first Part: The trip
Friday it went as planned, on the long journey. Of Limbe I went with Janna Janna and sister Lisa to Yaoundé. For the route with a length of about 260 km we have used a total of about 6 hours. Between Douala and Yaoundé, Cameroon, China wanted to sell a "miracle" and has all the bus talking to his penetrating voice. A quiet bus ride was not to think. Whenever he finished a Produktanpreisung was, I was happy, but then it went to the next product until we almost arrived in Yaounde. By taxi, it went to the station, where there was lot of activity. Even as we were some men in the taxi anrollten taxi her life and kept us any cards in the car, which showed well that they are authorized carrier. But nevertheless they wanted to direct our Luggage accept without any questions and to negotiate a price. It all happened pretty fast, but I could not even take my luggage. At the station in the waiting hall of the first class, the other volunteers were already there. Overall, we were a group of 10 people. The search for something to eat was not hard. Once on the landing came directly three, four Cameroonians started with small tables and went without asking big, avocado sandwiches. In an unseemly speed, they made the sandwiches and in the end we had three baguette with avocado, for a fairly high price. But somehow there, everything seemed already to be significantly more expensive. Even the water line had (normal 2000) with 3,000 CFA a premium price.
finally drove the train also. He wanted to end almost as many cars he had.
put in a short time, the crowd in the station building with the huge pockets on the move and lived on the station platform. We had sleeping berths in the 1 Class booked. These were pretty good and had the European standard. Still more people streamed into the train and I do not know how they all fit in there. Right on time at 18:10 clock the train started suddenly set in motion. It went through some neighborhoods. But from the city of Yaoundé is felt fairly quickly any more. Instead, more comes to village atmosphere. On the sides are small wooden huts and the people work. Directly on the tracks waving children and played football.
In a short ride the train is already back at a small village station. On the platform, women and children running up and down and sell fruits, vegetables, water and the like. The result is a big noise, because any calls like a lyre, which he sells. One hears: Anana sucré bien, bien Anana sucré or Mange, Mange, Mange, etc. At the same time also loaded a few large bags and packages in the baggage car. Then it goes on. Again and again, to small villages and we stop.
very well I do not sleep the night, as the Train is quite noisy and shakes again and again.
has the next morning, the landscape changed completely. I can not believe I'm still in Cameroon, so different is all. It has become much drier and there are fewer trees. Again and again, small mud huts with thatched roofs, are the small villages.
of industrialization is to see very little. Only the railway line and past the leading Stromma testify. Here too there are several stops. However, hardly any fruit is sold, but instead is a kind of honey which is sold in bottles, is dominant.
the train direct from sellers offer many different Bus tickets to Maroua on already. In this area the range of services is already very well developed. After 15 hours of driving for 520 km (average speed of no less than 35km / h, with the ICE, it would be less than 3 hours) we arrive in Ngaoundere. From there it goes straight to the buses. The bus company seems to be pretty good, at least see the buses from relatively new. However, no room to move is available. The luggage will be charged and relatively fast we go. The roads are surprisingly good, but nevertheless we need about 7 for the 570 km from Maroua (at least twice as fast as the train ). After 2 days of almost continuous travel we are Saturday morning finally arrived in Maroua. Originally we had planned to drive directly on Sunday next in the Waza National Park. But this would again been a ride and so Sunday should first be used to explore a little Marouas.
second Part: A day in Maroua
The hotel was in order for the competitive price. It was clean and there was running water. Maroua itself acts overall still relatively rural and there is a very peaceful atmosphere due to the prevailing Islam does it in some cases very Arabic and Turkish. On the market there is much calmer than in Buea or Bafoussam. It is hardly called as Whiteman, but may look relatively relaxed. Is quite different it on the nearby art market. They will be called in from all sides, and a good friend of course also a "bon prix" (with the maximum profit for the dealer) are offered. It is there to look difficult and nerve-wracking first only. Everywhere you directly to buy something. Again and again, it also means that they need the money to eat something to buy for the family. You notice also clear that the people are poorer overall than in southern Cameroon. The people and especially children, are relatively thin. In addition, there are many beggars and begging children.
