Sierra Leone Archives - TRAVELBUCKET

UNDER LOCKDOWN DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS NOW WHAT?

At the moment the world is holdings its breath in anticipation of the corona virus outcome. So what can you do while under lockdown? You can be lazy and lie on the couch, watch series and get lazy. My motto is to tackle only one task that I never get around to do or just always find an excuse for and get it done and dusted, but then thoughts wonder to travelling and I somehow still do not get around to completing my task. If you are hungry for a camping trip, but all the campsites are locked for safety reasons the next best thing to do is to unpack and check your camping equipment. Get the kids involved and pitch the tent, check the zips and window gauze and give it a good waterproof washdown. Put things aside that needs attention for another day when under lockdown. Remember the… Read more >

TIPS ON HOW TO NEGOTIATE AFRICAN ROADS

This post is mostly for the inexperienced first-time visitor/driver to the African continent. Always remember that Africa is quite different than any other continent. So be aware that you sometimes need to come out of your comfort zone to survive the continent. Things that seems abnormal on other continents is sometimes quite normal in Africa! Check your tyres before you drive off. It sounds a bit foolish, but this can safe you some embarrassment if you just walk around your vehicle once to check if all your tyres are still okay and inflated to the correct pressure. Now you are ready to hit the road and enjoy the rest of your trip. Tyre compressors and gauges at garages, especially in remote locations, are not always correct. Be aware of that. We have a habit of using our own tyre pressure gauge that we carry in our cubbyhole. Part of… Read more >

THE CHIMPS OF TACUGAMA

On one of my trips to visit hubby in Sierra Leone we explored around the sprawling city of Freetown and heard from the locals about the chimp sanctuary high up in the hills. My daughter was excited – she wanted to visit. So we set out to find it. The trip there in itself is quite a bit of an experience as you travel through dust trodden streets littered with old wooden houses high up on the hills. The travel is slow going so enjoy the ride. It is all part of the experience. Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary is tucked away in the threatened Western Area Peninsula Forest Reserves on the edge of Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone. The sanctuary spans about 100 acres (+- 40 hectares) of lush indigenous rain forests. In 1995 Bala Amarasekaran felt in his heart the desire, and had the vision, to rescue, confiscate and… Read more >

FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE

With the ongoing ebola outbreak in West Africa I am pretty sure most of the world now knows where the once forgotten Sierra Leone is located. My first experience of Sierra Leone in 2011 was ten years after a bloody civil war (1991- 2001) and before the horrendous ebola outbreak in 2014 which is the largest in history. Sierra Leone – a struggling country filled with friendly people with warm and welcoming hearts. Crossing Africa on my flight from Johannesburg (via Nairobi and Accra with Kenya Air) to Freetown I sat next to a proud soldier who was on holiday from Afghanistan. He was super excited to see his family back home in Freetown after an absence of three years from his home country. His eyes were shining bright and he could not wait to put his feet on home soil and hug his family once again. Oh yes, and… Read more >