Well, after yesterday when we had made lots of arrangements for a balloon flight this morning (making an official application to the relevant authorities in Abuja and organising the hire of a people carrier without seats), and preparing the balloon, it all went wrong. The vehicle failed to arrive at 5.30am and Sam was ill, probably with malaria. Having got up at 5 we had accomplished several jobs on the Enterprise and had an early breakfast so we decided to get Sam's driver Karim to take us to find another vehicle to hire and come to load the balloon at 4pm.
Again it failed to arrive on time. Sam rose from his sick bed and said he was worried about the safety of us flying and that we should wait til Tuesday! We had just decided to give it up as a bad job, apply for our Cameroon visas here tomorrow and set off for the border, when the hire vehicle turned up at 4.45 and suddenly it was all go. We loaded up and Karim led us way out of town to the end of the paved road next to a football field. There appeared to be no roads in the direction we expected to fly but the test balloon went vertically upwards. Without delay we inflated Suzie Blue, watched by a large crowd of Sunday afternoon spectators. Chris had decided to fly solo so that I could be on the ground to catch him but at the last minute he asked Karim if he would like a flight. He didn't need asking twice! Our hire car driver and I stayed put, intending to follow on foot but Chris radio-ed down that there was a good track we could drive along. After 20 minutes in the air he landed in a gulley and many hands were around to bring the inflated balloon up to the car.
It was bedlam, drawing an immense crowd from the nearby village of Waroo. It took ages to pack away as everyone was so excited. The 4 of us piled into the car with the balloon but we were joined by 2 angry men, both claiming to own the land and demanding payment. One claimed to be a relative of the king and another group argued that they were princes. They were coming to blows but Karim and Chris calmed them down and we made our escape as fast as we could, with 3 hanging on the back of the car. What an adventure! None of us was hurt but the car did lose a wing mirror on the fast drive back in the dark, weaving in and out between the tro-tros. A gin and tonic to celebrate once back at Sam's.
Photos will follow. I have already started adding some from Mauretania onwards and hope to continue tomorrow after we visit the Cameroon Embassy in Abuja.
Again it failed to arrive on time. Sam rose from his sick bed and said he was worried about the safety of us flying and that we should wait til Tuesday! We had just decided to give it up as a bad job, apply for our Cameroon visas here tomorrow and set off for the border, when the hire vehicle turned up at 4.45 and suddenly it was all go. We loaded up and Karim led us way out of town to the end of the paved road next to a football field. There appeared to be no roads in the direction we expected to fly but the test balloon went vertically upwards. Without delay we inflated Suzie Blue, watched by a large crowd of Sunday afternoon spectators. Chris had decided to fly solo so that I could be on the ground to catch him but at the last minute he asked Karim if he would like a flight. He didn't need asking twice! Our hire car driver and I stayed put, intending to follow on foot but Chris radio-ed down that there was a good track we could drive along. After 20 minutes in the air he landed in a gulley and many hands were around to bring the inflated balloon up to the car.
It was bedlam, drawing an immense crowd from the nearby village of Waroo. It took ages to pack away as everyone was so excited. The 4 of us piled into the car with the balloon but we were joined by 2 angry men, both claiming to own the land and demanding payment. One claimed to be a relative of the king and another group argued that they were princes. They were coming to blows but Karim and Chris calmed them down and we made our escape as fast as we could, with 3 hanging on the back of the car. What an adventure! None of us was hurt but the car did lose a wing mirror on the fast drive back in the dark, weaving in and out between the tro-tros. A gin and tonic to celebrate once back at Sam's.
Photos will follow. I have already started adding some from Mauretania onwards and hope to continue tomorrow after we visit the Cameroon Embassy in Abuja.
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