Day 100: Excitement
Soutpiel Safari
John & Jenny
Sat 12 Feb 2011 19:29
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Day 100: Saturday 12 February 2011
Afie Drill Ranch, near Ikom, Nigeria. N06 17.955 E008 59.884 Distance
driven 45 km
Last night over dinner we met Peter, a local Forest
Ranger, attached to the Drill Ranch. Brian Montalbo, a friend from the
Oasis truck, wanted to go on a mountain hike while the truck went to
Callabar and back. Peter agreed to guide Brian on a 2 day hike and I
agreed to take them to the start point, Peter's home village of Boje, not
realising how far it was and how bad the road was. It turned out to be a
major undertaking, a 45 km round trip on a road that stretched the Land Rover
near its limit.
The adventure escalated when we heard chainsaws working
in the forest and Peter felt he had to investigate the illegal logging.
Unfortunately, it soon turned into a very ugly confrontation and one of the
loggers threatened to kill Brian with his machetee unless he handed over his
camera on which he had recorded shots of the illegal logging. Fortunately,
an off-duty policeman came by and intervened, Brian's camera was returned and we
went on our way. However, it was a very ugly incident and could easily
have turned very nasty. By the time we had got out of that mess and I had
delivered Peter and Brian to Boje, it was 3.00 pm before I got
back.
Jenny and I then went on the "Canopy Walkway" - a
Canadian constructed walkway rising to 25 metres above the forest floor.
Personally, I was not in the mood for it and was delighted when we got to a
clear, deep mountain pool for a very welcome swim!
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