What do you for a weeks holiday in Sierra Leone? Well there is Tiwai (an amazing wildlife sanctuary in Moyamba), Tacugama (The Chimpanzee Santuary in the hills behind Freetown), for the real explorers there’s Mount Bintumani (West Africa’s tallest peak up near Kabala somewhere!!) and of course there’s the BEACHES!!!!
So I took off for a weeks holiday and set off down the coast with a friend, small rucksack each and about £200 between us (we came back with change!). Hamilton was the first stop. It’s the far end of Lakka which is the nearest swimmable beach a few miles south of Freetown. You can of course swim at Lumley Beach if you want to risk various sewage borne diseases!!! We got public transport (rickety taxi) to Lakka and walked around the gorgeous bay to Hamilton and stayed 3 nights at Samso’s (078 764734) which is a wonderful quiet secret. Huts on the beach 120-140k Le per night inc breakfast (this about £10pppn). One day we took a walk to Sussex beach which is a 2 hour stroll through Hamilton village and then along the beach. You have to wade through the river to reach Francos (very variable food and service, from terrible to reasonable). There is also a gorgeous river behind the sea that you can float along, The nearest I’ve got to in months to a warm bath! Unfortunately my waterproof camera inexplicably let in water and stopped working after the floating! All the peninsula beach walks are so lovely with the beach and sea on one side and the forested mountains on the other, unfortunately NOT captured on film but lodging firmly in my memory.
After Hamilton, we took motorbikes to River No2 beach and from there hiked down the next beach and waded across the river to Tokeh…another beautiful and deserted white sand palm fringed beach, 2 nights here and then another local taxi to Banana Island. We stayed at Daltons run by a young Greek chap called Gregory. He is in the middle of major renovations and its going to be a great place to stay very soon (076 278120) basic en suite rooms 50k Le plus 12k Le for breakfast (Omelette and chips!!!) but there will be a cheap sleeping hut and also camping very soon. Gregory has devised a hot shower system which is a large metal barrel with a small fire/smouldering embers under it so amazingly I had a hot shower and without scalding myself too! Banana island is lovely and worth hiking around to explore the island and its many lovely beaches and quiet spots. Greg also is going to start dive courses. He is a master diver and has all the equipment. Also it is beautiful to snorkel around the rocks, lots of lovely fish.
So after a 6 day trip, it was back to Freetown via… 1 boat, 1 Poda, 2 walks and 3 taxis! Four hours later I was home again…. Back in the frenetic life in Freetown and those empty beaches suddenly seemed very far away!
28th December and time to go home? Question is what happens next? I’m happy and settled here, despite the difficulties of life and the poverty and the tummy upsets!!! Now it seems I have two homes....So this is what it feels like to be torn between two countries; two lots of friends, two cultures, two set of clothes, two bottle openers and of course two different climates!!! So off I go back to the UK with nothing sorted yet to come back, no job, no flight back booked, with much of sadness, especially at leaving the Ministry but also so looking forward to seeing my family and friends, many of them who love and miss me but don't understand this passion I have for Africa.... so what’s next?
