Category: Travel

Back to a city with an Internet connection, albeit slow from here and a very sticky keyboard. We left Labe, Guinea about a week ago and this is the first place with 24 hr per day mains electricity (one other had power after 6:30 pm). We’ll be here a couple of days changing money, answering mail and eating a more balanced diet. Last night was the first with a reasonable portion of meat, but still few vegetables. Most meals are maafe and rice. Maafe typically consists peanut sauce with one imagines  few tablespoons of mashed leaves over rice. Some of it quite good. Very little to no fruit available. Sometimes bananas. But they are available here.

Thanks to all who wrote; unfortunately from this cafe I can’t seem to respond to emails. I guess the emails announcement worked this time.

We plan to leave from here Monday and try to make it to Mali that day. Unfortunately we’re going to miss a big festival we wanted to attend. It starts today in Mali; apparently early this year. The cattle crossing festival is scheduled based on the water flows in the Niger River and they must be a bit low this year. 

 No phone service here, we’ll probably get a service in Mali.

We’ll try to post details of some of our recent adventures.

Today was money changing and shopping day. We found the money changing district and were going along comparing rates. We went back the guy who seemed to have the best rate. His office opening right on the street was about 6 ft square with boxes and bags of money. We worry about showing our hundreds of dollars worth and people were carrying thousands in plastic bags out. I was fasinated and tried to sneak a photo. Unfortunately an onlooker saw me and a scene was created. I erased the photo before anyone saw it, and after a few minutes of trying to show the photos in the camera; an English speaking local helped us out. Stupid tourist.

We then plunged into the market–narrow haphazard 2-ft. wide lanes with ragged sheet metal roofs at my head level. One area of lockable stalls. Most fasinating was about a dozen men using meat grinders (like we have or had in the US) to grind peanuts into peanut butter. No one would let us take pictures. Then down the street where several hundred women were selling produce and the peanut butter. The quantities were typically small. Melons/squashes cut into 1-in. slices.

Louisa bought some locally dyed fabric and we picked up a couple of wooden spoons.

We’ll be here another day. We’ve been trying to get into the local museum but the director is away–maybe tomorrow.

We met Ruth, an Italian women, who is in country for three months doing Ph.D research on the politics from WW2 until the end of Sekou Toure’s reign of terror. She is mainly interviewing members of the government and others who spent time in prison. She also did several weeks of library research in Conakry.  A challenging project for someone who is on her first trip out of Europe, but she seems pretty relaxed about it all.

We’re spending time here on the Internet–slow, but doable. We’ll probably leave day after tomorrow for Mali-ville, Guineau and then to Kedougou, Senegal. Mali-ville (really Mali, Senegal, but commonly called Mali-ville to differentiate it from the country, Mali) has no electricity, so Internet is unlikely. So we’ll be out of touch for about ten days. Phone may still receive SMS.

We’re enjoying the hot showers, good bed. Not enjoying the noise and motos. Hotel has only pizzas for dinner; we miss the local food of Doucki. Otherwise the hotel is great; has a nice patio and very good manager.

Some footnotes to Louisa’s Doucki posting: Price was a whooping $16 per day per person–food, lodging, and English speaking guide. As a reference the “better” hotels are relatively expensive here– about $25 per day including breakfast for two with dinner about $6; although cheaper in local restaurants. The video Louisa alluded to should be posted on YouTube in a few months. Hassan Bah speaks excellent English which made the stay much easier too. Temperature was about 90F during the day and low 70s at night. Humidity moderate.

The scenery was great–cliffs, waterfalls, slot canyons, villages, fields, jungle. Detail is low here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=fr&geocode=&time=&date=&ttype=&q=10.997733,+-12.599667&ie=UTF8&ll=10.997732,-12.599688&spn=0.124359,0.160675&t=h&z=13&om=1
We noticed the all too usual women and children only working in the fields around Doucki. Then we realized that there weren’t many men between 15 and 50 in the village and surroundings. We found that they were all away in other countries working–Freetown and Dakar (many of the Peul lived in Sierra Leone when driven out by Sekou Toure starting in 1976). We asked about the new houses being built–financed with remittances. The local region just can’t support the people. Bah said the key needs were water (meaning foot pump wells, instead of hand drawn), education, and health. He had one of the few solar panels to provide light for his house and charge the cell phones. Cell phones seem to be the first major purchase.

