March 13, 2007

Goodbye, Farewell and a chance meeting

Well I am sad to say, but happy as well ... my time in Cameroon is over and done. I have been assigned to a new project which happens to be in Cape Town. I am doing a project at British American Tobacco ... yes, pretty strange working for a company that promotes smoking and I don't even smoke. But all in all this company is very nice, the staff here are fantastic and the people are always smiling.But there is still a chance that I might go back for one week or so but I am ignoring that fact :) it was fun, don't get me wrong but home is where the heart is and I am really happy to be home.Now this doesn't mean my posts will become null and void, I will still be on here updating and there is a chance of me doing a project in Kenya or Algeria or both so I just might have more to report on.I will say this, my last day in Cameroon was nice and at the airport I met this guy. He first approached me asking if I speak english and how can you not recognize an Aussie accent? My first thought was to ramble off in Afrikaans than to have to chat to the Aussie lad ... just joking, it was nice to actually chat to someone "similar" to a South African even though we all know that Aussies are a lesser breed of DNA ....Anyway, I am getting side tracked here, the guys name is Dean ... and we got to chatting. It so happens that this guy met some dude in Egypt or somewhere riding a bicycle and Dean thought that is such a cool idea and somehow ended up in Cape Town, although we can't blame him for coming to Cape Town but we can blame him for wanting to leave ... or wait, he is Australian, yes good thing he left or we would have lynched him hahaha ... Dean if you are reading this, I am kidding!! Seeerrrriouussss!!!Anyway, Good ol Dean promptly found himself in a Cash convertors and bought himself a mountain bike for $100 and started cycling. The story goes he decided to cycle through Africa and has been doing that for the last 3 years, but between you all and myself I think he was trying to cycle to Australia and when asked for directions .... 3 years later he was still trying to find his way home ...Sadly though as the story goes, Dean was in Cameroon somewhere heading towards Morocco when he was ambushed and shot sorry ... the day dream again ... how many of you have thought about shooting an Aussie? hahaha ...Ok, serious now ... Dean managed to get to some help and ended up in a hospital which was in grim conditions and some missionary hospital came and fetched him. They got him back to good health ... well walking very slowly health but the conditions were a lot better. An American heard that another American was shot and rushed over to see if he could help ... the running joke is when the American saw it was an Aussie he turned around and left but enough jokes, the American dude, cop, something or another saw to it that Dean was assisted to Douala airport and had assistance till he checked in.This is where we met, Cycling through Africa didn't help Dean much in understanding how airports in Africa work and what happens on the other side so I basically decided to help the guy out. I am still amazed at the idea of cycling through Africa for the last 3 years ... it would have taken him another 12 months to get to Morocco and that would have been the end of his trip. Anyway, I punted Dean on to bare his war wounds to the Kenya Airways staff so that he could get access into the Simba lounge which is luxury and I proceeded to use my lost luggage angle. This time that didn't work, no pass was going to be given to me. Thanks to Dean, he told them I am helping him out in the airport and they promptly gave me a pass to the Simba lounge as well ... Thanks mate.It was good chatting to Dean and meeting up with him and getting to know him (even if you are Australian) it was a pretty good end to my Cameroon trip. I am sorry his trip got cut short but I take my hat off to him.Now if Dean ever reads this, please note I haven't got the story in full ... so hopefully Dean, you can drop me a mail and tell me again your side of the story and I will make amends on here. If you want to put it all in your own words, I will retype it here for you.You do meet some strange and pretty cool people on these journeys ... makes me wonder what lies ahead on my next adventure ... till then ... you all be good now you hear ....

When last ....

Now when last did you see this? I fell asleep in front of the television and when I woke up .... well see for yourself ...


Squash Courts

Joy to the world, I found two places where I was able to go and play some rounds of squash. I even got to meet some awesome guys who managed to kick my butt every single time. I vow revenge, not sure when but revenge will be mine!!

Now the squash courts aren't the greatest, no airconditioning unless you open the door but that then it is like opening a restaurant to a crap load of mozzies.

Anyway ... The squash courts!!!



The entrance onto the courts