Mile 91

It has been good to get out of Freetown this weekend. We left early yesterday morning and chartered a taxi across the city to a place where we could pick up a minibus taxi. You can't rely on exactly when they will leave, because they just wait until they fill up, but we weren't sitting in the sun too long before there was a full load (which is a about 5 people more than I would judge as a full load). On the way, we noticed that every time we stopped a remarkably similar looking lad appeared outside and pulled the side door open to let people in and out. It was only when we saw vans coming the other way with passengers tucked  among the luggage on the roof that we realised how he was managing it. In contrast to the hot traffic jam that is Freetown, the main road up-country is a joy. If only the standard of the vehicles could match it..

As you can see below, the welcoming committee were out to meet us at Mile 91. Jayne, the VSO we were visiting, has only been there for 2 weeks and the arrival of 3 more white faces was a big deal for some.

Jayne works for the Sierra Leone Youth Empowerment Organisation, which is doing great work with young people. This area was very badly affected during the war, when much of the fighting was done by young people. We also met several of the other staff, some of whom have been working in the organisation since its inception 10 years ago.

I'm now back in Freetown and feel I can set the city in a bit better context than before. The weekend was a tiring one in some ways, but it was also energising for me, just observing the way people get on with life when they don't have any of the 'essentials' we take for granted. On the way back we were in a car sized taxi, and paid for an extra seat, so that were only three of us in the back. As you can see, the guys in the front could not afford such luxuries.

Having a bit more space, I was able to take some pics of the roadside scenes as we drove by. There was just one view that was alarming, and I really, really hope some artistic wag was just having a laugh, though I can't be sure..