Building Roads on Red: The Knights Who Jump
CAMEROON
A pool overlooking the Gulf of Guinea had some island themed music spraying the sky, like a perfume that wafted through the afternoon breeze. It felt like a weekend. People splashed about and laughter floated up, popping here and there like little soap bubbles, giving joy to all who witnessed it. The coastal town of Limbé was a trip where unknowingly, I’d jumped over some legalities.
How many times in life do we (need to) leap over things? From self-made sanctions to society’s ‘isms’, we likely have played the role of the Knight, jumping through endless loopholes, over boundaries or past obstructions that are meant to limit us. Even though nothing technically changes on the other side of the chessboard, when we get there, it often feels like a small victory.
Seeing the life-size chess pieces made me wonder how particular people and places become pawns, and others kings. The natural state of Africa has a potentiality that some see as paltry, but for those that can stomach it, it’s a payout like no other. The continent’s raw beauty has a lot of real and I wondered what would happen if it knighted over all that ensnares it …
To get to this sea-side city that boasts black sands, we road-tripped for a few hours from the bustle of Douala. As one of Africa’s largest volcanoes and incidentally, also the highest peak within the region, the majesty of Mount Cameroon comes into view for all its constituents, like headshots of royal families on tabloids.
Given the legalities, we couldn’t spend as much time to chill as the place provides. Frankly, for many of these spots, one would need to sport smart glasses (or bigtime investors) that’d occidentalize standards, service and swankiness.
The black sand beaches could be boundless, but because of its location here, in Gambia, maybe even in Senegal, you’ll likely be the only tourist to take it in.
Tbh, intentionally coming to these parts seems reserved for those that know how to checkmate, especially on diverse terrains and terms.
Not always in powerplay positions, people often posit that Africa is a place for charity, but this tiktok argues that actually, “Africa is your clarity”. No matter what hand it’s served, “we are not waiting for greenlights, we are building roads on red”.
I thought back to the Eco Park in Yaoundé, where the red gravel road could deter even a determined daytripper. Admittedly, whilst a manicure could benefit, the cost of a world frenzied by filters taxes us far more than we might feel.
The more I travel, the better I can breathe in beauty, however basic. My flipflops smacked against the weathered wooden boat as I hopped in for the short boat ride. The man’s biceps and triceps fired up as my nervous system downshifted into the moment, letting the simplicity of serenity swallow me.
Like a chess board, I know there are nuances and needs that have yet to make their moves for these reserves and resources to be revered in their full right and light. Regardless, here’s to building roads on red! Not only for places akin to Africa, where one maneuver might take much more might, but also, for ourselves. Yes, even though many might want to be kings and queens in our own right, there seems to be a more powerful perspective at play:
Whatever our path, piece or position, let us know that there’s a Knight deep within us all - one that can jump up, over, out of, into … anything we choose.
May we lean on our Knight to leap over that which holds us back,