Makeni-bound, the city where I will be based for the next
few months and where the first ever Sierra Leone marathon will take place.
Nick, the Race Director from Street Child of SL kindly
offered me and Josh a lift to Makeni, it was a two and a half hour long journey
from TW so we set off fairly early to avoid the traffic.
It’s incredible as you go from one area, which looks
incredible with fairly civilised homes and vibrant communities to other areas
of real neglect and where poverty occurs in the worst sense with beggars and
shanty houses.
The city itself is a massive culture shock, in no real terms
is it like a city back in the UK, fair enough it is developing and has many of
the same buildings such as councils, hotels, shops and restaurants. But most of
these are the definition of the word basic.
The heat is the most notable aspect of life here; it is like
standing in an oven, which does not switch off, so dry and humid with little if
any breeze and as of writing this, no rain.
The best thing so far is certainly the people, unbelievably
friendly. Strangers will stop you in the street just to say hello and wish you
well, everyone wants to be your friend and get to know you.
Whilst the kids all shout “Apotto” meaning white man,
sometimes they even sing it together like a chorusand they just want to give
you a high five or run along with you. (This is not just a one off, but every
day) It makes you feel like a celebrity and that they appreciate you are here.
The lifestyle is very difficult here, no running water,
little electricity and constant heat. Though the positives outweigh the
negatives and make it such an experience!
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