Tonight is no different .. Except for one thing .. To add to the luxury of the holiday - we are invaded by cockroaches .. 2 in the room - one fighting to get in under the door - and one under mosquito net we discover after getting into bed ...
So with no BOP (the famous spray that kills just about every living thing .. Including humans if you stay in the room as it's sprayed )- then the old fashioned method is put into action ... Flip flop in hand ... I go to work ...
Hot as hell - cockroaches by the dozen ( I discovered in the morning they had been doing work on the drain behind the hut and had left the top off !!! hence the invasion) - and the ratta having their usual late night party on the roof .. Made for an uneasy sleep ... Of course all this has the usual sounds of being in the African bush over night ! light on for the cricket - light off - lights on - light off .. well no TV remember !!
By the time morning comes ... Knackered .. We get up for breakfast .. Papaya and toast - coffee - lemon grass tea - and late but welcome a cool onshore breeze ... I have damaged my flip flop ... no not by the zealous hitting of cockroaches .. It was trying to salvage the lobsters from certain death ...
When Hussman swam out to retrieve the lobsters .. Fred and Fiona .. In the dark .. One thing became very clear .. Not even the locals want to swim lin the dark sea late at night ... So having retrieved the lobster .. He hung them into the water from a branch overhanging the beach when the tide was in ... As I finished my last beer and headed to bed that night ... I noticed the lobster hanging from the tree in mid- air .... The tide had gone out .. Everyone had gone to bed .. And some 10 lobsters were about to die ... So I waded into the water tried to get them loose and in water .. Without breaking the cage of course ... But only half a success .. And with some slipping on the rocks and falling around in the pitch black sea ... I had torn my flip flop ... I went to the office area to get some help .. Found a drunk and asleep guy who was totally off the planet .. Gave up .. And went off to bed (for my further entertainment - this you know about)... 
Just as I was about to go into the bathroom we heard the night security walking past ... So out in my skimpies I got his attention .. I am not sure if it was the sight of me in skimpies that got his attention or not!
The lobster are out of the water I explained .. Yes sir - right - I am sure they are ok sir ... Obviously I wasn't the first White guy to have this discussion at 11 pm !!! - no I said look at the tree - they are hanging there out of the water ... He looked at me ... I know he had thought I was pissed or such before .. But I seemed to be talking lucidly ... So humouring me he said - show me ! I did and I can say he wasn't keen on going into the water either .. But being as it was only the 2 if us around ... and I had zero intention of going back in .... He stepped in .. Ran out .. Stepped in again ... ran out again .. Anyway you get the picture .. another fools and horses moment .. Bored I left him to it ... I had cockroaches, crickets, ratta, and 400 other insects to attend to ..
Back to breakfast .. Our boat has arrived .. We say our goodbyes ... Pay our bill - and off to Kent ...
Pretty much as the outward trip .. We arrive - our driver is waiting .. And we load the bags ... We are asked if we are taking the waterloo road as the island nurse would like a lift .. Anyway that route apparently is all Tarmac - so yes yes yes !!!! .. We take the road and give her a lift... Through waterloo and into Freetown - time with my cousin and his kids - 2 beers later it's time to get the pelican boat to the airport.
The problem with such a high risk country in terms of travelling is that you have to do everything far in advance in order to cover the fact that if something goes wrong it takes a long time to sort out the problem and potential solution ... so we are going to be in the airport very early ....It's going to be a long 4 hours at Lungi airport !!!Much too long for a bearguitarist with no patience !!!
So its goodbye to Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. I wanted to add some thoughts if you can tolerate a few more sentences ..
Freetown and Sierra Leone is NOT ready for classic tourism - in fact it is far from ready. But if you are an explorer, ready to put up with quite a few ruff edges, and want to see countries before they are spoilt by commercial tourism.. If you want to see beaches virtually untrodden, jungle not carefully prepared for granny's wheel chair access, and use your holiday pound to make a difference in a 3rd world environment - then I say keep Sierra Leone on your radar for another year or so ... as after the main road is done, really done, the elections finished in June, and BMI being bought by BA (BMI just about the only flight option right now..).. Then give the hotels a little time to make repairs and upgrades to their rooms, at this point you MUST go ... before it becomes another Spain.
I have walked along beaches where only 2 people in 3 days have trodden ... seen miles of beaches where no-one can be seen for miles. Seen backdrops of Jungle mountains and hills, visibly untouched by human hands. I have seen a place where a useless war based on greed and destruction took the heart of a beautiful country and put it back 40 years in its development. More importantly - and what remains in my memory after all the insects, cold showers, no electric, ratta, cockroaches, no meat, and the daily lobster ... I have been back to one of the places I call home.
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