third Part: In the Waza National Park
Monday morning, it goes to the Waza National Park. In Maroua, we have a slightly better "bush taxi" rented four-wheel drive with which we could go to the park, and WAZA. At 6 clock (time) us the driver, Robert has picked up and with our luggage and 15 pallets of water, it went on the road to Waza. The road was paved, but always interspersed with potholes, which I felt on my super neat place in the last row. But after 2 ½ hours we arrive in WAZA. Even before we see the first monkeys playing on the side of the road and disappear quickly from our closer, in the vastness.
the accommodation in the encampment de Waza we got good rooms, which, despite enormous outside temperatures relatively cool even without air conditioning. After a short break we head into the park at the entrance to our guide Moussa joined us. The first animals that we see in the park, we find at one of the waterholes. Various birds such as storks, we get to see.
It is always amazing to suddenly back at a water point arrives where gathered life. Also, that there at all water points are, I find it remarkable, with some water holes filled in the dry season with tanker so the animals will have enough water.
But the landscape is dominated by the drought. The floor shows from all the dryness and deep cracks and the only green trees and large bushes.
Everything else like the grass is dry and parched. Again and again you also meet on areas where the dry undergrowth is burned down.
Later we see more and more different animals. So we make warthogs, antelope herds of gazelles and giraffes to eventually. This strutting proudly through the park or run away from us or other hazards. The race is the giraffe to look very funny. Really understand that you can see the animals in the wild, I can not yet. In a sense, the principle of the zoo is also reversed only. Instead of the animals are now locked in the car and we now look at the animals. But fortunately, there are on our car a "roof terrace". This allows us to sit on the luggage carrier on which is usually the baggage piled up and the car is sometimes higher than long. From this place we had a terrific overview. But especially during the lunch time we had there with the sun pretty careful.
A Warthog 
An antelope 
A giraffe 
A gazelle 
A bird of prey with its prey After 6 hours in WAZA Park and the magnificent opportunity to watch a giraffe drinking, we went back.
WAZA In the village we bought even more refreshing drinks and food for tomorrow. Here, the children of the village have our bus immediately besieged and searched for empty bottles. When this issue is the children have argued about the empty bottles, while also beating each other in order then for the empty bottle a Beignet get (a little fat in baked dough balls). Back in
hotel was resting, even though we were almost exclusively in the car and did nothing physically, the heat was pretty hard. After a good dinner, which we do at the Centre d'accueil eaten at the entrance of the park, we went to bed relatively early. For tomorrow is planned an early trip to the park to see any lions can.
In search of the lions we go against 6 clock in the park Our guide looks calm and focused for clues to find the lion, if necessary. After all there is to be in the whole park about 150 lions. But instead of that we only see each Quantity partridges running around everywhere, which looks pretty stupid. Otherwise, the sun is very beautiful.
Now the morning is very pleasant on the roof, especially with the wind. Otherwise, we again see antelope, giraffe and various birds. But otherwise the day is not very successful. The Search for elephants and lions is not successful, and besides that, we're seeing a few more animals. At lunchtime we stop for a lunch break back to the hotel, but also in the afternoon we have no luck with elephants. Our guide makes Although some. But unfortunately they are not in an accessible area so that it saw no elephants to have returned to the hotel. That this was the last in the Waza Park scheduled day, it's pretty disappointing. But we decide to go again on Wednesday to drive through the park to Lake Maga, where you can watch hippos. The road through the park is to go faster than around it.
So it goes again Wednesday in the park and to begin right, we see very many animals. In particular, the giraffes show up very often and sometimes up to 16 animals. Otherwise, show up at the water holes, unfortunately no elephants. But our guide Moussa has identified in the undergrowth which. We try to approach them. But the track is so bad that the bus there is not much and my spine is already significantly compressed together. But at a stop, we can see elephants in the distance. A little piece we can approach us. But unfortunately they are largely hidden in the tall brush and one can only imagine it. Nevertheless, it is nice to see them when moving, especially when suddenly one of the trunk rises from the grass. Particularly welcome were the picture environment in which the elephants were not able to. And so I have a few pictures where you can sense the presence of elephants.
