Sierra Leone

Beautiful beaches where people party in harmony, lush green mountains, a country crazy about football, with some cricket, amazing seaside villages. Imagine a country made up of slaves that were freed.

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Welcome to the country of Sierra Leone.

Freetown

We landed at the Freetown International Airport from the country of Benin. Lush green landscapes and rivers were the first thing to strike me from the air. The airport is one of the most difficult to get to from the actual capital city of Freetown. By road it is almost 200 kms! So there is a busy ferry after you travel a certain distance from the road. The journey from landing till reaching the main city can take more than two and a half hours on an average.

Freetown is a seriously cool city, totally shaped by the sea—all vibrant and hilly, wrapped around one of the biggest natural deep-water harbours you'll find anywhere. It was founded back in 1792 for freed slaves from Nova Scotia, and you can still see that history in its name and culture. The Port of Freetown is mind-blowing in size and location. Get this: the harbour is so deep that during WWII, it was a vital Allied naval base, hosting huge fleets. Today, it’s one of West Africa's busiest ports, dealing with everything from cocoa and diamonds to fishing boats and massive container ships. When you look down from the hills, the view is unreal—bright tin roofs tumbling down to the water, ships cruising through that turquoise water, and the massive curve of the harbour making you literally feel carefree.