The Journal:
  Pages 1-2
  Pages 3-4
  Pages 5-6
  Pages 7-8
  Pages 9-10
  Pages 11-12
  Pages 13-14
  Pages 15-16
  Pages 17-18
  Pages 19-20
  Pages 21-22
  Pages 23-24
  Pages 25-26
  Pages 27-28
  Pages 29-30
  Pages 31-32
  Pages 33-34
  Pages 35-36
  Pages 37-38
  Pages 39-40
  Pages 41-42
  Pages 43-44
  Pages 45-46

Our Arrival and Limbe

As all travelers do, we flew into Douala, the largest city of Cameroon. As is the case with most large cities in the world, the first objective was to leave Douala for nicer scenery. Kari and Andy met us at the airport (fortunately, since we would have been a state of shock otherwise) and we hopped in a cab for Limbe, a resort town on the Atlantic Ocean. We stayed at a very nice hotel (the Atlantic) which even had hot water (which Kari hadn't had since she had been in Africa!). The waiter wasn't quite sure how to handle three North Dakotans and a British fellow, but after a few meals he finally warmed up to us and we had some very nice French/African cuisine.

Limbe is famous for one main thing: their "black sand" beaches. The sand is made by the ocean's grinding of the lava flows of Mt Cameroon and a clean beach of this stuff, combined with the equatorial temperatures made for quite a pleasant setting for beach-sitting (which we took much advantage of). We spent about 5 days in Limbe, two of which we spent climbing Mt. Cameroon and the rest spent on the beach, touring the botanical gardens, and shopping in Limbe. This was a fine way of adjusting a little bit to both the climate and culture of Cameroon without having to dive in head-first.

The view from our hotel. Although we didn't have a beach, the Botanical Gardens
were right next door and the view was incredible.

Trish and Kari sitting in the nice outdoor dining room.

The very clean and warm black sand beach was about eleven miles away from the Atlantic Hotel in Limbe.
This was another very nice resort a little outside of town.

Even though it was a cloudy and rainy day, the beach and water were still very warm.
Behind Andy and Kari is Mt. Cameroon. The lava from Mt. Cameroon
had recently erupted (3-5 years before our trip) and came within a quarter
mile of destroying the resort and beach.

Why spend lots of cash for a mud-bath at a day spa?
Of course Sped had to bring a book to Africa...