February has come and gone

February is a short month anyway but where did it go? Probably the most eventful event was getting to and from the VSO workshop meeting in the capital Yaoundé. Now, the workshop was Monday to Friday but getting there and back was half as long again. A shaky start when I couldn’t find the taxi driver to get me to the bus terminus by 6 am and when I got there, the 6 am bus had left 20 minutes early and I was on the list for the 7 am bus. That was fine but the journey itself was so trying. The bus seats five across and not four which means 72 passengers are squashed in instead of the usual 44. The hot air was such that it made me feel quite unstable, not to mention my feet and ankles which swelled up like balloons! The roads are not well maintained and the driver swerves to avoid potholes. There are bridges built by the Germans over 70 years ago, still strong but the width for a horse and cart, rather than a dual carriageway. To boot, one of the bus tyres punctured – all passengers out to wait patiently in the shade of a tree or shrub while the driver and an assistant changed the wheel. We all arrived safely after eight hours at the train station, fortified with nibbles purchased along the way.

The train station is in Nagoundéré and from there the train travels to the capital. It’s cooler in Nagoundéré and that is refreshing. After some hiccoughs, I finally got a ticket for a bed in a sleeper. The best spot for me was an upper bunk as with the window open, all the wonderful cold night air whisked though the cabin. With clean sheets and a warm blanket, I fell in and out of slumber to the rocking of the train. There’s something nice about train travel and even an old rattler like this one has its charm. The meals in the restaurant carriage were simple but good and the staff pleasant and friendly. Nonetheless, after nearly 14 hours train travel plus the time spent in the bus and the wait in Nagoundéré, it was good to get to the hotel, be allocated a room, shower and feel back in one piece after such a long journey. The return journey was much the same, except that the bus was even more trying. After the train trip, you just want to get back home but then there’s the bus back to Maroua and it seems to take forever…..

It is nice to enjoy the pleasant hotel surrounds once in a while. My plants on the balcony are growing but it’s not a secluded balcony and it also gets all the afternoon sun. But the hotels here have gardens and the two that are not too far away provide a pleasant interlude to a day’s activities. The staff get to know you quickly – easily recognizable from the white skin (!) – and they’re always courteous and helpful. But when you listen to Africans in conversation, you know there’s some other cultural norm at play. When they become overly involved in their conversation or discussion, they tend to shout and voices come in one on top of the other. It’s ok to listen to when you’re on the outside but taking part in such an ebullient exchange is all too challenging for me. Even in my classes, I have to lead the students into discussing quietly, in a normal tone of voice.


I'm a little late in posting this blog and next week I'm off to the land of Oz for Naic's graduation. Much to do and really looking forward to catching up with one and all. So, see you then and if not, in my next blog. Look after.