23 May 2017

Sunny In Sierra Leone

Hello world. Sorry about the lack of posts. I’ve been in lala land for the last few months but slowly snapping out of it. In December, I travelled to my home country, Sierra Leone for the first time to visit family. As some of you may know, I was born in Sierra Leone.Sierra Leone, River No.2 Beach, Beach, Freetown, Salone, Africa, West Africa, Sunny In Every Country

I will start this post with a question. What comes to mind when I say the words “Sierra Leone”?…….POVERTY, CIVIL WAR, BLOOD DIAMOND, EBOLA….ETC

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Hold those thoughts because I am going to show you a side to my country that you barely knew existed. Hell, even I didn’t know exist.

 Buckle up, it’s going to be a long one!

BEFORE TRAVELING TO SIERRA LEONE

You probably already know you need to have a valid passport for visiting Sierra Leone. But you also need an appropriate visa for non ECOWAS passport holders. Some might ask what is ECOWAS? The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is made up of fifteen member countries that are located in the Western African region. These countries have both cultural and geopolitical ties and shared common economic interest.

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Another important information before traveling to Sierra Leone. GO WITH AN OPEN MIND. Chances are, what you have heard about Sierra Leone are most likely false.You will leave with a lot of stereotypes unlearned and a new found understanding of one of the most beautiful countries in the world. 

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Phone Network:The two major telecommunication providers in Sierra Leone are Airtel and Africel. Phone network was my number one frustration. Be prepare to spend lot of money on data.

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Lastly, Sierra Leone has a huge population of stray dogs. They are everywhere you look: dodging traffic, roaming the beaches and scavenging in gutters for food. Many hop about on just three legs due to collisions with cars, and many more lie on the corners of roads

HISTORY

European contacts with Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa. In 1462 Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra mapped the hills surrounding what is now Freetown Harbor, naming the oddly shaped formation Serra Lyoa (Lioness Mountain). Sierra Leone was colonized in 1787 by freed slaves arriving from England. Other groups followed from Nova Scotia (1792) and Jamaica (1800). They were sponsored and governed by the private Sierra Leone Company until 1808, when Britain made Sierra Leone a crown colony. Sierra Leone achieved independence on April 27, 1961.

It’s hard to believe now, Sierra Leone once attracted over 100,000 tourists a year. Unfortunately, such interest was knocked off the tourism map due to the horrors of civil war Between 1991 and 2002. Dramatized in the 2006 film Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The war is still one of the first things most people think about when Sierra Leone is mentioned.

Just as the country started to get back on its feet, the 2014 Ebola epidemic hit. The West African Ebola virus epidemic was the most widespread outbreak of Ebola virus disease in history, causing major loss of life and socioeconomic disruption in the region, mainly in the countries of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. 

In all there are 16 ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. Although English, as the official language, is spoken in schools, government administration and the media, Krio is spoken as a lingua franca in virtually all parts of Sierra Leone. Krio, an English-based creole language, is the mother tongue of 10.5% of the population but is spoken by 90% of Sierra Leoneans.

If there’s one thing the World could learn from Sierra Leone is religious tolerance. Even though Islam is the largest religion in Sierra Leone, it’s not frowned upon to see Muslims and Christians living and working together in pace and harmony. 

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Less than 5 hours flight from Morocco.

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After landing at Lungi International airport, I boarded the Sea Coach Express for Freetown. Price was $40 with journey time around 25-30 minutes.

 FREETOWN

From Black Past: Freetown is the capital, principal port, commercial center, and largest city of Sierra Leone.  The city was founded by British Naval Lieutenant John Clarkson and freed American slaves from Nova Scotia.  Freetown was part of the larger colony of the Sierra Leone which was founded by the Sierra Leone Company (SLC) in 1787. The SLC, organized by British businessman and abolitionist William Wilberforce, sought to rehabilitate the black poor of London and former slaves of North America by bringing them to the settlement in Sierra Leone where they would stop the African slave trade by spreading Christianity through the continent. 

The city lies at the foot of the peninsula mountains and faces one of the best natural harbours on the west coast of Africa.The peninsula is home to some of the finest beaches in Africa – Lumley beach, Lakka beach, No. 2 river beach and Toke beach.

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I highly recommend Leicester Peak to get the best view of the Capital city, Freetown.

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Tokeh Beach is approximately forty-five minutes drive from Freetown. There’s an option to explore for few hours or book one of the resorts. 

