach.

Go the extra mile and put some food at a vantage point for when you get home too.

8. Pre-game! This is actually essential because it builds the vibe for the night. Its also cheaper than buying all your alcohol from the bar. Get together with a few friends and a bottle or 2 - black currant vodka and white wine are my favourite options.

Pregame time is 10:00pm -12.30am.

When you're pregaming, White > Red because red wine tends to make people a little slow, sleepy, and/or horny. If you're still there by 12.30, its no longer a "pre-game".

9. Not really a tip, but more of a suggestion - a Long Island is a cheap foolproof way to get tipsy. The maximum amount anyone should be drinking is 3 for the entire night.

If you're feeling brave, do a couple of shots here and there over the course of the night.

I should add, mixing alcohol gets you drunk very fast and is also the fastest way to lose control of the night.

Thats how you end up puking on the bathroom floor with a severe hangover and patchy timeline.

Once the effects of both drinks hit you, its a downward spiral.

10. Appearance matters.
According to one very popular bouncer, girls are let in based on the business they can pull.
Men are more likely to spend money to impress girls - that’s why its usually free or cheaper for us.

(Not telling you how it should be, telling you how it is).

So to get into certain places, you're going to have to dress up.

Getting bounced when your friends have been let in sounds painful. You will either all have to leave because you couldn't get in (and you'll feel bad the whole night) or they'll leave you outside (even worse).

11. There are certain places you need to get to early. Because after a certain time, it’ll be overcrowded. Chances of you getting into both places are slim because even getting to the entrance where the bouncer who is your friend will let you in is going to be a struggle.

You should know where you're spending the night by 8:00pm and it is in your best interest to get wherever that is by 10.00. Sounds ridiculous right? Kind of is, but it is what it is.

12. I know its a thing for some of you, but don't mix your alcohol with pills or coke. No one wants you to come and die on the floor of our favourite nightclub and have the place shut down for "investigations". Be considerate.

I hate that I even have to say this but please watch your drinks baby girls. Don’t accept drinks from strangers that didn’t come directly from the bar/waiter. Not to make you paranoid but be careful even around your friends, especially when you’re in large groups.

Also! If you’re a smoker, don’t smoke everything that’s handed to you, people lace their weed with things. The least you can do is buy your own(don’t ask me where, I’m not a fan)

13. For a full night out (10:00pm-5:00am) Heavy drinking time is 11pm to 3:30am. If you're trying to get home relatively sober, stop drinking at least an hour before you intend to leave. A lot of clubs have food, eat something. Eat slowly when you’re drunk or you will throw up.

Also, drink water every hour. Not necessarily a lot, like a glass. It wont make you any less drunk if you continue to drink after, but it reduces the hangover you most likely will have the next day.

14. Everything is cheaper in a group. A bottle of whatever you want to drink is cheaper than a glass. A bottle of tequila is usually cheaper than 15 shots(for a large group). Food is cheaper in a group, get a platter.

15. It is the season for hookups but please be safe. STDs exist. Children are expensive.

Please don’t have raw sex with someone you just met🥴.
A one night stand at a time like this where the entire city is overpopulated is incredibly risky.

If you have first date plans with someone you’ve been talking to via social media for months, please meet in a public place. Let people know your whereabouts. If you leave the club to go with someone please LET SOMEONE KNOW. Honestly, just don’t take strangers home.

16. In a crowded place, its easy for there to be confusion. Pay your bill directly to the person who served you, or if you have to pay to someone else, take note of their faces/names. Personally I take videos/pictures if I can(of the money changing hands, not their faces.)

Just like how some people take advantage of the situation to dine-and-dash(run away without paying), some places use this season to collect double payments. Also if you dine and dash, I hope you’re caught.

17. Like I said, its peak season for thieves and scammers. Lock your car doors when you sit inside. Keep your bags and phones away from windows, especially open ones. Dont carry more cash than you have to.

Diaspora people, if you want to carry your ID with you (which I would always suggest), a print-out is a safer option than an original, should your bag be stolen. When you’re shopping, don’t follow the people who offer you a “better/special deal” into corners and alleys.

Double check the things you’ve bought in markets BEFORE you leave the vendor. Accra is hot.
Sidenote, it would be awesome if you carried your bag there with you so the vendor doesnt have to give you plastic. Reduce waste.

18. There is generally no valet parking in Ghana. When you go anywhere, there are people who will help you park well but don’t go giving your keys to anyone. That uber ride home after your car has been driven away will be one of the longest and saddest ones of your life.

19. ACCRA IS HOT - And not just figuratively. First of all, sunscreen! It’s necessary and contrary to popular belief, it’s for black people too. Also, stay hydrated - always have a bottle of water and a face towel/handkerchief. If you can get yourself a fan, that would be great.

20. And finally - YOUR MASK PLEASE!

Double check your pocket and bag before you leave the house because not only do a lot of places have a No-Mask-No-Entry Policy, you should actively want to protect yourself.

Corona hasn’t disappeared just because we’re over it😂

We all know most of the fun is in Accra, but take a few trips out of town if you can. There are a lot of places that are a solid vibe(Zubzz.com Places section)

Ignore any typos in the thread.

For everything food related, Zubzz has got you coveredddttt. Visit the site or IG (@zubaidah.x) to find out what’s good to eat and drink this December.

For future reference: Full post

zubzz.com/blog/dettydece…

Instagram.com/zubaidah.x