Freetown and the road to Kono, Tuesday July 13, 2010

The BMI flight landed at 4 on Monday July 12 but Dr. Bailor Barrie was told the arrival time was 8pm. My phone did not work but some nice people loaned me theirs. While waiting I talked with 3 Americans from Iowa trying to go home after working at an orphanage. They were on the cancelled flight back to London Sunday night and were now waiting for their new flight Tuesday at 4AM--a 32 hour wait. Then two young men came up to me holding a piece of paper with my name on it. They were Ahmidu the GAF staff and his friend, I was very happy to see them. They each picked up a bag and off we went on the dirt road looking for a taxi to the harbor.

Bailor came on the 6 pm ferry to meet us and we waited for the 9pm ferry to Freetown. People were still waiting to have a bridge built between Freetown and the airport after 40 years, Bailor said shaking his head. So the rich use helicopters between the airport and the wealthy west side or the beach while the rest use the slow ferries. There are speed boats but Ahmidu did not think I should try them my first day here. Bailor held on to my back pack to keep it safe from the pick pockets while the huge crowd rushed on and off the boat.

Uncle Ben, owner of the Uncle Ben Guesthouse where the GAF interns stay, was at the pier to pick us up in his nice SUV. We got on the busy streets full of cars and people but something was not right. I realized all houses and buildings were dark, no lights anywhere except headlights from cars. People streamed around the streets like shadows. Some street vendors lit candles. Apparently electricity is only available certain days of the week and this was not one of those days.

I was dropped off at the hotel past 10pm and I felt a bit isolated because it seemed too quiet and empty. Michael had arranged for me to be at a hotel with hot showers and AC which the interns did not have at their hotel. Internet was down and there were plumbing issues, but I felt better after talking with Andy and Erika once AT&T straightened out the international connections. Finally the dogs stopped barking outside too.

Next day we set out for the 7-8 hour drive to Koidu in the Kono district around 1pm, a late start due to errands etc. The first two hours was smooth riding on a road better than HWY 57 south of Chicago, but the rest was hours of notoriously bumpy dirt road full of holes. This is why it takes so long for 200 miles. I had to concentrate on not getting car sick as Uncle Ben swerved around the holes. Michael had arranged this SUV for my journey after the interns' bumpy head banging ride in a van with metal benches.

We passed real police check points and fake ones where people just thought they tried to collect some "taxes". Mild mannered Uncle Ben told them off for sure. We crossed a long bridge which was the divide between the rebels and the government forces for two years during the war. At one point we stopped to help fix a broken van full of school kids. It got dark and we drove by very dark countryside with village huts visible only under headlights. A few people walked on the dark road. But the clear sky was full of the brightest stars I had ever seen

We finally pulled into Uncle Ben's Guesthouse in Koidu around 10pm. I have arrived after traveling for more than three days!! Michael gave me a hug and the interns all said hello. They told me they had heard the radio announcement of my arrival---"A doctor for teeth from America will be in Koidu for a few days. She treats children but will help adults too"