Writing is an affair of yearning for great voyages and hauling on frayed ropes. - Israel Shenker
21 December 2019, Mathoir to Waterloo, 89.3km
5-5 Guest House 80,000LLE (R117)
A long ride brought us to the outskirts Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone and home to over one million. Freetown is a port city on the Atlantic, founded in 1787 by freed African slaves returning from Nova Scotia.
We were surprised by two things on the edge of the city: at a garage shop we found, for the very first time since entering Sierra Leone, ICE COLD soft drinks, and frozen yoghurt. I cannot tell you how much we enjoyed these. Utter heaven after days of drinks bought tepid off shelves, or just vaguely cool out of cool-boxes containing ice. And then there were very real mountains in the distance. At first I thought the dark areas above the horizon were a cloud formation, but soon the edges hardened into mountains, explaining the “sierra” (mountain chain) in Sierra Leone.
Since Bo, the tar road has been in good condition and has sported a wonderful safe shoulder for cycling on. From the town of Masiaka, about 15km from Waterloo, the road narrowed, losing the shoulder, and traffic increased, requiring more active care on our part.
Nearing the end of our energy, we asked as we entered peri-urban Freetown if there was accommodation in the vicinity. A young man on an autocycle told us that at the 5-5 Junction not far ahead, we should ask again as there was a guest house just off the road near the intersection.
The guest house was not promising from the outside and inside lived up to its billing to some extent. The room and bathroom were basic, but OK, but a window opened onto the family’s courtyard, offering little in the way of privacy or quiet, and there was no fan, which proved no problem as there was also no electricity and the generator was being serviced.
It was our second night in a row without power and both our phones were on the verge of running out of battery power. After our bucket baths, we walked the half block to the market and there paid to charge my phone at a tiny and rickety wooden booth. The young man there takes advantage of the limited and erratic power supply, using batteries and a generator to charge people’s phones. On uneven ground outside his booth were small wooden benches for perching an uncomfortable haunch on. By the time my phone reached 12%, I had had enough and we called it quits.
In the market we bought grilled chicken and bread and drinks and toilet paper, returning to our hot room to devour the former. For brunch today, we had eaten the boiled eggs and bread brought to us by our Meadowlands host. While we were doing so, we were approached by a woman asking for food or money…
For today's route see below photos
For overview route, click on ROUTE tab above…
Leaving Mothair
Mothair to Waterloo
Mothair to Waterloo
Waterloo
Waterloo