Labe has working age men; but many hanging out it seems, but there must be some work. We were surprised to see how much building is going on in Labe, several multi-story buildings downtown. And seemingly many more motos–many private and as taxis.

One unusual observation at the “upmarket” restaurant last night. Two separate couples came in and only the men ate. One women had a few bites of her companions meal. Both women looked well fed and dressed by local standards.

Phone note: Sotelgui has the best rural coverage, but costs a bit more. Probably not more than $10 for a SIM card and some minutes. Areeba was $6.

In our hotel the visitors are either USAID or NGOs. USAID held a multi-country forestry meeting here this week and we met a couple of the US personnel.

In Dalaba we met four tourists from Montana, one solo Alaskan, and a Brit. But tourists are few are far between. Sad because the scenery is great, the people nice; although the amenities can be basic. Yesterday we looked up immigration here because we weren’t sure we could get our passports stamped when we left which can cause problems when we arrive in Senegal. Expected some hassle. None, friendly, helpful. Passports stamped. No bribes–not even hinted at.

Later, Greg

We arrived last night in Labe after staying four days in the small village of Doucki in the Fouta Djalon highlands west of Pita. We headed west on our bikes to see the Chutes de Kinkon 11/14 on our way to Doucki and on to Telemeli with plans to return to Pita after four days. Our plans went awry almost immediately as signage is minimal to nonexistant on the roads. The Telemeli road is dirt with only traffic being a few taxis, motos and people on foot. First we went the wrong way aaand had to back track several kilometers. Finally we found the turn off to Kinkon after asking people along the way. We arrived at the Chutes which were an 80 meter waterfall into a deep canyon. We came to find out that it was impossible to continue on the road from the falls to Doucki. Again we had to back track asking locals which way to go. By that time it was already afternoon and hot. We also were running out of water and had to keep looking for public wells along the way to refill our water bottles. We must have asked 30 times which way to go as there are dirt tracks and footpaths going every which way with no signs. Often people people did not speak French only Pulaar and we used sign language and the name of the town. By 6 pm it was starting to get dark and we were still 8 miles from our destination. The road was getting steeper and rockier and difficult to climb with the weight of the panniers. Finally we were exhausted aand it was dark. We only had our Petzel headlamps to see and the road was barely discernable in the dark. In the village of Yaga we called it quits and tried to find accommodations to no avail. However we did see parked taxis. Luckily a taxi appeared which we took a ride with the last 5 miles to Doucki. We were dropped off at an intersection in the pitch black. There is no electricity or running water in these villages. Two gentlemen appeared pointing into the darkness directing us to Hassan Bah’s house saying Tout Doit. Go straight. Off we went into the dark stumbling over the rocky road pushing our bikes for what seemed like forever. Finally a fence line appeared out of the darkness. Then a flashlight. We heard a voice in English. Hello how are you man? Hows life? Come this way.

It was Hassan Bah. We were welcomed into his family compound in Doucki with open arms. It was then 8:30 pm by then. Immediately we were seated in a open air conical Fula style hut aand we were brought rice with fish and potatoes. Obviously the remains of their dinner. It tasted wonderful. We were shown a Fula hut with a big double bed and water was drawn from the well for a bucket bath. We had ridden 42 miles and were happy to fall into the bed which was a mattress stuffed with the stalks of the fonio plant. Hard as a rock.