After seeing the elephant went further towards the lake. The planned duration of 2 ½ hours to the lake was crossed long ago. But we have probably made the elephant still a detour. So we arrived at 14 after 6 clock hours of driving there.
With a not very confidence-inspiring pirogue (through the ground water already came through cracks, which were stuffed with cloth and small makeshift wooden wedges) it went on the trip to the hippos. Although this should be relatively dangerous, I thought that they would not make this boat trips, if it would be dangerous. But the question of whether something has happened, our boatman answered yes. All the stories I get in the front row did not cooperate. Between local fishermen and the hippos there are probably no problems. But there is probably always "White" as a hunting tourists to shoot the hippo and it can therefore (and is probably already happened, that attack the hippos. The Giants giants with huge mouths that can be seen above water, are quite impressive and should not be underestimated.
But somehow I have after these stories are not afraid. But since others are afraid, we finish the trip after just half an hour and have at least that our lives secure.
From there, on a slope back to Maroua, where we arrived before dark back to the hotel where we, the first two nights have been sleeping. The safari part of our tour was over. Maroua and Ngaoundere now should be on the program.
4th Part: Once again in Maroua
In Maroua, we have again the market and the art market populated and otherwise also the Miam Miam Glou Glou a fairly good restaurant. However, this seems to be once again frequented almost exclusively by "whites." On Thursday afternoon, I climbed the 730m high with Niels Hosser Maroua. After the Mount Cameroon was not a problem anymore, and I was sweating in the heat rather quickly. Two boys have joined us and showed us the way instead of a Guide mentioned time of 1 ½ hours for the ascent, we were already reached after half an hour at the summit. From there we had a good view of Maroua, which looked amazing from the top green. While all around was seen almost only dry soil, there was plenty of green trees in Maroua.
drove a part of the group on Friday to Ngaoundere in order to buy train tickets in time and another day there to browse. I'm still remained in Maroua, where he had a not particularly exciting day. Like the previous day in Maroua, I am once again been on the market.
5th Part One: The Return
early Saturday morning at six clock should drive our bus. We had extra book in advance and tickets purchased. However, crucial to which bus you get, the time of delivery of the tickets in the morning. So it was that we came first to the second bus that came Fortunately, right after the first. The purpose of a possible reservation or the advanced purchase of tickets has not, however, opened up to me. penned entirely without any movement, it went to Ngaoundere. But after a short time we had a flat tire. But the fact they are very established here. So had to all get out and after 10 minutes it was able to go again. In Garoua (Just before the half) we had a brief stop before it went on. On the very good road has been seen repeatedly crashed trucks that are off the road, have over themselves or burn out. Particularly inspire confidence had not. After 7-hour journey we finally arrived in Ngaoundere. Tickets had not yet received the other. The sleeper compartments were fully booked and so we now have seats in the 1 Class purchased. There were at least generous legroom and reserved seats. Things were very different in the 2 Class, and they were really people like chickens crammed inside. focused on the entire aisle people for the entire train of 15 hours. We always keep
at small stations, where villagers sell their goods. Even at night by 2 clock are the women and small and larger children on the train platforms and sell their products and every day, or rather every night.
the morning after 15 hours we are back in Yaoundé. At the bus station the bus was still to Limbe. But he was already full. Since the next direct bus drove only by 14 clock we went first to Douala and then by bush taxi to Limbe and Buea, where I arrived in the afternoon.
There I got the reality of Buea again. How could it be otherwise, of course there was no running Water. What a paradox. While we were in the dry north almost continuously flowing water, it is moist Buea (where it rained a lot the last week), the exception that there is water. In Buea
are now first holiday for the children and I also have a somewhat different and very free routing.
It was a great tour and very interesting time to see this totally different part of Cameroon.
you I hope you are all well.
Looking forward to hearing from you
Many Greetings
Jannik
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