Trip to Tiwai

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A long 4 hour drive due to Freetown traffic leads us via BO to KaBala village (opposite tiwai island on the Mia river), early evening, due to the remote location they had not received any comms we were arriving in hope to stay so, yet suprised they began immediately bush clearance to resurect a camping area previously built under a project helped by an English student several years ago. Olwa had been here 18 months ago but no one else since. Fit with communal hut with seating, long drop loos and bucket showers the local people made it an awesome stay. Meals cooked were chicken, kasava & palm oil, rice and fried dumplings for breakfast, minus the chicken a very normal diet for most west Africans, high starch content prompting a diebetes indemic across a lot of the rural communities. Day two was spent with a morning jungle walk on tiwai Island to see the primate population, birds, no pigmy hippos visible as the river is too high In early Nov. Afternoon was spent on a dug out canoe fishing trip, entirely fruitless but an enjoyable time on the river. The next morning some went out on boat in attempt to see said hippos again along with a village walk. Leave kambala after some fantastic dancing entertainment from the whole village and at midday head via Potrero( larger village) for shopping and onto a visit to Rory's well charity projects, starting with a walk to new rice plantations, and ex fish farm. That night we travel to Tanina Hon, a larger village with visitor facilties in construction, more dancing and musical entertainment on arrival,, a night camping with them and a village walk in the morning, Then onto a ethical diamond mine financed and run by Tony head of Rory's well charity alongside the local MP, a rare opportunty to see mining in action legally and by the book. we then travel to the ferry in attempt to short cut to Zimmi, sadly the water level was too high for our 14tonne truck, a bush camp was salvaged in a nearby village. The next day we travel 30 mins before getting badly stuck, much digging, bush camping and finally 30 hours later we are towed out of the hole by the other local "alive and well" charity truck. We travel back to Bo to seek a firmer road, stay in the grounds of a hotel.

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