|
Here is our Newsletter #34!
|
|
Six countries in two months!
Read all about the last weeks of our trip in this newsletter.
As usual, you will find one of our favorite photos as a full resolution download below.
Have fun!
|
|
|
Where we are and where we have been:
|
|
The Republic of the Congo
After our relaxed days in the capital Brazzaville we continued to the North. It was a couple of days drive through pretty remote land. First, the road lead us through a long stretch of deforested area, including some muddy parts, later we entered the beautiful dense rain forest.
We crossed the equator and the feeling of driving back home increased even more.
|
|
Cameroon
After many long days of driving, especially the last one where we had taken a "short cut" along a dirt road which had turned into mud lakes in places, we finally arrived at the sea and spent some relaxed days at the beach in Kribi.
Our next stop was Cameroon's capital Yaoundé. Our overland friend Franz from Germany who we had met in Australia for the first time and who happens to live in the town next to our home town runs the charity Augenhilfe Afrika that supports eye care in Cameroon. We got the chance to meet the doctor who was trained in Germany and runs a successful clinic in the capital and works for free for the charity in the fields. We had great days with him and his lovely family and again enjoyed endless hospitality.
|
|
|
Before we entered the next country, we visited an eco village and a monastery and were impressed by the tranquility of these places in an otherwise quite hectic country. And we enjoyed a very peaceful Christmas Eve at the latter one.
|
|
Nigeria
Due to conflicts in Cameroon's northwest and Nigeria's northeast, we took the currently only border crossing between these two countries which leads you along a pretty rough track through beautiful mountainous landscapes.
Although, everybody warned us about Nigeria, the crime and the uncountable check points, we actually had a fun time there. In the short time of ten days we spent in the country, we got stopped 56 times by police/military/immigration/road safety/highway patrol/..., but we almost always had a nice chat with friendly officers. And it felt great to talk in English again after all that Portuguese and French in the countries before. Even the questions for a "gift" was easily solved by our answer: We give you our happy smiles!
We never felt unsafe, met only friendly people and started happily into the new year at the Drill Ranch in the Afi Mountains (check out the picture to download at the end of the newsletter!).
|
|
Benin
Our days in small Benin were filled with Voodoo! The religion is widespread in that region of West Africa, and it happened that we were in the country during the most important Voodoo celebrations of the year. We started with a guided trip through the town of Abomey, met a Voodoo priest and visited a Voodoo church and a fetish market. We then traveled to the coast and attended the big Voodoo festival in Ouidah, and a smaller one in Possotomé. We had met another German couple, traveling through West Africa with their truck and their dog, and we had a great time together, exploring this religion full of unexplainable myths and rites.
|
|
Togo
The equally small neighboring country of Togo felt pretty relaxed after the crazy Voodoo days with many people and loud drumming.
Our first stop was its capital Lomé but after only two days there we fled from the hot and humid coastline towards the mountainous area around Kpalimé in the west. We met Gav and Lou from South Africa who seem to be the only other travelers goind up the West coast instead of down as all the other travelers we've met so far. And it seems our paths will cross again a couple of times.
We visited an eco farm where we volunteered for three days and experienced hard farm work without machinery. It was good fun (and a hard earned muscle sore) to dig over the field by hand and axe, prepare the land for planting seeds, carry the daily water up from the river and care for the chickens and goats.
|
|
Ghana
A week ago, we've entered Ghana. We crossed over from Togo directly at the Wli Falls. A five hour hike brought us to the upper and lower parts of the waterfall, and even more muscle sore.
We stopped at Volta lake, once the biggest dam, now number 6 in the world, for a night before we drove to Ghana's capital Accra. We met Lou and Gav again and enjoyed a room in their rented apartment, with air conditioning, a hot water shower and a washing machine (pure luxury!).
Now, we are in Kumasi, the second biggest city. Eight years ago, Anna spent four months here, during an internship in the university hospital. So the plans for the next days are based around that: showing Henry the hospital and the student hostel and meeting friends from that time!
|
|
FOR YOU
Here it is! Our regular gift! The best picture, made by us, for you!
The beautiful, proud male drill monkey in Nigeria - click HERE
|
|
|
See you on the road!
Anna and Heiner
|
|
|
|
|
