NYONIÉ CAMP
April 2004
Nyonié Camp is situated south of Pointe Denis, very close to the border of the Wonga-Wongué Presidential Reserve. It faces the Atlantic Ocean and the beaches stretch for miles and miles.
This is probably the most expensive back-to-basics weekend we've ever spent anywhere! €138 (per person) for one night's accommodation, transport, meals and activity of choice. We got picked up at Michèle Marina on Saturday by a large fishing pirogue (life jackets included) and taken across the Estuary, through the mangroves of Gongoué (I think) and arrived still in one piece at a timber port which I believe to be in the Nzamaligue area. Once we managed to get out of the pirogue without falling into squishy stinky black mud we were met by a pick-up truck from Nyonié Camp. The drive was quite bumpy and at some point we crossed the Equator line. It felt kind of weird and the weather changed suddenly ... nah, only kidding! Well, it was a bit strange being in the Northern Hemisphere one minute and in the Southern Hemisphere the next ... just use your imagination hey!
Half an hour later we were settling into our rooms. The cabins are very down-to-earth, with a floor, 4 walls, roof, a couple of windows and enough beds for a family of 6! There was an air-conditioner of sorts ... it didn't always work. We also had to share our room with an army of ants, termites and every other bug around - wilderness at last! The cabins are perched on higher ground so there is a great view over the massive beach. The showers and toilets were outside in a separate hut but very clean and functional.
Unfortunately, due to delays we arrived long after lunch, so had to make do with home-brought candy and cokes until 09:00pm! Dinner (and all meals thereafter) was served at one big family table al fresco, with Monsieur Beti (the owner) presiding over his guests. The meals were served in several courses and in my humble opinion, absolutely delicious!
Before dawn (4:00am to be precise) on Sunday morning we reluctantly left our little huts for a "game" drive. After a quick cup of coffee and a stale baguette we piled into the back of a pick-up with fitted seats and took off into the jungle!
As we drove through the forest we felt it come alive with the sounds of birds and insects waking up. The place was really creepy in the dark, it smelt damp and very old ... awesome! Suddenly the forest cleared and we came into open savannahs covered in the morning mist, lush green valleys and rolling hills. It was all very beautiful but impossible to capture the breathtaking scenery with a little pocket camera! There were no roads as such, we just followed tyre tracks and in some cases had to cut our way through with a chain saw.We searched in vain for animals but (the chain saw must have scared them away) except for a few droppings and some paw prints ... nada!
We spent the rest of the morning chasing funny little crabs (the only wildlife around), walking on the beach and soaking up the sun ... until our stomachs started rumbling again! A few more guests popped in for lunch, arriving in speed boats, light aircraft and power gliders. The atmosphere was convivial, the food was excellent and before we knew it, was time to head back to Libreville!
All in all, the weekend was pleasant ... but once was quite enough!
