What's there in Africa? Warm and friendly people..

Buy hey, can we generalise? Just as we could lump all the Asians together? I wonder…With all the images we see in the media, it is difficult not to think of the continents of the world as separate entities, each one more or less alike.

In Cameroon, you will discover tropical forests in the west, the savannah in the north, the seaside in the south and Mount Cameroon, a volcano which last erupted in 1999, in the west.

If you surf on the Internet before leaving, you may find warnings about malaria, the water, etc. The necessary precautions include not drinking unfiltered, unboiled water. Puritabs may come in handy but those in France take 1h before the water becomes potable. Don't worry! Mineral water is easily available.

Thought you had left behind blood-sucking mosquitoes in Singapore? Cameroon is also 3^o north of the equator, just like Singapore! Included in the package are the pests. But hey, all we need is a little insect repellent and mosquito coil, right? (You can find mosquito coil in Decathlon, or ask me, I still have 2 boxes!)

There are 2 types of anti-malaria pills. Larium, which is supposed so powerful you only have to take it once a week. The other is Savarine, 1 per day. The former is recommended by l'institut Pasteur, the official authority on preventive measures. However, a GP (general practitioner) I asked advised Savarine instead, as he has treated people with serious side-effects after taking Larium. Of course, only a small proportion of the population is affected. Up to you to to try out the medication some days before leaving to be sure.

In the guide Le petit futé 2001, one of the few, if not the only guide solely about Cameroon you can find in Paris, they warn about corruption by the police. Once again, not true! Police may conduct checks for your papers but they are friendly to tourists.

English is spoken by 20% of the population, mainly in the west of the country. The rest speak French. Some Chinese fellow passengers who spoke neither English not French had some problems explaining their reason for being in the country.

And what's Singapore's favourite pasttime? Eating! Tongue of zebu (cow family), boa constrictor (taste like fish), and caïmar (crocodile family). Not enough to make you drool? How about fresh fish roasted over a fire, or garlic prawns and crabs? And this will really remind you of home. Fresh coconut juice! Mangos, avocado salad. Heaven….

14 days is a good time to visit the country from north to south. You'll get to see the varied landscapes and "causer" with the people. Aren’t models supposed to be able walk with a book on their heads? Most Cameroonians must be models then! They balance everything, from baskets of bananas to pails of water, on their heads. In the trains, people stick their hands of the window to buy mangoes perched on heads. They even have special flat-topped hats but guess it's only the novices who need them!

There are Cameroonian students in Centrale and I met the parents of one of them. Super sympa! If any of you are planning a trip there, let me know.

(1FF=100 CFA) Air France, Paris-Douala, , the economic capital, to and fro everyday.