-William G.T Shedd-
Another bush camp down and we survived the night. There were a few frogs around singing a
chorus and I nearly stood on one last night heading to the tent and I didn’t
freak out like I would have if I had of seen it in ‘normal’ life. Camping does that, you expect these things to
happen, so when they do it is perfectly acceptable to nearly stand on a frog in
the middle of the Guinean bush. I slept
SO well last night, I think it was the best tent sleep I have ever had. I think change of position to having my head
near the door worked wonders and when I mentioned it to Suzanne (she and Ian
are BIG campers) she said that is the only way that they sleep. Dang, I could have changed that long ago and
got some better sleeps and I can’t believe it took me this long to do the
change. What a goose I am. I have mentioned on several occasions that I
really don’t mind the bush camps it is just the setting up, getting a good
location and the toilet thing which is just in my head, and even though I have
overcome the barrier of doing the ‘business’ now in the openness, there is
still a ‘bush camp’ stigma that I have when we do them. The last time that we bush camped was when we
first entered into Sierra Leone and we camped in long grass that had a lot of
crickets and other jumpy insects that pounced when we walked and we all got
some pretty bad bites from that camp.
Ellie and I were on top of the bug spray duty last night and I am happy
to report I only got 2 new bites, which is short of miraculous. All my bites had cleared by our second night
in Freetown that I was even able to shave my legs, previous to that there were
too many scabby sores on my legs to even attempt that and I hope on this
section to keep the mosquito bites to a minimum. Thankfully Bean left his bug roll-ons with me
so I have just been applying that when I feel and not have to worry about
running out. Thanks Bean.
It was a 6.15am wakeup call this morning. It is the best thing to just get on the road
after a bush camp and after checking with Sam last night, the plan was to leave
the tents up as we had brekkie to give them a chance to dry from the night’s
condensation and then we would pack them up after that. But as breakfast was getting prepared there
was some distant roll of thunder and a little lightening, so in preparation if
the heavens opened, we packed them away earlier and really at 6.30am and no
sun, I don’t think they were going to dry much anyway. Even though it didn’t rain, the condensation
was just as heavy as if it had of and we stayed all nice and dry all night
which has a lot to do with Sam checking at night time to make sure that all the
‘raincoats’ are on properly and making amendments where required before we all
retire. He is a good man that Sam. Everyone is still learning the ropes of the
truck and their new duties and I need to show some patience as it can be a
little frustrating at times as I want to help, or let them know where things
are or if something has gone back into the right place, but I don’t want to
sound like truck Nazi and I am just holding my tongue and if I am asked I am
happy to help. There is nothing worse
than someone who is barking at you because they know how the system works when
you are still trying to find your overlanding feet. So I am being very good and unless someone’s
life depends on it, then I am keeping quiet and letting Sam tell the group the
okay’s and the not okays for now.
We were on the road bang on time at 7.30am and I was
lucky to score a seat on my own today for what possibly was going to be an 8-10
hour trip with the roads being the key factor on how long the travel day would
be. So far the roads have surprised us,
especially in Guinea the second time and I am really starting to think that
this part of the country is going to be more developed than the eastern section
that we passed through previously, which is a nice surprise for the ‘couples’
and I and this is shaping up to be what I will make an early call on, as the
better ‘westernized’ part of the whole 70 days.
It is hard to work out what is the hardest part between the first 3
weeks in Togo and Benin or the last section, as they were both quite difficult
in their own ways. The first section was
mainly camping, so a lot of tents if you wished, or upgrades like we did, but
upgrades is a loose term, as some of them were short of 1 star quality at
times, a lot of truck food (tinned stuff) and it was hot, really hot, but the
roads weren’t too bad and because of the camping component a lot cheaper on the
purse as a lot of meals were included.
The second section was cruisy to start with, the first week was like travelling
a different continent, and then the roads went to the crap, so much so, there
were days where you were just bounced around the truck from morning till night
and that dies take a lot out of you as you need to be permanently on your
senses and guard and there was a LOT of time in the truck and the hardest
stretch was the 4 full travel days and the 3 bush camps in a row. To sum up just that component we passed into
2 countries, 4 borders (in and out), the 3 bush camps, 42.5 hours on the truck,
5 hours of weather delay (mud maneuvers and other traffic), 3 hours of security
checkpoints and only travelling 698km.
