It's the rainy season in Sierra Leone. Outside my hotel room, I can hear the ocean wind blowing the rain in sheets against my room's exterior wall. While my simple room is kept cool with a wall unit A/C, if I open my door I'll be greeted with a wall of humidity and warmth.Sierra Leone is geographically about the size of West Virginia (for Americans) or a bit smaller than the size of Ireland (for the rest of the world) and population-wise is roughly 6.5 million - like two Chicago's basically- with about 25% of them living in the capital city of Freetown. Freetown in situated amongst mountains and hills...houses and buildings climb up the green topography that all of sudden meets the low-hanging clouds full of rain. Given Freetown's situation on a mountainous coastal peninsula, the International Airport is located in Lungi- technically the "Northern Province" of Sierra Leone, but really just across the harbor (the third largest natural occurring harbor in the world) from Freetown.
So how does one get from the Lungi International Airport to Freetown. Driving would take you nearly two hours on a very horrible road. You could take a ferry that takes about 45 minutes. You could take a speed boat and arrive in 25 minutes. But why not take the helicopter and arrive in 7 minutes! Mode of transport of choice, I'd say!
The helicopter company is run by either a Bulgarian crew or Ukrainian (no one could really tell me). Needless to say, I was a little nervous and also excited (but maybe more nervous). (1) Never ridden in a helicopter. (2) Aviation standards aren't necessarily the best in Africa. (3) Within the past three years, there have been a few accidents with these helicopters- one namely that killed the Togolese Sports Minister- helicopter caught on fire after an explosion when it landed- yikes!! (Mom, I hope you're not reading this!). BUT, fortunately (Mom- read this), the company that operated those helicopters (an old Russian fleet of Mi-8's) is no longer in business...so who knows, but it's a whole process to get from immigration to the helicopter and fortunately the Planned Parenthood affiliate I'm with had arranged for a guy to meet me outside baggage claim and get my helicopter ticket and put me on the little bus to the helicopter. So far so good.
About 18 of us got into the helicopter and buckled in. There were headphones/noise reducers on our seats should we choose to use them. I opted to take in the whole experience. Took a few snaps of the view en route to the helipad (of which there are several in Freetown). Seven minutes later, we landed and Mr. Johnson and the PPASL driver met me on that side to take me to the hotel. Mr. Johnson, with whom I had only corresponded with via text message, shook my hand and hugged me (he's probably like 6 feet 6 inches- towering over me)- greeting with with the warmest smile and hellos- like we were old friends. Nothing like door-to-door service- even if the doors involved airplanes, shuttle buses, and helicopter doors!
So how does one get from the Lungi International Airport to Freetown. Driving would take you nearly two hours on a very horrible road. You could take a ferry that takes about 45 minutes. You could take a speed boat and arrive in 25 minutes. But why not take the helicopter and arrive in 7 minutes! Mode of transport of choice, I'd say!
The helicopter company is run by either a Bulgarian crew or Ukrainian (no one could really tell me). Needless to say, I was a little nervous and also excited (but maybe more nervous). (1) Never ridden in a helicopter. (2) Aviation standards aren't necessarily the best in Africa. (3) Within the past three years, there have been a few accidents with these helicopters- one namely that killed the Togolese Sports Minister- helicopter caught on fire after an explosion when it landed- yikes!! (Mom, I hope you're not reading this!). BUT, fortunately (Mom- read this), the company that operated those helicopters (an old Russian fleet of Mi-8's) is no longer in business...so who knows, but it's a whole process to get from immigration to the helicopter and fortunately the Planned Parenthood affiliate I'm with had arranged for a guy to meet me outside baggage claim and get my helicopter ticket and put me on the little bus to the helicopter. So far so good.
About 18 of us got into the helicopter and buckled in. There were headphones/noise reducers on our seats should we choose to use them. I opted to take in the whole experience. Took a few snaps of the view en route to the helipad (of which there are several in Freetown). Seven minutes later, we landed and Mr. Johnson and the PPASL driver met me on that side to take me to the hotel. Mr. Johnson, with whom I had only corresponded with via text message, shook my hand and hugged me (he's probably like 6 feet 6 inches- towering over me)- greeting with with the warmest smile and hellos- like we were old friends. Nothing like door-to-door service- even if the doors involved airplanes, shuttle buses, and helicopter doors!
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