First week in Freetown Sierra Leone
on Tom Hutchison (Tajikistan), 15/Jan/2012 17:33, 34 days ago
Sierra Leone is about the size of Wales and sits between Liberia and Guinea on the southwest corner of West Africa. The capital Freetown is on a mountainous peninsula that emerges from the Atlantic on the Rokel Estuary.My first view was at night approaching across the river by motor boat as Lungi airport is on the far shore of the estuary. The lights of the city filled the horizon and rose to fill the 1000 foot hills behind. Then a wooden gangway: Organised confusion as bags are identified and transferred and then a ride up twisting bumpy roads to accommodation in the hilltop suburb of Wilberforce.This is one of the spectacular views across the town from the road that descends for my apartment.|The children's hospital is on the coast and on this picture is in the furthest distal part of downtown . Every working day I leave with others from the project in a Land rover at about 7 AM. it takes about 30 minutes to cover the five miles at that time of day. The only way to the hospital is through the old central district of Freetown. It is a grid of small streets each full of cars walkers motor bikes and traders. In the evening it takes 90 minutes to return if we leave at 4.30. Later than that and the congestion slows the journey to 2 hours which is less than average walking speed. here is a shot from the car on the way back. The congestion is a lot worse than this and particularly at junctions.As a final shot here is the view from my apartment. I am on the second floor of quite a modern apartment set among simpler single houses in a patchwork of compounds.In the foreground an older 2 story clap board house of colonial periodthe orange shed is a shop.In the distance more of the hilltops of the peninsula.I wish my eyes were cameras. There are so many things here I would love to have on film to illustrate life here. People are sensitive about photography and so I have chosen to be very discrete and sparing with use of camera. Hopefully when I know the layout better and feel comfortable i can capture more images.Personal feelings: It is a huge readjustment to change every aspect of working and personal routine and I am still settling in. Early starts and long days. There is plenty to do but I do miss my family and cosy home comforts.