The next four days we were treated to the incredible hospitality of Hassan Bah and his family. About Hassan Bah. Born in Sierra Leone and fluent in English, Spanish, French and Pulaar. Probably the funniest upbeat person I have ever met. Worked in hospitality at the Zairean Embassy and as a seaman traveling to Spain before returning home. He started leading Peace Corps volunteers on local hikes in 2002 and then developed a small guesthouse business. He provided three meals a day cooked by his wife Mamouna and sister in law Mamadou Binta AKA Lachirri. My accidental nickname Lachirri which means couscous when I confused the food with her name. It stuck. We ate whatever they ate which was delicious sauces of BoroBoro leaves, beans and peanut sauce and rice or fonio, couscous or squash potatoes and onion with pieces of goat meat or chicken. Petit dejeuner was tea and baguette with wild honey and bananas iif available. Each day Hassan guided us on hikes of about two to four hours through the country side. We hiked to Hyena Rock overlook into a deep valley wwith hoo doos aand escarpment cut by erosion and the river. Our favorite hike was Indiana Jones. Hassan pretended to get on his cell phone and call the King of the Monkeys. Allo. Is this the King of the monkeys? Yes man we are coming. No we do not have any bananas. Hey man you are making monkey coffee? We dont want monkey coffee. No man we want regular coffee . Ok see you man bye. Then he called Mrs. Indiana Jones. You will just have to see his performance on video. Words cannot describe this adequately. We dropped into this jungle canyon wwith vines every which way climbing the steep walls of the slot canyon covered with moss and ferns. Hassan demonstrated his gymnastic ability by climbing some of the vines. There were rock arches and small stream running through the canyon. I fell in trying to step out into one of the slots and almost submerged the camera. We arrived at a double waterfall Hassan called the Jacuzzi. Two small pools of warm water like a bath; There is no Bilharzia here in the water so swimming is safe. Climbing out we spotted some shy grey monkeys. No monkey coffee though.

The next two days we hiked Wet and Wild and Vulture Rock through traditional Fula villages aand pastures of grazing cattle and women threshing fonio doing the wash in streams. We even got a private tour through one of the older traditional Fula home built of adobe painted and thatch roof maybe in the 30s or 40s.There were more hikes like the Grand Canyon and Chutes and Ladders. We will save those for our return visit. We also visited the local public primary school where there is one teacher for forty students. They were only just getting one more teacher so more kids in the village could attend school. We also visited the health post with very simple facilities manned by one doctor. Dr. Sow. The extent of his inventory of medicine seemed to be what sat on his desk. Not much. Antibiotics and Larium. What they need is a solar panel and small fridge to keep much needed vaccines. We have been thinking how we could help this happen. Solar is the way to go for them in this little village.

We said our farewells to the Bah family and on djaramabwi – Thank you very much in Pulaar. Our return to Pita was not eventful aand easier. In six hours we were in Pita and back in civilization such as it is. I already miss our peaceful country home. Nice to take a bucket shower in the little twig enclosure with the cows mooing, the birds and crickets chirping, goats bleating, kids playing soccer while the sun sets. For those of you who wish to enjoy the fantastic hosptality of Fula culture in the Fouta Djalon and Hassan Bahs wonderful humor his cell number is 60 39 36 42. All for now. –Louisa

You all probably think we got kidnapped or lost in the jungle. We’ve just been busy and also in places without working Internet. Internet available, but couldn’t connect that day. Louisa is posting on our past six days, so I’ll leave it at this for the moment.

The phone number in the previous posting was wrong. It’s now been corrected. We are about three hours from Conakry. A bit cooler here, but on a warming trend. High of 90. Humid. Thunderstorms seem to be gone. Power out all day yesterday from the storm. We called Aicha from here thinking she still lived her, but now lives in Conakry, but took a bush taxi the next day and arrived yesterday. Gifted us. I got material to make a shirt and pants outfit which was made today and we picked it up this afternoon. Now I’ll be styling. And now I have a second pair of pants to wear. We met a French expat here who married a local three years ago. The five of us went to a nice waterfalls for a picnic today. Very leisurely. We were expecting to have to walk in, but wasn’t far. Aicha was the young lady we met last year who was helping the French running group. Was instrumental in recovering my GPS.

::The day after the above.

The internet cafe we were at two days ago wasn’t great. Slow, computer crash and power failure. Found another one that’s faster and new equipment and US keyboard (placement of keys, one can usually change the keyboard from French).

