First month in Cameroon

Well I am not quite sure were to start. It has only been a little over a month since I arrived here in Douala, and so much has happened in that little span of time!

Arriving into Douala was unlike anything I ever could have imagined, To fly out of Amsterdam Schipol in the morning and to land in Douala in the evening I felt like I had completely left civilization behind. I have never been to any where that was remotely considered third world, and landing at an airport that is a concrete building, with no window panes, rude flickering light, no AC, and a million corrupt customs agents all wanting your money, was probably one of the rudest shocks to my ideology I have ever had!

My first Impressions of Douala were that it is UGLY!!!! Here again I can blame my western ways for making me think that all major metropolises should be aesthetically pleasing. Douala is crazy. The roads a crappy, they look as if a major meteor strike had obliterated 80% off all the roads in town. There are pot holes that could swallow an entire Hummer! I would say that most of the town is covered in shanty homes and small kiosk type businesses. Most of them built of that corrugated plastic in lovely shades of blue and green. You really start to feel as if you have left modern conveniences behind.

Once you become accustomed to the dilapidated state of Douala, you start to find  a little bit of beauty in all the ugliness. For example, all of the fruit and vegetables that grow here! My neighbor has a mango try, and on the road outside of my house there is an avocado tree, a banana tree, and a papaya tree! I am in fruit and veg heaven :)

Neighbors Mango Tree

There is also an amazing array of Flora and Fauna

Flower from my patio

On top of all of the green vegetation, there are a million little lizards roaming the streets! They are so super cute! I have tried to catch one but they are fast little suckers, and amazing jumpers! I have seen one jump from one rooftop to another!

My lizard, he lives on my fence

So that is what it is like in Douala... Life is crazy and hectic, there is always something to do. After looking past the ugliness, this city becomes quite charming and actually starts to grow on you!

 Beach in Limbe

On a last side note before I leave you... We did manage to escape the city one Sunday and venture out to the Beach at the base of Mt. Cameroon. This is Limbe, it is a volcanic black sand beach, and I love it!

Next time when I have more time to actually sit down and write, I will tell you all more! Until then Happy wanderings and wonderings to you all!