Roads in Bafut

This is a picture of the main highway that runs through Bafut. The rural roads are in worse shape and often impassable to cars. That means the farmers have to carry their produce to market on their heads - often walking 5 - 10 miles. Their income is limited by how much they can carry. Food goes to waste because they can't get it to market. The sick cannot get to health centres, children have to walk miles to school.

Working with the Council

The term Council here means the same as "Municipality" in Canada. Councils were created by the Decentralization Act of 2004, although there were other forms of local governments before that. The elected council has 35 members, but they are a “deliberative” body, which only meet four times a year and their main function seems to be to appoint the mayor and four deputy mayors who are the executive. The mayor has all the power, counterbalanced somewhat by two central government appointees; the Secretary General who keeps things straight administratively and the Municipal Treasurer, who receives all revenues and must approve all disbursements.

The celebrations

Many celebrations take place every weekend. I was invited to this one on Saturday to celebrate the passing of a grandmother who passed a year ago. There were many troupes of dancers who perform and then the people give them money as this woman is doing. They dance on the hard red earth and the dust gradually settles on the hundreds of people that are watching.

Meeting the Fon

His Royal Highness the 11th Fon of Bafut is a most gracious gentleman, who has various ceremonial duties. He is well respected by his subjects and when he makes a proclamation they take notice. I was received by him on my third day in Bafut and presented him with a gift of smoked salmon, which you see him holding here. The mayor is in the picture too. This Fon has 7 wives who generate their income from tourists visiting the palace.Apparently his father had about 50 wives.

Palm wine

The people here get the sweet nectar from the palm trees - let it ferment for 24 hours and then drink it as wine. A collector will figure out which tree is ripe, take a calabash up in the morning and bring it down full the next day and sell it. It is about the same potency as beer and much cheaper. It is reputedly good for your eyesight and actually tastes pretty good. One of the local councillors told me that it makes you just as happy as drinking expensive champagne.

First day in Bafut

Bafut is a thriving little place. Much of it looks like the photo, where my guest house is, on the right. It goes on for miles; totalling 450 square km and includes lots of other smaller villages. Most is agricultural, and the roads are full with people walking everywhere. There are two paved roads, which meet at my guesthouse and the rest are dirt. The population is officially 85,000 but probably much higher

Driving Through Cameroon

The mayor’s car is a 1992 Toyota with no AC so he and I sat in the back with the windows down. It’s up hill all the way to the North West Province and the scenery is beautiful as we got into the hills. Everything is green and lush. They grow pineapple, corn, bananas, papayas and lots I didn’t know the names of. We stopped several times to buy things and for me to take photos. The trip took the full 7 hours even though we speeded at 110 whenever the road was good. Everyone walks here. There are always people on the roads even when there are no houses to be seen.

Driving in Douala

Driving in Douala is crazy. For every car, there are two motorcycles and they weave in and out of each other without regard for any noticeable rules. We hired a motorcycle to lead us out to the Wouri River bridge, as the route was so complicated. The picture shows the main highway leading to the bridge – no wonder it takes so long to get around. Business of all kinds, from bakers to coffin makers to cell phone sales lined the road for miles. This is an email posting to my blog which is all I may be able to do from now on.

Day 2 - Raining in Paris

Not as much time in Paris as I thought. By the time I'd checked into my hotel and had a and it was 2pm local time. I took the train down to Chatelet les Halies, close to the Seine. It was cold and pouring rain - the streets were deserted. Paris is still Paris though and I explored the area and took some photos. However I soon realised how tired I was, and am back at the hotel to prepare for tomorrow. This is an email posting to my blog which is all I may be able to do from now on.

Day 1 - I'm off

Well the prepartions are over. I have two suitcases that weigh 50 lbs each full of stuff to give away, plus my backpack containing my laptop and camera and all the stuff I can't afford to lose. Susan and Jordan drove me to Victoria Airport at 8am and I made the short hop to Seattle. Diana Lokken was on the same flight - off to Barcelona and a mediterranean cruise with her family. We hung out at SeaTac Airport for a while. The flight to Paris was packed and I didn't sleep; but checked in to an airport hotel (IBIS) as soon as I arrived and will nap now. Zero degrees in Paris but will try to get out later for sightseeing.

Getting Ready

It has been a hectic month since I found out that I was going to Cameroon. I have had to get all of my shots, medical clearances, visas, make travel arrangements, buy supplies, research Cameoron, talk to other VA’s, create my blog and pack my suitcases. All this at the same that I am doing my GFOA work, keeping up with my other contracts and preparing my family for my time away. I feel like I haven't stopped for weeks; By the time I get on the plane on Saturday I will need a rest.