CameroonJan 28, 2009
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Sorry for the delay in updating the blog but we have only just got onto internet for the first time in 2 weeks today. We are currently in Jos in Central Nigeria but more on Nigeria later.
We started the trip in Doula in Cameroon and after Annie arrived from Nigeria we spent the next two days meeting the rest of the trip, sorting out visas for Nigeria and Benin and buying the obligatory mattresses and pillows! The trip consists of 14 passengers (mostly British with 2 Americans and 2 Australians) and two crew (Pat and Noel). All great and so far so good. We have resumed our usual jobs on the truck - me on Security and Annie on backlocker and running the bar - nothing changes! We are even on the same truck as we had across Central Asia - Tonka with the same tent (John Lennon) - very much like coming home!
We left Doula and headed off to the beach for 3 days at both Kribi and Limbe which was lovely to see the coast and chill out and start on the tans. The only downside was that it was stinking hot and very humid - luckily now the stickness has gone and it is only dry heat.
After leaving the coast we headed up north and left the tarmac roads behind and onto the dusty tracks. We had a night and a morning in a place called Foumban which was great and we spent the morning going round the current Sultan's palace. All quite tribal and Muslim up there which is a bit odd when you are also speaking French. The people though are delightful and you spend most of the day waving out of the window. The good news is that not too many Westerns have been here so they are not begging for money and are geniunely pleased to see you.
We bush camped most of the way and even had one night camping in a Catholic Mission and another with a locals cows! After 3 nights bush camping we finally made it to Lake Lagado where we could shower and swim in the lake (we probably now have bilharzia!) but we were so pleased to have a wash - we basically have only had 2 proper showers in 2 weeks - I dread to think what we smell like!
From the lake we then headed to Garoua to stock up on provisions and then out to the Cameroon/Nigeria border at Demsa. Border is probably not the right word seeing as there was nothing there (the actual border and no mans land was a dried up river bed) and there was no military around - quite quick really and only 3 and half hours. Not what we all expected..
First of the currency updates are $1 = 495 Cameroon Francs.
Anyway we are now in Nigeria and will update later on the antics here including Annie getting interrogated by the local police, visiting an game reserve with no animals (apparently they have all migrated to the cooking pot!). However we are very much still alive and not been kidnapped so no worries......
Take care and keep up all the news
x
