Limbe, Cameroon

We crossed the border opposite Ikom from Nigeria into Cameroon. There are lots of stories to tell but you will have to wait until another time when I am out of the country with better internet. The road from the border to the next town was so much better than the guide book had warned. It used to be bad but it had been upgraded with Chinese money and now was a great road with smooth tarmac and a gigantic viaduct across a river. The picture doesn't do it justice as it curves across the mountain off to the left of the photo.

We reached `Limbe which was to be our location for the next week. We were camping in the grounds of a hotel which overlooked the shore and several islands. And parked in the bay was an oil rig.

A view of some of the islands.

The hotel was positioned on the beach front of the botanical gardens so it was a central peaceful location. The gardens were interesting and one of the top three things to see in the city but it was a lot extra to photograph so I saved my money and unreality, there weren't a lot of unique specimens in the gardens so I didn't miss out.

There had been several Land Rovers on site as part of the gardens vehicle fleet but regrettably they were all now redundant.

 Another of the former fleet.

 And yet another this time almost buried to the tyres.

And the last running vehicle. Just a few spare parts would let them run again but the budget did not stretch to a few extra cheap parts and so perfectly good vehicles lay rusting away. Not such an unusual situation in Africa where capital aid is given to set up a project but there is no extra money for maintenance so the project aims reneger realised long term.

The hotel was a great setting with a bar, restaurant and a pool.

 It over looked the sea but the coast just here is rocky so no sandy beaches. This is the picture at high tide but the rocks and rubbish would dissuade anyone from trying to have a swim in the sea.

A picture of the oil rig just off shore in front of one of the many islands.

 And its support vessel moored just a kilometre away.

 And above the hotel swimming pool with the truck in the right of the picture is the Hot Spot Restaurant which is the best seafood restaurant in Limbe,

And then for me it was the challenge to climb Mount Cameroon, the highest mountain in west Africa.