Calabar





We had a “hell” driver on our first day from the Uyo airport to Calabar.    Speeding and passing other cars on blind spots were the main cause for anxiety.  But that is how they drive here and poor Greg, Alison and Maxine were introduced to it for the first time.  Even Nick who had experienced it before had something to say about it afterwards. He commented that there had been six drivers in the car, five sitting terrified with eyes glued to the front and the sixth one actually driving. 

On the way passing through the town of Uyo, we were stopped by armed police.  Not for speeding or any traffic offence, but because the car had tinted film on the windows which they said were illegal.  The driver produced a special permit but to no avail.  It was outdated said the bully face and our driver ended up sitting on the pavement phoning Remlords the touring company we employed.  After a long while some big shot of the company arrived and when the driver got back into the car he was grinning and muttered money, money, money.  Soon after that Nick received a sms from the company assuring us of a safe travel and apologizing for the incident – impressive!

Welcome at Calabar



Next to the river at Calabar



Nick asked the driver what if there more roadblocks ahead and he said no problem, however soon afterwards another armed guy stopped us.  The driver started nervously fumbling with the papers next to him and very reluctantly opened the window to a threatening looking serious face, which suddenly broke into a broad smile (probably because he saw our anxious faces) and started greeting us in a high pitched voice laughing and wishing us a safe travel, which sounded so hilarious that we all burst into giggles.  I expected him to do a dance for us any moment.  That was the last time we were actually stopped during the whole trip even though we went through numerous roadblocks.   



Water sellers at the Calabar market



In Calabar we were tourist. We visited the old museum, the slave museum, the river, the old Creek town and then on the insistence of the proud Nigerians their modern business complex just outside Calabar, called Tinapa.  Weird, as proud as the Nigerians are of this development (comparable to four of our Macro’s bundled together) they did not seem to use it.  There were hardly any cars in the car park and any people in the shop apart from the attendants.  When I asked our driver if the stuff here were more expensive, he said it is actually cheap.  The only conclusion was that Nigerians prefer the hustle and bustle of the markets. It actually ties up to what I have seen in Abuja as well.  But why spend so much money on such developments if they are not going to be used? Next to this complex was Nollywood with a big gorilla statue on top of the dome and cowboy sculptures outside.



Nollywood at Tinapa



We visited a busy local market next to the river and experienced the warm vibrance of the people for ourselves.  The fishermen resting beside their boats with baskets full of their catch generously invited me to take pictures.  I bought a lovely piece of fabric at the market. (Don’t ask me what I am going to do with it; I just cannot resist these fabulous textiles.)  Maxine wondered off into a small church where she saw people singing and bobbing up and down.  One of them broke away, hopping towards her and invited her to come and worship with them.



The friendly fishermen



One of the highlights of Calabar was visiting a monkey rescue center where we came face to face with several monkey species which were highly endangered. Most of them can not be found any where else than in a small part of West Africa.  These monkeys were rescued from being slaughtered as bush meat, illegal trading and exporting. People keep them as pets and to train and display them for money.  Some of the monkeys were even rescued from overseas.  We met the cute Putty nose guenon with their white noses, the Red ear guenon with long red tails; Red capped mangabey, Mona guenon, the Preuss red colobus and several other species of monkeys. 



The big ocean going ships





Red capped mangabey



These rescued monkeys and other primates and animals are being rehabilitated at centers in Nigeria and Cameroon. One off which, established and run by Peter Jenkins and his wife Lisa Gatsby more than twenty two years ago, was our next stage in this holiday. Deep in the rain forest of Nigeria was this magical place called Drill Ranch, named after the highly endangered Drill monkey which is related to the better known Mandrill monkeys. 



My next letter will be about this amazing place.