Callot, callot.

Thursday was the day of our long awaited visit to Nkambe, which is the administrative capital of the North-West Province of Cameroon. The lord mayor had invited us there the previous week when we had bumped into Max, from ‘Radioactive’, a company that installs small scale community radios in developing countries. We arrived at the mayor’s office, and bumped into an English couple who were also visiting him. They were from Swindon (a place that Tom and I struggled to place on a map), and were from a charity called “Future in our Hands”, who have a project here in Cameroon which aims to replenish native trees and reduce the eucalyptus, a tree which is now a water-hungry nuisance. Anyway, afterwards we had the normal cheeky look around the market (looking for ridiculous fake items). This time, we came across a classic.

It was a man bag for the geek! The label was AMD Athlon, which is a computer processor. Well, I found it funny, at least.

Afterwards we went to our appointment at the local radio station for our interview. Unfortunately, it wasn’t live, but it was recorded and played a few times that week, which is good news for the project. Not too many slip ups, and Tom and I described the project and its work in a good light. I was given the recording.

On Friday we were packing up our things, and that afternoon we had arranged a send-off football match. Unfortunately not many people had turned up because of the rains, but we had a 5-a-side which kept us fit. In the evening we invited all of our new friends from Ndu down the bar for a few drinks, which turned into £30 worth, which is 60 pints of beer. God knows where they all went! Huh hum.

We left for Bamenda on Saturday morning, and after our night in the bar begrudgingly awoke at 5am (against all expectations). Very irritatingly, we didn’t actually leave to Bamenda until about 8 o’clock. “I could have had two more hours sleep bla bla, misery grumble”, said Tom. The journey was appalling, we were both firmly wedged in the front seat, and the whole journey I had a sharp corner jabbing into my leg. Not only that, the driver kept shoving me away from his side of the vehicle, rudely awakening me from my, already, intermittent sleep. In addition, babies were vomiting and doing other horrible baby things behind us, which didn’t help the slight sickly feeling we already had mumbling away inside me.

We arrived in Bamenda early evening, and met up with Leo again. He had kindly offered to put us up for one night, and show us around Bamenda. The trip was great, and the views over Bamenda were stunning. Although I had my MP3 player stolen while there. Very annoying, presumed pickpocket.

I did experience a pickpocket before, who tapped my back pocket in the market. Well, assumed pick-pocketer. In a strange way, I hope it was a pickpocket.

We left Bamenda late on Saturday by public transport; a large coach. We drove for 8 hours overnight. This was the worst 8 hours of my life, and arrived feeling exhausted with a painful body and brain. We arrived early this morning and our accommodation is excellent! It's a hostel, that is used for student accommodation, and we've grabbed it for a mere 3 pounds per night each! Absolute steal.

After a short nap, Tom, Leo and I went to investigate the ascent of Mount Cameroon. The mountain is the tallest in West Africa, at about 4100m tall, and is an active volcano (I can hear parents' cries). It last erupted in 1999 for 3 weeks, nobody was hurt. We'll complete the climb in 3 days, and we have 3 porters and a guide, who are usually ex-hunters. It's going to be incredible, and hopefully we'll see some antelope and forest elephants (although Tom thinks they're mythical, and a little too cool to be true).

I heard a truly awful story about the volcano. Apparently, every so often, when the volcano erupts, all albinos flee from Buea, the local city where I am currently staying. This is because they believe the eruption to be a sign from the mountain God that they are hungry, and the fleeing albinos are captured and sacrificed. This still occurs, and is absolutely shocking. It is, of course, completely illegal, but there seems to be an underlying respect for their traditions in the authorities. Although it was described rather confusingly, it is appalling that this still goes on.

So, after our climb, we return, completely exhausted, on Thursday at about midday. Our plans from then until Monday 18th are the following:

1) Persuade local fisherman, in our best French, to take us fishing and then drop us off on uninhabited island. Explore island.
2) Visit black volcanic sand beaches at Limbe. Avoid sunbathing at all costs.
3) Visit zoo and botanical gardens at Limbe. Take artistic photos, and tap on glass of animals to annoy Tom. (only joshing)

Wish us luck on Mount Cameroon. Home soon!

Added more photos here!

