Last week I blogged about Greg Campbell, author of Blood Diamonds and contributing author of Lonely Planet’s West Africa, Vol. 3 travel guidebook (among other books). I’m taking a four-part class from him on Narrative Nonfiction, and this week I asked him about his experiences in Jos, Nigeria.
As part of his guidebook research, he stayed at Hill Station and enjoyed their great food. While the accommodations were luxurious by Nigerian standards, I’m sure their hospitality didn’t match what I receive from the Faith Alive family each time I’m in Jos.
He also traveled outside Jos to the Yankari Game Park that my daughter visited with the Isicheis a few years ago. “Were there a lot of monkeys?” I asked him, remembering Jenny’s descriptions. Greg’s eyes widened as he recalled one specific morning there. He’d just used his treasured French press to make a decent cup of coffee, and went outside to breathe in the scenery. He heard a thrashing sound through the bush and looked up to see dozens of baboons on a warpath that led straight to him. He said he was barely able to leap safely back into his room before the crazed primates attacked his coffee. I can only imagine what advice he put in his guidebook.
(The pictured sign is from Yankari.)
I'm anxious to hear about your Narrative Non-Fiction class - should be really good.
ReplyDeleteIt's been a really great class at Northern Colorado Writers' studio. I recommend Greg Campbell as an interesting, informative teacher.
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