Visit in Yaoundé 4-11 November 2011
L-R: Odile & Olivier Mussat, Graham Wynde, Charles Cogan, John & Alan O'Connell
We left London for Yaoude at the beginning of November, and my fellow travellers are the people who bought the journey at my testimonial dinner on 25 February.
When we arrived it was still the rainy season. A flood paralyzed the city, causing monstrous traffic jams … But we kept smiling.
Where do I begin, all the sounds and images of this journey are still dancing in my head. Rather than make you read paragraphs, here are a few photos of our trip …
- Sébastien Lovy
- The Sanaga river
- With Sébastien Lovy, Graham Wynde and Kais Larbi (Director, SBA France)
- In a classroom in Bafia
After spending a few days in Bangangté, we go back to Yaounde, we visit one of the centers of the Serge Betsen Academy. Again, this is a very different world, I am proud of the work our volunteers are doing there.
- Team review in Bangangté 1
- Team review in Bangangté 2
- Team review in Bangangté 3
- Team review in Bangangté 4
- With some of the girls who play rugby
- Here is one of the classrooms we would like to renovate
- With the children in Bangangté
- With the older children
- With the village King
- In Mfebé forest with Kais Larbi and Jutta, who manages the SBA center Jardin Eden
- In Ekounou
- On Kribi Beach
Help for Heroes training – 28 November – 02 December
- A l’entrainement avec Lawrence Dallaglio
Back in London I started training to participate in a charity game to benefit Help for Heroes. I spend the whole week before the game with them.
- With Marshall Cormack (left), of Royal Navy, who was leaving for Afghanistan the day after the game, and Hugh Vyvyan
I was very pleased to meet Prime Minister David Cameron before he left for Paris. Congratulations on his support of Help for Heroes, this non-political cause that helps war-wounded in all aspects, which enables their rehabilitation into normal life. I am impressed with the work that this charity has done in so little time!
- Meeting Prime Miniter David Cameron, when we visited No 10 Downing Street
On 26, Barbarians against Australia at Twickenham. Good luck to Sylvain Marconnet, the only French representative at this game! A thought also for Danny Cipriani, my former team-mate to London Wasps.
On 27, I attended the ATP World Tour final at O2, to support Mr Tsonga against Mr. Federer!
November 30 - If you followed the banter with Kyran Bracken during the ~Rugby World Cup, you know Kyran lost his bet as France went to the finals. His forfeit was to cook for me and serve my meal at the Brasserie St Jacques on St James Street in London. I will post pictures when I receive some.