Day 94: Bo – Kambama Camp / Tiwai Island National Park

This morning it is foggy and a little cooler. Changes quickly as the sun comes through.

After breakfast there is another photo session, everyone in front of the car, everyone in front of the hospital, us in front of the hospital... Very funny. What a lovely stay here! We learned so much. Thanks to our host.

We still get money, water, bread and gas. Unfortunately no fruit or vegetables anywhere this morning. Funny.

We continue south, we want to go to Tiwai Island (Tiwai means “big island” in Mende). We drive through mixed palm forest. Not really cooler.

The campsite is right next to a small village and therefore a lot of people around. We are initially supposed to pay 200 per person, but then we agree on 200 per night, which others before us have already paid. Nothing more would be justified. Water from buckets, outhouse.

Shortly after arriving, someone arrives with a letter written in English asking them to support a soccer match with a neighboring village and to donate 60 Leonis for their own training ball. We do. We encourage them to take photos and win :-)

In the early evening three young men join us and we talk about their country and Europe. Our information about life in Europe is too much for them or is not understood – who knows about health insurance or a pension system here? Working for 40 years and then retiring and traveling is unimaginable in a society where the life expectancy of women is 56 and that of men is 54 and work usually lasts until the end of your life – if you have one. In this country too, young men in particular often just sit around.

No matter what, we'll just remain the ones with an infinitely full wallet.

Nothing can be found out about visiting Tiwai Island. The prices that are quoted are much higher than those on the website. When a boat should leave and who organizes it remains completely open. In the evening someone from the island is supposed to come to us with whom we can clarify things, which of course doesn't happen.

That's such a shame: total non-binding, endless haggling over prices. But, oh wonder, we get an answer to a WhatsApp request.