It was a 4 hour drive from Bo to Buret Beach so we set off early this morning. We arrived at our destination just after mid-day. The beach did not disappoint. Unlike River Number 2 beach, Buret offers visitors the opportunity to hire surf-boards and try their luck with the waves.
I had previously surfed a couple of times in Scotland and was more than happy to give it a go. Iain, on the other hand, grew up surfing on the West coast of Ireland and is a seasoned pro! It was great to get some tips from him. Hopefully we’ll be able to go surfing together in the future back in Scotland. I wasn’t the only one getting advice though. Corinna, Beate and Ibrahim all had a go on the board.
As has been the case throughout the trip, the weather was excellent. As the sun began to set on our final day in SL, we were all feeling a bit sun-kissed. I think that it is fair to say that Iain was probably feeling it more than the rest of us!!
Fr Conteh (now recovered from his bout of illness) joined us on the beach and we sat together and chatted over a drink. With heavy hearts we made our way off the beach and began the journey back to Freetown. After 90 minutes of travelling we were back in Fr Conteh’s house – a sort of homecoming. We have an early start in the morning. The alarm is set for 6am so that we can catch an early speedboat to Lunghi and catch the flight back to the UK.
It has been a fantastic trip. It has been great to catch up with old friends, whilst also making new friends. We have successfully delivered workshops to over 90 people and we have learned much about mental health in Sierra Leone. The team has gelled well and we have managed to squeeze in some laughs along the way. Thank you to Beate, Corinna, Iain, Hannah, Ibrahim and Fr Conteh for contributing to what has been a very memorable experience.
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