Our Round-the-World adventure

[JJEH]

Love your pictures!!

Commonly cited as the number one site in Abidjan, “The Pyramid” built from 1968-1973 with the intention of capturing the spirit of an African market. The artistic bones were there but the building had seen better days, the street level windows were full of old cardboard and the building looks abandoned and disused.

That's some pretty cool architecture. Imagine having a corner office on the top level ?

 

[KiwiMtnClmbr]

Love your pictures!!



That's some pretty cool architecture. Imagine having a corner office on the top level ?

Unfortunately, the monolithic monstrosity adjacent to it says as much and more about the 'Spirit' of things; I had a similar shock with the big city feel of Abidjan after visiting other capitols and major cities in WA.

 

[roamingyak]

Good to see your doing ok guys
Camping in gravel pits and random places is the fun of West and Central Africa, you'll miss it later on ;-)

Good attitude on not paying... I've paid once in 7 years ;-)
If you do get stuck with very difficult people, and they won't back down use my favourite:
"We are sorry, we didn't know you were here, so we don't have anything today, but tomorrow we are coming back this way, so will make sure we have a nice surprise for you"
Then they don't have to lose/give in, you are just deferring, then obviously don't go back ;-)

 

[tacototheworld]

Good to see your doing ok guys
Camping in gravel pits and random places is the fun of West and Central Africa, you'll miss it later on ;-)

Good attitude on not paying... I've paid once in 7 years ;-)
If you do get stuck with very difficult people, and they won't back down use my favourite:
"We are sorry, we didn't know you were here, so we don't have anything today, but tomorrow we are coming back this way, so will make sure we have a nice surprise for you"
Then they don't have to lose/give in, you are just deferring, then obviously don't go back ;-)

Thats a great idea! I’ll give that a try, thanks!

 

[roamingyak]

Thats a great idea! I’ll give that a try, thanks!

Or, when they are a bit rude or blunt:
"I am a guest in your country, what do you have for US to show the hospitality and kindness of your culture?" and look serious about it.
I got a 'NIGERIA POLICE' cap from a Nigerian policeman this way, he immediately took it off and gave to it to me saying "Excuse me for my poor manners, I hope god will forgive me"

Most common response from me is just to ignore the question and ask a question about the road.
Or just laugh a little at them like they are pathetic children and then ask a question to distract "how is the road ahead? Any potholes?" etc

 

[tacototheworld]

Ghana - part 1

Nzulezo, traditional stilt built village on the water

Our entry to Ghana was rough and we were not feeling the love. Customs officials gave us a huge runaround and delayed us at the border for 26 hours as we did not have a Carnet de Passage for the truck. This CdP is essentially a passport for a vehicle, which is widely used and economical for Europeans but very expensive for a USA-licensed vehicle. All of the previous countries have cheaply given us a vehicle import permit or equivalent. Ghana is infamous for its bureaucratic rules.

We were so excited to enter and explore Ghana!

In the end they only let us through with a 10 day transit permit restricted to a route along the coast. The permit cost us a whopping $500 and set us up to dislike the country and everything about it. (Every other African country charged an average of $10 to bring a car in.) But in the end the people of Ghana (most of whom are not customs officials) won us over and we were able to let go of our border experience and enjoy the piece of Ghana that we were allowed to see.

We later found out that this particular border - Elubo - is notorious and that overland travelers frequently get taken for an expensive ride and/or are subjected to hours of delays and paperwork.

Our least favorite camping spot to date - customs parking lot at the Elubo border while we waited for our transit paperwork to be processed

GPS tracker installed in our truck to make sure we stay on route

Our $500 transit sticker

In Ghana, we had planned to explore the interior, spending several weeks visiting remote national parks. But as we have found, traveling West Africa means being able to switch gears and change itineraries at a moment’s notice. Expectation is the root of all heartache.

Even with our mandated, restricted route we found places and met people that made our time in Ghana special. On the corridor we traveled, (border to border through Accra), it was more developed than many of the countries we had been in recently. With frequent contemporary gas stations, supermarkets, paved roads with street lamps and English speaking locals it was easy to navigate.

Our eight day government mandated route through Ghana

For our first stop, we made our way along the coast to visit a traditional village built on the water. Founded 600 years ago by people from Mali escaping a war with Senegal, Nzulezo was fascinating and charming. The people gave us precious and heartwarming insight into their lives. We went there with a local guide who had grown up in the village and built his own family home there. The village is developing its tourism opportunities and visits are easy to set up through a visitor center on the mainland. You are connected with a guide, then taken by boat. We appreciated the clear communication from the organizers, a printed price list, and an explanation that we would be asked to donate to the local school (we did) and hopefully tip our guide (we did). It is comforting to know exactly what the financial expectations are.

Children in the village are given their first canoe when they are ready to go to junior high school on the mainland so that they can paddle themselves there. Primary school is on site in the village.

Bamboo fish traps

It was clear that being on the water and in boats was very much integrated into daily life

Kevin showing us his family home that he built himself

Young boy building a chicken coop

Young woman pounding cassava to make dough

Main street. We were being given the experience of seeing village life as it really was, laundry on the lines, food being prepared, houses being rebuilt.

