Poachers, The Slave Trade and Freedom.
Bonjour mes amis,
For my first post I thought I’d explain my rescue from poachers, escape from Africa and subsequent claim for political asylum in the UK.
And of course a few portraits to show off my amazing good looks to the ladies.
Here is a pic of me on my first night after escaping the clutches of evil poachers who had captured me and held me as a slave for so long I’ve lost track of my own age. I was used to attract friends and family to the nets of the poachers so they could be caught and shipped overseas into slavery.
I’m totally tame but can’t resist getting into as much mischief as possible.
I’m not looking my best here and I’m feeling a bit run down. It's been a hard few years.
Can’t remember the last time I had a wash or a decent meal at his point. I’ve had my wing feathers badly broken so I can’t fly and return to my family. With luck another few months and I’ll be swooping around again.
Nothing that a hot bath and some decent food won’t put right with a few days R&R on the beach in Gambia. I'd left my dirty prison and was enjoying some sun.
This is me about a week later, feeling a lot better, sitting at a bar in Georgetown about 300km up the Gambia river. It was a long drive to get here and a long drive still to go before I hit the beach.
At the coast I tried to book into the Abuko Game Park but the rooms were full and nothing was available for me. They suggested I try to leave the Country as work prospects were looking bad at this point I agreed. A visa from Africa to the Uk is a problem so I thought I'd claim asylum.
I made a few phone calls and the African ‘system’ ground up to speed. I was issued with emergency travel documents to leave Gambia and I quickly boarded a flight to the UK.
I thought I’d just apply for political asylum on arrival in London. So that’s what I did.
I was arrested at London Gatwick as soon as I set foot on the ground and taxied off to Heathrow Animal reception centre for a 30 day sentence dished out for what I believe was a totally unjustified sentence. I kept being told some stuff about Flu but I felt fine and just enjoyed the rest.
I saw a doctor who went on about H5N1 Flu this and that but confirmed my fitness to enter the general population and issued a certificate. I was released without any charges and sent forth to the bright lights of London where, word has it, that the streets are paved with Gold.
Left London
So now I’m squatting at Bodwicks for as long as I can, London was way too expensive. I thought maybe the next 20 or 30 years spent at Bod's as I’ve got my own pool here and a luxury pad to ‘hang’ around in, I’m doing fine.
I’ll try and post a few pic’s of my adventures in this Country.
I’ve got an huge Minimax Spytec with a versatile 13.5mm lens it’s f8 fixed focus 0.75m to infinity and a super fast Shutter max of 1/150th sec. Should be good for just about anything I point it at.
Take care, bonne nuit,
Wee Juke
P.S. There is a lot more to my travel adventures than I’ve told, many people need help in this part of the World and animals are very far down the order of life. If you see any animals in need as you travel about don’t just take them home or even approach animals you don‘t know. It’s a lot of hard work and effort and can land you in a lot of trouble if you don‘t do things correctly.
And don’t buy wild caught birds! It might be my Mother!
Support a local school, a vet or any worthy cause as you travel but remember you can’t help everyone or everything so pick carefully.
Don‘t support anyone or anything making money out of badly kept birds or any animals.
It’s a tuff old World and I’ve seen enough of the ‘Dark side’.
'With thanks to the unknown original artist for lending me his camel'
Wee Juke...
:wave
For my first post I thought I’d explain my rescue from poachers, escape from Africa and subsequent claim for political asylum in the UK.
And of course a few portraits to show off my amazing good looks to the ladies.
Here is a pic of me on my first night after escaping the clutches of evil poachers who had captured me and held me as a slave for so long I’ve lost track of my own age. I was used to attract friends and family to the nets of the poachers so they could be caught and shipped overseas into slavery.
I’m totally tame but can’t resist getting into as much mischief as possible.
I’m not looking my best here and I’m feeling a bit run down. It's been a hard few years.
Can’t remember the last time I had a wash or a decent meal at his point. I’ve had my wing feathers badly broken so I can’t fly and return to my family. With luck another few months and I’ll be swooping around again.
Nothing that a hot bath and some decent food won’t put right with a few days R&R on the beach in Gambia. I'd left my dirty prison and was enjoying some sun.
This is me about a week later, feeling a lot better, sitting at a bar in Georgetown about 300km up the Gambia river. It was a long drive to get here and a long drive still to go before I hit the beach.
At the coast I tried to book into the Abuko Game Park but the rooms were full and nothing was available for me. They suggested I try to leave the Country as work prospects were looking bad at this point I agreed. A visa from Africa to the Uk is a problem so I thought I'd claim asylum.
I made a few phone calls and the African ‘system’ ground up to speed. I was issued with emergency travel documents to leave Gambia and I quickly boarded a flight to the UK.
I thought I’d just apply for political asylum on arrival in London. So that’s what I did.
I was arrested at London Gatwick as soon as I set foot on the ground and taxied off to Heathrow Animal reception centre for a 30 day sentence dished out for what I believe was a totally unjustified sentence. I kept being told some stuff about Flu but I felt fine and just enjoyed the rest.
I saw a doctor who went on about H5N1 Flu this and that but confirmed my fitness to enter the general population and issued a certificate. I was released without any charges and sent forth to the bright lights of London where, word has it, that the streets are paved with Gold.
Left London
So now I’m squatting at Bodwicks for as long as I can, London was way too expensive. I thought maybe the next 20 or 30 years spent at Bod's as I’ve got my own pool here and a luxury pad to ‘hang’ around in, I’m doing fine.
I’ll try and post a few pic’s of my adventures in this Country.
I’ve got an huge Minimax Spytec with a versatile 13.5mm lens it’s f8 fixed focus 0.75m to infinity and a super fast Shutter max of 1/150th sec. Should be good for just about anything I point it at.
Take care, bonne nuit,
Wee Juke
P.S. There is a lot more to my travel adventures than I’ve told, many people need help in this part of the World and animals are very far down the order of life. If you see any animals in need as you travel about don’t just take them home or even approach animals you don‘t know. It’s a lot of hard work and effort and can land you in a lot of trouble if you don‘t do things correctly.
And don’t buy wild caught birds! It might be my Mother!
Support a local school, a vet or any worthy cause as you travel but remember you can’t help everyone or everything so pick carefully.
Don‘t support anyone or anything making money out of badly kept birds or any animals.
It’s a tuff old World and I’ve seen enough of the ‘Dark side’.
'With thanks to the unknown original artist for lending me his camel'
Wee Juke...
:wave
0
Comments
Nice story with equaly nice captures.
Dick.
Thomas Fuller.
SmugMug account.
Website.
I'm Mikey. You don't know me but we are related somehow. Nymphicus hollandicus it's my real name but I like the one that parents gave me more. And they gave me a little brother Max(agapornis). I love my Mon most. Humans are sometime selfish but I guess that I was lucky so far. But enough with my.
I'm sad about your story and I hope that you'll get better soon and be happy again.
Looking for good news and pics. from you.
Mikey.
[SIZE=-1]It's nice to be important, but it's more important to be nice. - John Lennon.[/SIZE]
Great post thanks
Stan
http://www.sherbrookephotography.smugmug.com
--Aaron
http://mrbook2.smugmug.com
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Blog at http://losthighlights.blogspot.com/