Living in Malabo
This account is not just to be introspective and tell people about a petty life or two in Malabo. If you ever plan to come here or somewhere similar, these are some of the things that you should be thinking about!!!
Critter Paradise
It's great here, if you're a critter! Here's some of the variety:
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Snakes vary from 25 ft pythons to green and black mambas which are a deadly and sometimes aggressive. But we have not lost anyone to a serpent yet. |
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A 15ft boa, which is a baby compared to others! |
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Mosquitos have scored several victims through malaria which is the powerful, virulent type here. There are normally very few mosquitos, but they pack a punch. You must take prophylaxis!! |
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Black flies can carry River Blindness (oncocerciasis which I know as a word because a couple of friends have it) A parasite invades the body, has babies which spread throughout the body and reduce skin elasticity and cause itching. Nothing drastic, it's just that you have the alien body (adult) in your body for the rest of your life - he/she never dies off!!
Dengue: I have had it, so I can tell you how lousy you feel with it!! 7 days of fever and severe bone aches, followed by 7 weeks jof feeling very weak. Fortunately, we do not have the haemorragic type. |
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Our home
The garden is a great source of joy for some of the wives, particularly mine.
The soil is rich in minerals as it is volcanic, but the heavy rainfall leaches out most of the nitrogen. With this replaced and a good supply of water in dry season, growth is luxurious! In fact, most of the effort in the garden is keeping growth under control.
Plants seem to flourish rapidly and die quickly.
Wet season is from about April to October and is beautifully cool and pleasant when it is not actually raining. Dry season from December to February can be hotter, with more haze in the sky originating from the dust from the Sahara.
This is the ExxonMobil camp and is very comfortable compared with other housing in the city.
Hobbies
Fishing is great. Sailing is a lousy idea because we are in the traditional doldrums which becalmed sailors.
Try tennis, swimming, eating but you will have to make your own entertainment.
Venturing out
Beaches are black volcanic sand on Bioko except for one or two small ones. Water is safe to swim in away from built-up areas, but skin should be covered in certain months of the year to avoid jellyfish stings.
SCUBA diving is OK but currents are strong and visibility fair. There are a large number of wrecks which are virtually unexplored.
Bug spray may work, or it may not. But you can be sure there are bugs everywhere!!