Jendema to Monrovia: checkpoints galore

The border crossing of Jendema (SL)-Bo Waterside (Liberia) is full of bribe stories on iOverlander. People being asked for money for not having a visa sticker but a visa stamp in their passport in Sierra Leone, for not having meningitis or cholera vaccination in their yellow vaccination card. And here I am, with a stamp […]

Bo to Tiwai Island: a good police officer

It wasn’t straightforward to find a right moto. The drivers simply didn’t know what I was asking them to. Potoru? Which side of town is that? Potoru is the village that is the closest to Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s apparently the place where the scientists first discovered chimpanzees can use tools. Obviously, it’s inhabited […]

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 […]