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You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Jan 15, 2009 07:00 PM Bribes, bribes, bribes to the border...
In the morning I took a taxi (5USD) to the Duala Motor Park in Monrovia. There were crowds of people and vehicles waiting in the middle of the huge, dusty market. I found a shared taxi to the border - they charge 390 LRD per person and you are squized for 2,5 hours (6 pass in the little car) My backpack is large - they charged me 50 LRD extra. We started...
And then...
First checkpoint: police do not come to the car - they want you one by one in their hut. Passport and demand to pay. Not much... But there are MANY checkpoints till the border.
I was the only foreigner in the car. Do you know what I invented? I always started the disscusion informing them that I just visited a friend in the UN office in Monrovia and that I willl be back there in a few days. It works! Other passengers paid but I did not! Try this method too!
Same at the border... It was noon when I was walking through the border bridge. Welcome to Sierra Leone!
People are much nicer and helpful on this side... No transport... The only method was to rent a motorbike. Believe or not - we were driving 4,5 hours on the dusty, red and bumpy gravel road full of holes and water streems. O my poor backbone!
But this it true African adventure! And what you see around: beautiful mud-made village - like from the African fairy tales...
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Jan 14, 2009 07:00 PM From hot and humid Africa...
I have been to Monrovia museum. The museum is little and free (donations requested). Reading visitors book I recognized that I was the first visitor since 3 days... But the museum is worth to see: there are interesting masks, woodcarvings, old photos and documents and the throne from the Masonic Temple. The temple once was a main landmark of Monrovia, now - after the war it stays empty on the hill. I have been to the Providence Island on the river where first settlers from USA landed years ago... The island is tiny and stays closed to the public. No monuments...
After 3 hours walking around the city my shirt is usually wet. It is so hot and humid! The nicest buildings of Monrovia are on the Capitol Hill - new Government and Presidential Palaces (they have lady-president!) but it is writem on the fence: Absolutely no photographs. So I did not take the risk.
UN has still strong presence. I met one of UN workers - But it seems that they know country only through the windows of their cars.
I kon that the minibuses to the Sierra Leone border goes from Douala Motor Park - tomorrow mornining I'll try mu luck and go to the frontier...
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Jan 13, 2009 07:00 PM The only tourist in Monrovia
From the airport taxi drivers wanted to charge 35 USD (no public transport), but I was bargaining down to 20. Taxis in the city are expensive - they charge 5 USD per ride (no meters) - you have to bargain. I prefere to walk around the city by foot, but in the African heat it is not so easy to walk the whole day. Sunset is the deadline: they announced that I should not leave the hotel after 6.30 pm - it is not safe...
Yesterday during the day I did not see any other white tourist on the streets of the capital. But the people so far are nice to me. They speak English, but very often their pronounciation is not clear... There is one little beach near Mamba Point but is empty... The Waterside Market is busy place (watch your pockets) but they sell there mostly second hands goods and the trash from the Far East...
You will see here many handicaped people - this is the effect of the war, they are begging. I plan to visit the museum today - we will see if they saved something throughthe war... I try to find out how to move to the border of Sierra Leone...
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Jan 12, 2009 07:00 PM How to survive Liberia...
Yes, I am already in Liberia and I found sloooow access to the internet. Liberia surprised me at the beginning: empty airport, smooth arrival procedures and then - 60 km of excellent road to the distant capital (built by Chineese).
But that's all. Monrovia still suffer from the years of civil war. No water in the tubes, electric power only few hours per day.
I went to the recommmended by friend former Florida Motel.
They changed the name again - now it is called Rose Jam Motel. Run down institution. I asked the charming and young black lady how much they charge for the dump room. The response was: Five dollars per hour including me...
Then I explained that I want to stay overnight and she said: 20 dollars US.
Update your info Kris: now here is no need to register at the police, to supply photos and to pay extra 25 USD fee - sounds better!
They have local currency: Liberian dollar. On the streets there are plenty of money changers on the holed streets and they give 63 Liberian for 1 USD. But in fact USD are loved and accepted by everyone. Banana cost 5 LRD, big orange 10 LRD. Expensive! It is the capital city - the province is probably cheaper. I'll try to survive...
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Jan 11, 2009 07:00 PM Departing Ghana...
It is time to say good-bye to this friendly country. This afternoon I am departing to Liberia. Since Cote d'Ivoire is not safe to travel and this is a long way I decided to take an award ticket for Kenya airways flight to Monrovia. It is hard to predict, how will be the situation in this civil war-destroyed country. I do not know about internet access... Just keep you fingers crossed, dear friends!
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Jan 10, 2009 07:00 PM On Volta River - Ghana
Coming back from Hohoe/Wli Waterfall area I decided to make a detour to Akosombo Dam on Volta River. Is is just 10 km off the main route.
