| Slavery & war. A negative view of what is | | | | with British names like Kent, Lumley, Sussex |
| in fact an exceptionally positive country. Today, I | | | | & York mix with more African names like |
| see Sierra Leone from an entirely different | | | | Bureh Town, Tokey & Mammah beach, |
| perspective. | | | | & |
| Until a few days ago, if you had asked me to tell | | | | Although many of the forests & much of |
| you about Sierra Leone, I would have had to think | | | | the wildlife has been disturbed & in some |
| long & hard to tell you much about this West | | | | cases, destroyed, by the war, eco-tourism is an |
| African country. I could probably have explained | | | | important focus of Sierra Leoneans & natural |
| roughly where the country is located. I may have | | | | treasures like Outamba-Kilimi National Park, |
| mentioned something about the slave trade being | | | | populated by game animals such as elephants, |
| connected to Sierra Leone. I could certainly have | | | | chimpanzees & pigmy hippos, & Mount |
| told you that they had experienced a brutal civil | | | | Bintimani, the highest point in West Africa, are |
| war. I might even have admitted that I wasn't | | | | six of the worthwhile wildlife attractions on offer. |
| entirely sure whether the war was 100% over. | | | | Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary rescues |
| & that is about it. | | | | orphaned & captured chimps & has |
| The conflict was officially declared over in January | | | | been described as one of the most successful |
| 2002, & President Kabbah reelected in May | | | | Sierra Leonean wildlife endeavours, whilst Tiwai |
| 2002. Since then, the people of Sierra Leone have | | | | Island is home to over 3000 chimps as well as |
| been pulling together to repair, renew & | | | | other game. |
| regenerate.it is difficult to ignore Sierra Leone's | | | | Lakes, rivers & dams are perfect for picnics |
| history & focus purely on the present. one | | | | & relaxing. The marshlands hide a myriad of |
| time a fertile area inhabited by dozens of tribes, it | | | | colourful birds - indeed, the bird life has been less |
| was settled by the Portuguese in the 1400's who | | | | affected by the war than the animals, & |
| built a fort as a trading post for gold, spices, ivory | | | | everywhere you go, the air is filled with birdsong. |
| & slaves. A British protectorate in later | | | | Sierra Leone is a bird-watchers dream! Tiwai |
| years, Sierra Leone had the dubious honour of | | | | Island for one boasts over 135 different bird |
| becoming home to over 40,000 freed slaves who | | | | species! |
| gave Freetown its name. As a protectorate, | | | | For culture vultures & those with historical |
| Sierra Leone was exploited for its mineral & | | | | interests, the remnants of the slave trade make |
| diamond wealth in the 1900's & Sierra | | | | interesting & though-provoking expeditions. |
| Leonean's fought against the Germans in | | | | Bunce Island, a slave trading fortress, is a brief |
| Cameroon in the First World War, & | | | | boat trip up the river; Freetown is itself a |
| alongside the British in the Second World War. In | | | | monument to freed slaves & its Cotton |
| 1961, Sierra Leone achieved independence from | | | | Tree, which stands in the heart of what is |
| Britain & governed itself peacefully for 30 | | | | thought to be an old slave market, is now an |
| years. The peace was not to last & was | | | | impressive national symbol. Graves, monuments |
| followed by a decade of brutal civil war that | | | | & forts are all that remain of British & |
| destroyed the economy, brutalised the people | | | | Portuguese power in Sierra Leone: each has a tale |
| & left a country that is rich in resources as | | | | to tell. There are over 16 different ethnic groups |
| one of the poorest in the world. | | | | in the country, including the Krio, descendents of |
| Whilst doing research for a old website looking at | | | | freed slaves who speak an English-based Creole |
| travel & tourism in Sierra Leone, I came into | | | | called Krio, & visiting villages & chatting |
| contact with Sierra Leoneans from all manner of | | | | to people in markets & in the streets is |
| backgrounds living in both Sierra Leone & | | | | rewarding for all parties! |
| elsewhere. Their passion for the country was | | | | Freetown is probably the most developed of the |
| infectious: they clearly wanted to get the | | | | cities, offering a level of safety that is difficult to |
| message across that Sierra Leone has far more | | | | match even in Western countries. Hotels, |
| to offer than a sad recent history & that | | | | restaurants & nightspots are sprouting like |
| reconstruction is moving ahead at a speedy pace. | | | | mushrooms, & eating out in Sierra Leone |
| & indeed, proof of reconstruction is | | | | promises a range of traditional & international |
| everywhere - old roads are being built, mines are | | | | treats, & seafood that is beyond belief! |
| being re-opened, dam projects started before the | | | | For travellers in search of a "diamond in the |
| war are one time again underway, markets are | | | | rough", Sierra Leone offers a holiday like no other |
| one time again thriving & humming with life. | | | | - my only advice to you is to visit sooner than |
| there's also a great deal of confidence in Sierra | | | | later, to avoid what is sure to be a stampede one |
| Leone's potential as a tourist location: a Chinese | | | | time holiday-makers & tour operators latch |
| company has recently invested a reputed US$270 | | | | on to this gem of a location. |
| million in the hotel infrastructure; enterprising | | | | One has to wonder what attraction will tip the |
| companies like Kevin McPhillips Travel (based in the | | | | scales in making Sierra Leone the popular location |
| UK, USA & the Netherlands) offer exclusive | | | | that it one time was before the civil war. Based |
| six times weekly flights to Sierra Leone; African | | | | on my experiences with Sierra Leoneans in recent |
| Tour specialists are researching viable package | | | | weeks, I feel that it will be the people who make |
| holidays in the region. The exciting thing about | | | | the difference. Without exception, every Sierra |
| investment in Sierra Leone is that more is set to | | | | Leonean that i have met or worked with has |
| follow!they have a right to be confident. The | | | | been proud of their country, proud of its progress |
| beaches along Sierra Leone's golden peninsula are | | | | & excited about the future. they are |
| said to be one of the world's best kept secrets. | | | | unfailingly welcoming, greeting aid-workers & |
| Secluded, tidy & stretching for miles on end, | | | | travellers alike with smiles that you can only find |
| beach tourism is one of the top items on the | | | | in Africa, with an optimism - no, positivity - that |
| government's tourism promotion agenda. Beaches | | | | other countries would do well to emulate. |