Thursday was the day of our long awaited visit to Nkambe, which is the administrative capital of the North-West Province of Cameroon. The lord mayor had invited us there the previous week when we had bumped into Max, from ‘Radioactive’, a company that installs small scale community radios in developing countries. We arrived at the mayor’s office, and bumped into an English couple who were also visiting him. They were from Swindon (a place that Tom and I struggled to place on a map), and were from a charity called “Future in our Hands”, who have a project here in Cameroon which aims to replenish native trees and reduce the eucalyptus, a tree which is now a water-hungry nuisance. Anyway, afterwards we had the normal cheeky look around the market (looking for ridiculous fake items). This time, we came across a classic.

It was a man bag for the geek! The label was AMD Athlon, which is a computer processor. Well, I found it funny, at least.

Afterwards we went to our appointment at the local radio station for our interview. Unfortunately, it wasn’t live, but it was recorded and played a few times that week, which is good news for the project. Not too many slip ups, and Tom and I described the project and its work in a good light. I was given the recording.

On Friday we were packing up our things, and that afternoon we had arranged a send-off football match. Unfortunately not many people had turned up because of the rains, but we had a 5-a-side which kept us fit. In the evening we invited all of our new friends from Ndu down the bar for a few drinks, which turned into £30 worth, which is 60 pints of beer. God knows where they all went! Huh hum.

We left for Bamenda on Saturday morning, and after our night in the bar begrudgingly awoke at 5am (against all expectations). Very irritatingly, we didn’t actually leave to Bamenda until about 8 o’clock. “I could have had two more hours sleep bla bla, misery grumble”, said Tom. The journey was appalling, we were both firmly wedged in the front seat, and the whole journey I had a sharp corner jabbing into my leg. Not only that, the driver kept shoving me away from his side of the vehicle, rudely awakening me from my, already, intermittent sleep. In addition, babies were vomiting and doing other horrible baby things behind us, which didn’t help the slight sickly feeling we already had mumbling away inside me.

We arrived in Bamenda early evening, and met up with Leo again. He had kindly offered to put us up for one night, and show us around Bamenda. The trip was great, and the views over Bamenda were stunning. Although I had my MP3 player stolen while there. Very annoying, presumed pickpocket.

I did experience a pickpocket before, who tapped my back pocket in the market. Well, assumed pick-pocketer. In a strange way, I hope it was a pickpocket.

We left Bamenda late on Saturday by public transport; a large coach. We drove for 8 hours overnight. This was the worst 8 hours of my life, and arrived feeling exhausted with a painful body and brain. We arrived early this morning and our accommodation is excellent! It's a hostel, that is used for student accommodation, and we've grabbed it for a mere 3 pounds per night each! Absolute steal.

After a short nap, Tom, Leo and I went to investigate the ascent of Mount Cameroon. The mountain is the tallest in West Africa, at about 4100m tall, and is an active volcano (I can hear parents' cries). It last erupted in 1999 for 3 weeks, nobody was hurt. We'll complete the climb in 3 days, and we have 3 porters and a guide, who are usually ex-hunters. It's going to be incredible, and hopefully we'll see some antelope and forest elephants (although Tom thinks they're mythical, and a little too cool to be true).

I heard a truly awful story about the volcano. Apparently, every so often, when the volcano erupts, all albinos flee from Buea, the local city where I am currently staying. This is because they believe the eruption to be a sign from the mountain God that they are hungry, and the fleeing albinos are captured and sacrificed. This still occurs, and is absolutely shocking. It is, of course, completely illegal, but there seems to be an underlying respect for their traditions in the authorities. Although it was described rather confusingly, it is appalling that this still goes on.

So, after our climb, we return, completely exhausted, on Thursday at about midday. Our plans from then until Monday 18th are the following:

1) Persuade local fisherman, in our best French, to take us fishing and then drop us off on uninhabited island. Explore island.
2) Visit black volcanic sand beaches at Limbe. Avoid sunbathing at all costs.
3) Visit zoo and botanical gardens at Limbe. Take artistic photos, and tap on glass of animals to annoy Tom. (only joshing)

Wish us luck on Mount Cameroon. Home soon!

Added more photos to the same album as before! Use that link.

A special photo of Tom after removing his cap, and also a nice close up of Leo. The view is over Bamenda at dusk.