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My good friend George Hamilton happens to be in Sierra Leone while I was there. We went to River No. 2 Beach. It was a fun filled day. Of all the beaches I visited: Lumbley, Tokeh, River No. 2 was my favorites. I will suggest going during the week if you prefer quiet and less crowd. This beach was absolutely beautiful. River no.2 Beach, Beach, Freetown, Travel, Travel Tips, Adventure, Sierra Leone, River No.2 Beach, Beach, Freetown, Salone, Africa, West Africa, Sunny In Every Country

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George taking a high jump with the georgous sunset

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One of my best experiences in Sierra Leone was the trip to Banana Islands, a tropical island with volcanic mountains raising from the sea. Even though I was born in Sierra Leone, I don’t have much knowledge nor history of the country. I was eagered to learn about the history as much as possible.
Banana Islands is a spectacularly beautiful place off the Freetown peninsula. On reaching Banana Islands, it felt like arriving at Treasure Island.
Banana Islands however have a very tragic history. For around two centuries, it was the bastion for the thriving and unimaginably inhuman trans-Atlantic African slave trade. Thousands of slaves were captured from Sierra Leone, chained and brought in caravans into these islands. It was from the spectacular beaches of these islands that these men, women and children were then shipped off to Europe and the Americas. I highly recommend a trip to Banana Islands when in Sierra Leone. We took a local boat from Kent Beach.

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One of the restaurants with beautiful scenery, Franco. I had brunch with George in this gorgeous restaurant. I literally gained 5-7 pounds while in Sierra Leone due to all the delicious food consumption.   Freetown, Travel, Travel Tips, Adventure, Sierra Leone, River No.2 Beach, Beach, Freetown, Salone, Africa, West Africa, Sunny In Every Country, Tokeh Beach, Beach

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I dined few times at Country Lodge Hotel. It has spectacular and panoramic view. I had dinner with my childhood best friend, Mafereh.

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Crown Xpress was another favorite. Located in Wilkinson Road. Their menu consists of delicious brunches, burgers and coffee, and there’s free wi-fi. I ordered the jollof rice each time, it was insanely delicious

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Yes, I took many photos of public bathrooms because I honestly didn’t expect to see restaurant’s bathroom as clean and beautiful in Sierra Leone.

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I had a body scrub at a Chinese Spa close to Lumbley beach. 

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George set up a meeting  with Sierra Leone Minister of Tourism Hon. Sidie Tunis. We had a lengthy discussion about Sierra Leone Tourism and some of the strategies the ministry uses to attract tourists to Sierra Leone. 

MAKENI

I travelled to Makeni several times while in Sierra Leone: to visit my sister and while traveling to Kabala. 

Makeni is the largest city in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. The economic center of the Northern Province. 

On my second visit while visiting my sister, she suggested to take the local bus,  from Freetown. I was a bit hestistant due to all the horror stories I’ve heard but it was surprisedly fun to see things from the average local commuter. 

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Even though I was warned not to take Okada (bike) by family members, my sister said that was the best way to menauver around Makeni. So I excitedly followed suit until I witnessed an okada accident.

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My sister owns a restaurant in Makeni, called Mado’s Bar & Restaurant. Located at number 4 Mayamba road (former kamara car wash). They also cater for workshops, wedding reception, birthday parties, etc.

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KABALA

My favorite place in Sierra Leone is Kabala. I was born in Kabala and most of my memories as a kid were in Kabala. Kabala is the capital and largest town of Koinadugu District in the Northern Province. I spent as much time as possible in Kabala. It’s about 5 hours drive from Freetown. Kabala is known for its mountain range, hills and valleys, it is also referred to as one of the cold regions of Sierra Leone. That being said I was literally dripping in my sweats throughout.

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Upon entering Kabala, I noticed my primary school. It’s truly sad the currently condition of these classrooms. One must conclude that some of our wealthy politicians/leaders in Kabala are very selfish. There’s absolute lack of developments. 

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I was overly excited to see my grandparents, especially my paternal grandfather. 

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We spent New Years Day climbing Wara Wara Mountain.

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One of the the most physically challenging activities I did in Sierra Leone. Nevertheless I made it! After an hour and Forty-five minutes hike on an adjacent hill, we got there. As soon as I saw the view from the top of the mountain its as if the hike to get up there was instantly erased from my mind. The view and the fresh breeze made it all worth it.

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Many of the people of Konadugu District will climb Wara Wara Mountain on New Year’s Day. Some believe that those who make the journey to the mountain top will receive prosperity and luck for that year.

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The next day, I spent most of the day visiting family. 

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Friday prayer with my maternal grandmother 

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During my last visit to Kabala, my paternal grandfather requested sara (religious prayer) for the Kamara family. 

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My aunt is the owner of a beautiful guest house in Kabala. 

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Mafareh cooked the food I was craving the most while in Sierra Leone.

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I have never been more grateful for everything I have than after my experiences on this trip.It doesn’t take much to be happy. I was struck by how much joy most Sierra Leoneans in Sierra Leone had, despite having less. It goes to show that you can find joy through adversity.

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Think Sierra Leone and tragic images of overcrowded Ebola treatment centers are more likely to come to mind than scenes of tropical paradise. Yet this gem on the West African coast deserves to be known for more than Ebola, blood diamonds or its violent civil war.

Beyond the harrowing headlines, Sierra Leone boasts a hidden paradise: palm-fringed, white-sand beaches. I hope this post helps inspires you all to visit Sierra Leone

Please do not use my photos without permission!