Mar 12, 2013 - Impressions of Cameroon

Impressions of Cameroon Summarised, our impressions of Cameroon are: red and green; friendly people; rich heritage; beautiful fruits and vegetables; tough meat; and the oldest clapped out cars still running. Red for the rich red volcanic soil. Green for the lush vegetation covering the rolling hills and the vast amount of land under agriculture, including individual family plots. Friendly people always ready to stop and say ‘good morning’ or ‘bon jour’ depending on whether you are travelling in an English speaking or French speaking area....

Mar 11, 2013 - Bamenda to Douala

Monday 11th March 2013 Bamenda to Douala Today we were up at 7am and packed our bags, 8am breakfast in the Zwinkel’s Guesthouse. Evaristus bought the bus tickets and met us with the taxi at 8.30am and we headed off to the bus station. A treat awaited us today as the VIP bus was ready to go but still had empty seats. We got made an offer we could not refuse and for only CFA500 (about$A1) extra each we could upgrade and get on this luxury transportation where we actually had our own seat exclusively for us – with no sharing. Plus the bus was...

Mar 10, 2013 - Belo to Bamenda

Sunday 10th March 2013 Belo to Bamenda Up at 7am today for an 8am breakfast at the camp. Everistus went to the town to get a driver to take us back to Bamenda and he came back at about 9.15am and we packed our bags into the car and set off. After about 5km we got to the village of Belo, where the driver picked up another man who had a huge amount of stuff to overload the boot of the car. A huge heavy sack of something, long pieces of wood that appeared to be part of a bed, some bags, and a petrol can. So after he was loaded in, and another...

Mar 9, 2013 - North Western Highlands Cameroon

Thursday 7th March 2013 Bamenda (Zwinkel’s Guesthouse) to Belo (Zwinkel’s Trekkers Camp) Today we were up at 7am and packed our bags – had breakfast at 8am – today we were going to the Trekkers Camp in the hills beyond Belo about an hour and a half from Bamenda. We are staying there for three nights. Everistus hadn’t told us what time we were going, but we were informed by the staff at the guesthouse that he had to go to the town to get some supplies for the trekkers camp and we would be leaving sometime after 10am. So we waited and read...

Mar 6, 2013 - Bafoussam to Bamenda

Tuesday 5th March 2013 Foumban to Bamenda Up early today for a 7am breakfast in the guest house, still no water from the taps this morning. Had coffee, baguette, hard-boiled egg and pineapple, then packed our bags. About 9am, we were picked up by our guide in a taxi and drove the short distance to the bus station where the bus filled up in about 10 minutes (how amazing!) and we set off for Bamenda via Bafoussam through all the little and big villages. We changed buses in Bafoussam and our next bus also filled up quickly (our lucky day). On...

Mar 4, 2013 - Foumban

Monday 4th March 2013 Foumban Cameroon Up later today as we didn’t have to be ready until 9am. We had breakfast at the guest house – baguette, coffee, avocado, cheese – after breakfast we took a taxi to the town where we visited the palace of the king and the museum attached. The current king (sultan) is the 19th in the dynasty which dates back to 1394 – totally amazing really. There have been many wars in that time and in the museum there are many artefacts – clothes, masks, musical instruments, weapons like spears and old flintlock rifles...

Mar 3, 2013 - Bandjoun to Foumban

Sunday 3rd March 2013 Bandjoun to Foumban Up at 6.30am today, packed our bags but we didn’t have to leave straight away as we were heading out to the village of Bandjoun and the chief’s house. We then went down to breakfast in the hotel dining room – bread, croissant, coffee and pineapple – and after breakfast left by taxi for the palace. While we were there we visited the museum in which were displayed all the details of the tribe and relics, tools, fabrics, musical instruments and other items. The large traditional meeting house (nine...

Mar 2, 2013 - Kumba to Bandjoun

Saturday 2nd March 2013 Kumba to Bandjoun Up at 6.30am for an 8am departure from the hotel. Packed our now dried clothes into our bags and went down to reception where they told us that there was only one breakfast available on our room rate (strange considering that there were two of us). So we sat and waited for our guide to come and head off. When he arrived, he didn’t accept that we shouldn’t accept no breakfast and while he took our bags to the bus station we sat out at a table outside and had an omelette, cup of coffee, baguette and...

Mar 1, 2013 - Seme Beach Limbe to Kumba

Friday 1st March 2013 Seme Beach Limbe to Kumba Cameroon Generally when we write the blog David writes first and then Lynn adds detail and embellishments. Today is different – Lynn is writing first because it just wasn’t David’s day really. Woke to light rain and rushed to get the swimming things that were on the small patio. Because it was still fairly early David decided to have another attempt to upload photos but to no avail, and to plenty of frustration. We decided to have breakfast and try again in the reception area if there was...

Feb 27, 2013 - Douala to Seme Beach Limbe Cameroon

Wednesday 27th February 2013 Douala to Seme Beach near Limbe Cameroon Today we are heading off to Seme Beach near Limbe on the Atlantic Ocean coast. We had a very nice breakfast in the hotel – 2 fried eggs, ½ a baguette, cheese, fruit and coffee. After breakfast we packed our bags and our guide was waiting. We took a taxi (same one as last night) to the bus station. The drive required nerves of steel – cars on the wrong side of the road, no-one paying any attention to traffic lights but eventually we reached the bus station. Do not get over...

Feb 26, 2013 - Johannesburg to Douala

Tuesday 26th February 2013 Johannesburg, South Africa to Douala, Cameroon Up early today at the Protea Hotel in Joburg for breakfast. The breakfast was very nice and after breakfast we packed our bags and sat down in the shade whiling away the time till checkout at 11am. We then caught the hotel shuttle to the airport and checked into our light to Douala via Libreville in Gabon for the start of our trip to Cameroon. The flight left at 2.35pm and t was nearly five hours to Libreville then an additional 45 minutes on to Douala. We were met at...

May 4, 2009 - The last word

This is my last day in Cameroon. I have already left Bamenda which became my home for the last two months. I have spent the last week handing over to the new volunteer who is taking over from me. It was kind of strange to take a step back and stop working and hand over the Project to someone else. However, I didn't find it as hard as I thought I would and really feel that my colleagues Mary and Clotilda own the Project as much as I did. It was strange to wind down though and feel like my time was coming to an end. I had a wonderful leaving...