Sights on the road

On Wednesday I made the journey up to Magburaka to collect my belongings.  All packed up and sorted out I headed back on Friday with everything piled into the back of the Land Cruiser.  I thought I had packed in lots but the sights on the road made me realise my mode of travel and experience was pretty mundane.  Here are some of the sights that met my eyes on the final journey from Magburaka to Freetown.

Pulled up behind a poda poda (minibus taxi) to see 4 sheep staring out the back window at me.  The rest of the seats were occupied by Sierra Leoneans – wonder what the smells were like on that journey

Followed a poda with bags of charcoal on the roof and dozing on top of these was a young man as vehicle travelled at 60km per hour along a busy highway

Numerous vehicles with a bunch of people hanging on to the top and sides looking to have varying degrees of security

At every stop we are rushed by people selling water, mangoes, roast meat on a stick (like a kebab).  These sellers chase the vehicles to guarantee a sale yelling out their wares as they run.  In Freetown this is often bags of bread or water

Overtaking that defies logic

Being enveloped in a cloud of dust as we followed lorries across the mountain road

It is mango season and the road appeared to be lined with trays (of varying sizes) of mangoes – the small stringy variety rather than Guinea mangoes which I prefer

Taxis loaded up with 2 in the front, 4 in the back, bundles and belongings poured into open boot and the roof piled high