Monday 23 May
The day we arrived in Maroua it was really hot. I mean really hot…..temperatures exceeding 40 degrees. So losing weight, if possible, by sweating. When we arrived we heared there was a soccer match, a very important one. The team of Maroua (Sahel team) against the Bahams. A match we didn’t want to miss. Up the the stadium, many people pushing to enter, but we could easily take our seats on the tribune. It was a nice but wild game. 2 red carts for the Baham team. Yep and again our team won!! I also saw some people on the tribune, I saw the other time. I really like the atmosphere during the matches.
Wednesday was another match. Tom and Roeland playes also with the team of Maroua, ‘cause they talked to the coach of the team. He invited them to play with them. I wasn’t feeling well that day, so I stayed at the dortoir. But I saw the photos and I found that so great.
Thursday was a National Celebration 20th May, the day Cameroon became one republic consisting of a northern and western part. This one of the most important celebrations in the country, especially in Maroua.
We all went to the centre of Maroua and had a nice place from were we could see the street and the activities. On a certain moment a gendarme said, we could sit on the trottoir just next to the street. What was forbidden for just the locals. At first some people of political parties were given a ribbon. That took about an hour. After that military parades came along. All rangs with military vehicles. When all that was passed it was the turn of school children. The kids came from all the villages next to Maroua and Maroua itself, primary, secondary, technical schools and universities were all represented. They walked on the streets in uniform singing a song about the unification of Cameroon. Nice to see it. Mass of people were looking at the parades with 5 whites and one brown…….?!
The other days we just walked over the central market and to the artisanat. at the artisanat I bought some nice things. Also at the central market lot of souvenirs can be found. The rest of the day just some resting, ‘cause it’s too hot to do anything.
One day later (Tuesday) it was even more hot. I also didn’t sleep well and I was feeling sick…..agitating. In the morning the situation worsened since my body couldn’t recover because of the heat. Whole day was a lost day. Men….what am I hating this country, climate and even this whole continent! If you feel worse…..just presume it will worsen. How great. :~ It would be till the next day to have a more active day.
Wednesday I went with Marjolein to the central market; searching for mosquito nets (present for our guides) and white t-shirts. The white t-shirts will be printed with the logo of the CEDC. Next day we’ll try again to search for mosquito nets.
Huhuhuh……yep as I already could have foreseen, fever was back in the noon on Thursday. The rest of the day just resting in bed and seeing that the whole planning isw being changed. This day it was also very hot what made conditions to lay in bed even worse.
With a lot of luck I was on the better hand when we went to Waza National Park. Let’s hope so. 😉