The best view of the Dam, the artificial lake and the mountains is from the Volta Hotel located on the hill. The view was nice but hazy -you should come here in March to have a clear sky. Hotel is expensive - from 98 USD per room but the access to the terrace is free. On the weekend days you can jump on the cruise ship departing at. 10.30 am - returning 4 pm. They charge 30 cedi pp and the lunch is included.
River Volta at the bottom of the dam is picturesque and there are few hotels just on the bank. It is possible to hire a boat...
I had a problem to find onward transport to Accra in the afternoon - all passing minibuses were full. Tro-tro - as they call them are cheap - 2.50 cedi to Accra but packed up, so if you have long legs it is the challenge to travel in it.
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Jan 09, 2009 07:00 PM Highest waterfall of West Africa
You know that I am the waterfall fan. In Eastern Ghana there is Wli Fall - in the distance of 4 hours drive by holed roads from Accra. I decided to go there and to see it...
Public transport require in Africa a lot of patience. I was waiting more then 2 hours at Tudu bus station in Accra with other black passengers until the minibus will be full.
OK I paid 6,50 cedi to Hohoe and we started at 10 am. Many checkpoints on the road but the police do not control passports.
From Hohoe there is shared taxi to Wli - 14 km on the dusty, partlu gravel roads. Nice hilly landscape, baobabs. Then you pay 7 cedi entry fee and you can walk to the bottom of the fall. It is 2km - like 30 min walk.
Wli Fall has few drops - most of people see only the lower one - 60 m high. Very nice place and worth the effort.
I spent a night in Wli Lodge (24 cedi per clean chalet with bath) - this place has nice mountain view and is worth to recommend! Tiring but lovely day!
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Jan 08, 2009 07:00 PM I have the second visa!
Ghana introduced new money two years ago. One new cedi (the notes are quite dirty alredy :)) is worth 10000 old cedis and worth 1.23 USD.
It is confusing because the people still in their minds use the old currency units. So, they will tell you thet the papaya at the street vendor costs 4000. You have to convert it - it is 0.40 new cedi or 40 pesoes. Nine years ago when I was here for the first time I did not heat abous pesoes. Now I have to know that bottle of coke costs 40 pesoes, one banana 10 pesoes, the pineapple - 50 pesoes.
In the centre of Accra there is nice park with the mausoleum of well - known politician - Kwame Nkrumah. Can you imagine that they charge 6 cedis for the entry to the park? An it is forbidden to take the pictures through the fence...
I got my second visa! It will open my way to Sierra Leone!
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Jan 07, 2009 07:00 PM Ghana. Walking around Accra...
The capital of Ghana is spread wide so I have to walk quite a lot to reach my destinations. Taxis are plentiful but rather expensive if you want to use them privately.
The white means rich here so the taxi drivers always push the horn passing me... Almost non-stop. -Why this white in the blue jeans is walking in the heat and dust, he should take a taxi!
Well, in the morning I reported to the Liberian Embassy with a hope to receive promised visa. The lady iat the window said that I should give them also 2 photos (yesterday she forgot about that, because she was thinking only about the bribe). Thanks God I had a supply of photos with me, so it was not a problem.
The problem appeared because there was no authorised person to sign my visa. Wait again! His excellency arrived finally at 11.40. I got my Liberian visa! Hurrrah!
The High Commission of Sierra Leone (that's how they call the embassies of Commonwealth Countries) is 25 min walk away. It is quite different, friendly embassy - they collected 1 form, 2 photos, 80 USD, passport and promised visa to be ready in 24 hours (update your info, Kris...). I trust them!
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Jan 06, 2009 07:00 PM Another lesson of African corruption
I have been in Ghana 9 years ago. Accra changed a little. People are still nice ang speak English, they built also few high buildings. But now the reason to be here again is to get visas to the next countries on my trail.
Embassy of Liberia is located in the Airport Residential Area - I took tro-tro (cramped minibus) to get there - the ride costs only 0.30 cedi. Embassy is located in the litte and dirty house. At the beginning I went to next pivate villa thinking "this can't be the embassy!".
9.00 - no staff in the embassy. I was waiting in the shade. They arrived at 9.40.
The visa cost hefty 90 USD. But... You have to fill one form and... supply a letter to the embassy. Here is the trick. It must be typed! (I did not see any computer in this embassy) Where can I find the typewriter in the residential area??. -We can write it for you but you must pay. Show me how much money you have! OK. 10 USD extra. But we must send somebody with the papers far away! ??? Another 10 cedi will be OK...
Normally it takes 3-4 days, but since you have a birthday today the visa will be ready tomorrow!
Thanks God! That's Africa! Nothing new, I know from previous voyages that especially the West is well corrupted!
Thanks to all my friends who sent me their birthday wishes!
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