Freetown to Bo: how it is to be an alpha male

The cleaning day – which prohibits any movement unless you have a “pass, people stay at homes, cars don’t drive, businesses stay closed – didn’t in my eyes do much cleaning. It ended at 12pm. I set off to find bus to Jui, a junction where I was told to find transport on to Bo. […]

Friday in Freetown: no more rainy days

Morning became a routine already. Out by just before 11am, chatted with the tourism men who are here again. Breakfast a stew green with rice at Jeska Mac, off on a moto to Nigerian Embassy. As I walked in I saw two young men, possibly Nigerians, entering the compound and snapping photos all around. Photos […]

Visa no. 10: Ivory Coast in Freetown

This is how all visas should be. Ivory Coast maintains a honorary consulate in Freetown. It’s at 1 Wilson Street. I arrive at the consulate at 1:15pm on Friday. Its marked by Ivorian flag, there is no sign. I see a man outside he leads me to a room. Visas are granted, take 2 working […]

Visa no. 9: Nigeria in Freetown

It’s been a bit of a rollercoaster. Monday. The high commission opens for consular affairs at 10am, I’m asked to wait outside. We enter a few minutes past 10, I, a Lebanese man and a German couple. A man comes out to meet us. The Germans are quoted $175 each for the visa paid to […]

Thursday in Freetown: with ambassador in State House

I left the guesthouse around 11am, went to Jeska Mac, had something called boil soup with rice. It was a stew, with both meat (beef I’d say) and fish pieces. Not too bad, 20,000le. I wanted to dress up for the interview: long trousers and shirt. I tried the African patent of not showing sweat […]

Wednesday in Freetown: beach no. 2

I stayed in bed as long as I could – till about 10am. I had manioc leaves and rice in Jeska Mac for breakfast, 12000le and a Guinness for 10000le. The breakfast was more like brunch, just before noon. I gave my clothes out to be washed. Towel – the so-called tourist towels are waste […]

Tuesday in Freetown: struggle will be real

There was power in SLARI guesthouse till the morning. I had the fan set up so close to bed that I woke up dry and not too hot. Things are possible. I filled up Nigerian visa form – all six pages of it – got the email from Amyn with the invitation and her passport […]

Monday in Freetown: the two embassies

I woke up all sweaty in my $17 apartment. Not good. Mornings are cool and I should be fresh and crispy and here I am, melting at 6am. At least there were no mosquitoes and in the room there was no mosquito net and the carpeted floor makes burning a coil risky. The plan for […]

Visa no. 8: Liberia in Freetown

Liberian visa is fairly straightforward. I took a 3,000le moto to the embassy. It’s an unmarked gate on Spur Road. The building quite a nice villa, a flag hanging (but invisible from outside, the walls are high and the ground steep). Inside I waited to be announced and I was led to the consul/ambassador’s office. […]

Bo to Freetown: sorry we’re full

The caretaker of my guesthouse in Bo said there are two government busses going to Freetown in the morning: at 5am and at 8am. If I miss them, there are other vehicles though. Bradt Guide says government busses are the best mode of transport because they’re the cheapest, fastest (!) and they have a beautiful […]