January 30, 2011

January 30, 2011
Sunday. This morning we drove a very long bumpy dusty road (VLBDR) to Mundemba.  Along the way we passed massive rubber, cocoa, and palm oil tree plantations, and we stopped at a spring for cool fresh water.  There were fascinating geologic formations in this formerly volcanically active region.  Kids were busily rolling tires along the roadway as we passed.

Very Long Bumpy Dirt Road (VLBDR)

Kids rolling tires

Immature cocoa pods

Tapping Rubber Trees

Rubber Tree Plantation

Geologic Formation - many of these!

In Mundemba the Korup National Park manager very graciously opened the office in the middle of his Sunday afternoon to give us permits, and went with us as our guide. The 250 meter swinging bridge made of woven vines has been replaced with a swinging bridge of cables and boards that are unevenly spaced and far enough apart to see the rushing water and rocks far below and make you hang on to the hand cables for dear life!

Mana Suspension Bridge - Entrance to Korup National Park

Korup Park Manager, Me, Njoke - along the path in Korup National Park

Path in the Park

 --This tropical forest is in pristine condition, never cut, and protected for the past 50 years. It is the site of worldwide research that benefits our world – medications, animals and their behaviors, insects, weather, the myriad of forest plants, flowers, hundreds of bird species. We sprayed our insect repellant liberally, and into the forest. As we walked the narrow path under the dense canopy we heard bird calls and our guide said the monkeys were feeding in the treetops, getting ready for their night. At the Limbe primate sanctuary we saw chimpanzees, gorillas, drills, baboons, and several types of monkeys whose native home is here in Korup National Park. It was humbling to be here, it is so beautiful.
 ----Back to town for supper of bush meat (crocodile?), boiled plantain and beer at a local spot and stimulating conversation with the park manager about forest fire control. Our gracious guide told me that I’d made him crazy during our walk. I asked if it was because I’d picked up the litter I found along the path – that was it, “I didn’t know how to respond, no one does that here and I didn’t know what you were thinking, maybe that our park is dirty and you didn’t like it?” I explained that I was doing what I do at home, that in the US there are effective campaigns for each and all of us to keep our natural places clean, and my small gift to this park’s beauty was to carry out the small amount of trash that I saw. He was very interested in hearing about strategies to motivate people to pick up their park and their town, and I described our Adopt-a-Highway program. I suggested that in Mundemba he might approach the Presbyterian Church, the Apostolic Church, the Secondary School, etc., asking each group to adopt a 2 km stretch, and post a sign indicating whose stretch is which. He loved it! I hope this is the footprint that I left in Mundemba – I’d love to know how his efforts fare.

Dinner Spot

--To bed early under the mosquito net – tonight I’m very thankful for it – this is a buggy place.

Our room had everything we needed