Just over the 4 days. It was hard
core and a lot of muddy roads and lots of possibilities of getting stuck and
some pretty fancy driving on Sam and Zoe’s part, they were incredible. So both sections had their ‘tough’ days and
for anybody looking at doing this part of the world, be prepared-it is not
easy. I like to consider myself a bit of
an overland guru, and this has certainly been the most ‘overland’ experience
you will get without all the bells and whistles of other overland destinations
that have yet to taste the tourist trap.
It is an untouched section of Africa and we are seeing it in its true
beauty and as tough as it is, it is worth every second. From the scenery to the people, who some
don’t see many white people to the destinations. We were the pioneers for the last section and
I like that and we survived.
It was a cooler foggy start to the morning. The thunder never eventuated into anything,
but then we were on our way and maybe it did rain after we left? I was at a table seat across from Whipper
Snapper (Karl) for the day and I was just happy to have a window to stick my
arm and head of and get back into my waving groove. Ian was in front of me, also on a window, so
there were 2 very happy campers, literally on the truck today. I thought about the fact that if we got
stopped by any checkpoint with the ferocity of what we experienced yesterday we
were going to be in a bit of trouble and not because we didn’t have Zoe to
speak French, as Sam was doing a fine job on his own, it was more not having
our passports with us, with them being in Conakry with Zoe obtaining
visas. Let’s just hope that we didn’t
see any checkpoints and if we did, then let’s just hope they ask to only see
Madge’s documents, otherwise we could be in a world of hurt with none of us having
our passports with us. The fog lifted as
the sun rose in the sky and it was a classic line out of an African book that
the country came alive as the sun rose on the continent and that also does
something to the soul as we headed further north. The timing today was again based on road conditions
and until 9.30am when we stopped in a small town for some fuel for Madge, we
had made incredible time with the roads in great shape. There was even a shop at the supermarket, it
looked new, that was stocked with snacks and soft drinks and the first I have
seen in all 7 weeks. I went in for a
look and came out with a small bar of chocolate, 2 very small packets of what
looked like Cheeto’s and a Fanta which I put in the fridge for lunch
consumption. The Cheetos look-a-likes
were nearly as tasty as the originals and as we drove off I wished I had of
bought more of them, especially for .40c a bag.
The chocolate was a little more miss than hit, but when I need that
sugar boost I am sure it will do the trick and at .20c, I can’t really
complain!
We were now totally clear of all city life and back to
small villages located next to the road, spaced by the natural landscape of
Guinea. It was also a beautiful drive,
with the Mamou Mountains as a backdrop and other mountain formations that
looked like they had been plucked from a roadrunner episode, with uniquely
shaped mountains and some looking like they had just been chopped with a
knife. It was spectacular and with the
village life come more friendlier people, rural schools and the addition of being
able to see all the bush cabs filled to capacity, so much so that there would
be passengers sitting on the roofs as they screamed by at 100 miles an
hour. Seriously they don’t slow down at
all if there are people either on the roofs or hanging onto the back, or in
boots of the cars. It is just hilarious
to see people hanging on for dear life as they speed by. I wonder if that is the cheapest seat in the
vehicle or they pay the same as inside passengers. I am trying to snap these cars as they fly
by, some I do get others I miss completely but I do have some great shots and I
feel bad when I wave to these car surfers as I don’t want them to life a hand
in wave and release what grip they have on the car, but most of the time they
instigate the first wave and it would be so rude to not reply, especially when
their life is in limbo when they let go to issue the wave in the first place!!! Lunch was down a small track that Sam seems
to have a knack for finding and it is always good to get of the main road so as
to minimize the local attention we get when we set up. This track led down to a swollen river where
there were some locals doing their laundry and a few guys washing their
motorbikes, but they pretty much left us to our own devices and after a tuna and
salad roll, we reversed all the way back to the main road and kept the momentum
rolling for our destination of Mamou this evening.