Today we had lunch with the French expat and his wife. Invited over at 11 am when the food preparation was barely underway which was fine since we’d had a late breakfast. And we got to observe local food preparation methods. His wife, Nafi, and a helper prepared the meal. Potato leaves, onions crushed in a “mortar and pestle,” chicken, smoked fish, beef, okra, tomatos, and spices. All cutting is done without a cutting board. The two of them cut up the chicken. Served over rice and it was delicious. The two hour wait allowed us time to digest our breakfast. A nice couple. She definitely has a say so in the relationship–looked like any of our relationships (yes, the woman is the boss).

Turned interesting when the lawyer for his former Guinean wife showed up. Rather heated for half and hour and then they seemed to settle down to business. We didn’t know what was going on at first, but found out later from Aicha. We took our leave and headed to the market.

 Aicha helped Louisa procure a new dress. Bought the fabric, hired the tailor and all was finished in three hours. Even a chapeau from left over material. Now we’re both styling.

As far as we can tell we’re the only tourists of any nationality in town. We didn’t think we saw any in Conakry either. We’ve met several Europeans, but they’re all working or volunteering for NGOs. Other visitors at the hotel are military or businessmen–both local and westerners. At the hotel last night was a couple who took a short break from their volunteering in The Gambia–a small country north of here. He’s a British doctor who’s now the equivalent of a resident and working for nine months as the main doctor in a small town. His wife is a teacher who has helped set up a library and worked with local teachers to set up lesson plans.

The most interesting guy was a French Canadian who said he owned a security company here and in other countries in Africa and South America. He was up from Conakry with the French owner of the hotel. The owner has been married to a Guinean for twenty years with a daughter studing in Toulouse and an eight year old here. He’s now in diamonds! The Canadian said his preparation for the security business was that he was in of some kind Canadian special forces. Didn’t seem the type. Travels around Africa alone. Usually European businessman travel with drivers, but he feels he knows how to get by.

One final tidbit. The fourth mobile phone service is going in here. Obviously money to be made and free enterprise is at work. Communications is very important, but would be nice if somehow development could be directed at other businesses. You usually can’t phone people on a service other than your own (you never can text message to another service). Oh well.

We’re heading to Dalaba tomorrow. Up in the mountains, so the temperature will be nice. We plan to do some hiking and biking. Aicha is heading back to Conakry tomorrow also.

We arrived safe and sound if a bit tired. And our bikes and luggage arrived too. Haven’t taken the bikes out of the bages yet. We’ll leave for Kindia early and we’ll unpack there. We got a phone card and the number should be good until |Nov. 17 and possibly longer. +224 64 87 16 79. I think the card expires then and we can’t get the same service in Senegal or Mali. We don’t have voice mail or if we do I don’t know how to work it yet.

We expected the worse at the Conakry airport. But everything went smoothly. |Last year we were sheparded through by a Peace Corp worker and her local assistant . But the airport was quieter and they didn’t hassle us about our bikes nor our luggage. One cursory bag peak. We didn’t have a reservation and arriving at 3 in the morning, we weren’t too excited about that. We asked to go to a place that was often supposed to be full. The night watchman let us in, rousted the manager and five minutes later we had a room.

Changing money was equally uneventful. Of course we knew the routine and what the money looked like and how it was going to be packaged. 1200 US equals a stack about 5 inches tall.

The only disappointment was dinner tonight. We wanted a sit down restaurant (as opposed to street food without tables or chairs). Ended up at a place trying to be western, but for the presumably well off of Conakry. Food was not very good. Particularly after a meal with our friend Ibrahima who we met last year. He helped us out of getting hassled by a small time thug in the bus station when Louisa attempted to shoot a video. He’s an accounting student. He’s the eldest son and his family is helping him with school. It’s a free public school, but he has living expenses here. He’ll graduate mid next year, but doesn’t really expect to get a job. His father is a small time vendor in a small town.

And it’s not as hot as last year. Probably high eighties today. Rained last night just before we arrived which was unexpected.

Signing off for now.

Tickets purchased. We’re committed.

Today in the NYTimes, African Art at the MET

Too many people are thinking of security instead of opportunity. They seem more afraid of life than death.
-James F. Byrnes

Trip is on. We just booked our reservation. Royal Air Maroc because it’s about $400 cheaper, but the times suck. Pretty much the same schedule/times we had last year.