Comments on: Guinea: a dash through a dashing country

By: bex

bex — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 17:42:11 +0000

(Sorry, very belated!)

Robert, yep, the inequality / extreme poverty in the face of huge natural wealth was very hard to take / make sense of in Sierra Leone (and in Liberia, for that matter). We were offered diamonds three or four times – in the country that has by far the deepest poverty we’ve seen on this trip. A fascinating book on Sierra Leone, if you’re interested, is Joe A. D. Alie’s “Sierra Leone Since Independence” – maybe the first history book that I literally couldn’t put down (although it probably helped that I read it while in Sierra Leone)!

Suzanne, we had a wonderful time on Tiwai – thanks so much for getting in touch with us and for all your help. We also thought Hindowa was an absolutely top-notch guide! We’ve just posted the first of our sounds from Tiwai, with lots more to come. Wishing you all a much better 2010 than your end of 2009.

By: Suzanne Bode

Suzanne Bode — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 18:27:31 +0000

my phones out of service – but the sim card is in another one. unfortunately I don’ t have your phone number in this one. please call when you get a chance, there’s a bit of important news I need to pass along.

By: Robert Harneis

Robert Harneis — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 14:02:47 +0000

bex – I should have said I was fascinated by your story… “gold and diamonds… cassava and bananas”. You couldn’t make it up.

By: bex

bex — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:10:29 +0000

Thanks all. Thomas, much appreciated! And Robert, yes, sadly you have a fair point.

By: Thomas Armitt

Thomas Armitt — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 20:26:35 +0000

Simply amazing! I feel like I’m on the journey with you. I can’t wait to read more. I will be twittering and facebooking to share this amazing adventure with others.

By: marioa helena

marioa helena — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 14:45:44 +0000

Just loved the reading – my favorite adventure book so far. When you started writing “I`m not going to write about …” , I just knew that even the walls would become jealous.

Love to you both,

Maria Helena

By: Robert Harneis

Robert Harneis — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 09:04:01 +0000

”We prefer poverty in freedom to riches in slavery,” said Ahmed Sekou Toure, and that’s what Guinea got;

As you seem to confirm yourself what they actually got was poverty in slavery.

By: daphne

daphne — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:29:13 +0000

wow! quite a journey. thanks for that bex. hope you sleep well
dafx