The roads continued to surprise and we made excellent
time and arrived into the dusty town of Mamou just before 3pm. We were staying at the best hotel in town and
after we had parked and Sam went in to sort the rooms, he came back out and
told us that the rooms were ready and for some bizarre reason we were all given
the pleasant surprise of each of us getting our own room! Imagine!
As I don’t bring off my big bag at all, I was one of the first ready and
shown to my room that was a lap of luxury.
There was a small sitting room, air-conditioning, power not on a
generator, a flushing toilet and when I had my shower I also had HOT WATER,
which was the first time I have had that since leaving Accra. It is funny the things that you can do
without when you have to, but it was awesome to have some hot water and I was
able to wash my hair with it being a pleasant experience rather than short
intakes of breath as the cold water hit my back. We reconvened 30 minutes later to pre-order
dinner which was a choice of chicken or beef and no bets on what I
ordered-beef, which I felt safe as we had seen a lot of cows on our travels
today and the most I have seen since leaving Togo actually, and then as a huge
storm brewed it finally dropped a deluge of rain. I headed back to my room to blog until 7pm
for dinner. This night was the lap of
luxury, especially after a bush camp and to have our own rooms was icing on the
cake. The only downside was there was no
internet, but in the scheme of things that is just insignificant to hot water
and a single room at this stage of the game.
Sam also heard from Zoe after we had arrived and she was safe, the visas
had been lodged with no problems and she was heading back to the consulate
first thing in the morning to collect them all and was then off in a bush taxi
to meet us in Labe, where we were heading tomorrow and what was to be a 10 hour
trip for her, in a bush taxi!!!! But
good old Zoe getting the job done as usual and it will be interesting to hear
her story when we see her tomorrow night all going well.
Dinners was set for 7pm, and imagine the shock when it
arrived at 6.55pm. WHAT IS THAT? A meal that was served BEFORE it was
due!? It was delicious and at a cost of
60,000 (10AUD) and it was BEEF and not chicken, what more could a gal ask for!? Get this though, the soft drinks were 10,000
(1.66AUD) which isn’t bad but the beer, a large beer was 9,000 (1.50AUD)! Where is the sense in that? They have been the same price if not the soft
drink a fraction cheaper, but to have the large beers CHEAPER than the soft drink
is just crazy town isn’t it! Talk moves
around the table and my 40th became a topic of conversation, which I
am turning next year and Cathy asked what I will be doing!? That is a great question and it will all
depend on if I book the Central Africa trip, which I am 98% sure I am going to
do. If that is the case I will have to
move my annual trip back to Australia earlier and I would either coincide that
with my birthday missing Christmas in Oz next year, but getting my 40th
or having a destination 40th, but then picking the city would be
very difficult and I really haven’t put a lot of thought into it, but with the
big Central Africa trip on the cards, it will make sense to have it in Oz, but
it is not locked in just yet. The group
is getting along splendidly and there was plenty of laughter and jokes around
the table and that is another upside to a larger group, there is more dynamics,
more experience and more atmosphere, and I am not knocking my couples, they are
family to me now, my travel family and I know that I will be seeing them all
again in the future, but some new blood is always welcome, but I know that some
cracks will show and it will just be the extent to what and the next 3 weeks
will tell. There is no way a group of 14
can get along all the time and as people settle into the trip, they relax and
true relationships and colours fly. I
have seen it many times before; no matter how well a group gets along there
will be some ‘snaky’ moments. Any dibs
on how long it will be? Ollie was
outside speaking to a guy that was in Mamou for the Red Cross and had been in
the town for 6 years and he said it is the first time he has ever seen tourists
stay in the town and in the hotel.
Everyone (white people) that passes through here is aid or NGO workers
and we were an unusual sight to behold for.
Funny huh. Maybe there will be a
few pioneering instances on this section as well.
I was back to my room just after 9.30pm; to blog a little
more and then I retired at 10.30pm to find that my air-conditioner wasn’t
working. As we have now risen above sea
level, it wasn’t as hot, especially after the afternoon storm and I wasn’t too
worried about it being too hot. There
was also a mosquito net above the massive queen sized bed, but I hadn’t seen an
insect all night and decided to take the risk of leaving the net off for the night. I hope I was not going to regret it in the
morning with any new bites.
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