Continuing our journey east (as prescribed by the Ghanaian government) we headed to the beautiful coastal area of Butre. We found what was becoming a familiar scenario, a camping spot outside of a small hotel on the coast. We paid the hotel a minimal amount ($5) to access their beach, showers and toilets. We had reached the point in our travels where showers where were always cold (no water heaters), but we also couldn’t imagine why we would want a warm one.

Camping at Butre, at Hideout Lodge

Something about the traditional canoes always makes us want to take a photo

Gorgeous beach walks on clean beaches

Much as we enjoyed the people of Ghana, there were a few drawbacks to the increased awareness of tourism dollars. We wandered down the beach in Butre and saw a beautiful village. As we approached a man came up to us and suggested that he could be a village guide for an eco-tourism tour. (Somewhere a big memo went out to all would be tourism operators that if you use the word “eco” people will pay lots of money so tours and hotels are branded accordingly). We explained that we were just walking on the beach and didn’t need a guide, thank you. He was very persistent, saying that we should pay him money to use the bridge and come to his village and in the end we turned around. It was a disappointing interaction all around. We would have probably wandered through the village on our way, maybe bought some bread, fruit and had some conversations. He wanted to manage that for us. We totally get it, people are trying to make some money for basic food and necessities. But the day before we had gone on a tour, paid for a guide, made a donation to the village school, and that was our budget. (Partially just because we had given the Ghanaian government $500, not that we were bitter). Being a tourist comes with its downside, sometimes dollars get in the way of genuine experiences. We didn’t want to pay for curated village visit that day, we were just wandering.

Who could complain about a campsite with this view???

Dutch overlanders Jeroen and Ghislaine pulled in the second day and we had fun swapping stories and hearing about their journey.

That’s all for now!

 

[tacototheworld]

Or, when they are a bit rude or blunt:
"I am a guest in your country, what do you have for US to show the hospitality and kindness of your culture?" and look serious about it.
I got a 'NIGERIA POLICE' cap from a Nigerian policeman this way, he immediately took it off and gave to it to me saying "Excuse me for my poor manners, I hope god will forgive me"

Most common response from me is just to ignore the question and ask a question about the road.
Or just laugh a little at them like they are pathetic children and then ask a question to distract "how is the road ahead? Any potholes?" etc

Great ideas! We’re heading for some dicey drivingover the next fee days, I’ll try them out.

 

[tacototheworld]

Ghana - part 2

Next stop, Cape Coast. The symbol of colonialism at its worst, a visit to Cape Coast Castle felt necessary. The building went through many transitions in its time, from a Swedish fort, to a British slave trading center. Estimates vary but at least 12 million people, and probably many more, passed through its horrific slave dungeons during the time of the Atlantic Slave trade in the 16th - 19th centuries.

Entrance to Cape Coast Castle (the word castle just seems wrong)

Elegant architecture built over dungeons where millions of human beings were kept while awaiting their transport to final destinations as slaves in Europe, the Caribbean and North and South America.

Plaque speaks for itself

Slave dungeons, hundreds of people kept with standing room only, minimal light and ventilation, no toilets. The floor was bricked and has never been cleaned and today has several inches of human waste…

It was a serious day and one of reflection. An important visit. Cape Coast is one of three remaining castles along the Ghanaian coast, used as centers of colonial power by a succession of European nations.

Our next stop was Accra. As is always the case with big cities, we had two goals, grocery shopping and visas for upcoming countries. We found a centrally located budget hotel ($30 a night including breakfast and secure parking) and explored on foot.

Accra was a curious blend of African tradition with its lively street markets, and contemporary consumerism with glossy air conditioned restaurants and shops. It had been a few weeks since we ate in a restaurant so we decided to indulge ourselves.
Lonely Planet recommended a company called Ghana Nima Tours for walking tours of the city so we sent an email and were immediately set up with a guide for the next day.

Busy Nima street corner

Translated as “city of the king,” Nima is one of the oldest and largest Zongo settlements in Ghana (Zongo refers to people re-settling from the Northern countries, typically predominantly Muslim). The famous Nima market is enormous and Hamzah led us through its narrow pathways lined with stalls with everything consumable (and some things not). People wanted to talk, wanted to know our names, where we were from and what day of the week we were born on. They were shocked that we did not know - it is the foundation of some important traditions including a special name.

Spice and grain stalls

Rice is a staple food throughout West Africa and women prepare enormous amounts of it at a time in large metal bowls

Good cheer everywhere as people enjoyed poking a little bit of fun at us

A brief roof top break with Hamzah, our walking tour guide

Neighborhood slaughterhouse. In Africa, everything happens out in the open, practicality rules the day. Torching the skin off the cow parts.

Hamzah also showed us where he grew up and described life in the compounds of Nima. A compound is a shared walled area. There are communal wells - water is turned on once a week and everyone collects what they need for the week so that it can rotate and be turned on in the next area. Toilets are shared. Electrical power is common but people pay upfront and most people minimize usage - as Hamzah said, a light bulb and a TV.

Custom coffins are a cultural tradition in Ghana - beautifully carved and painted to represent something important in the deceased person’s life

Stocking up on fruits and vegetables. The stall owner kindly hand picked avocados for us to eat on each of the next three days according to ripeness.

We will take being blurry to highlight this fantastic GOIL gas station crew. The young people in Ghana are amazing, curious, smart and hilarious. Our truck had been unhappily pinging on very low octane gas for weeks now so we were taking advantage of the reputed higher octane levels in the gas at the GOIL stations in Ghana and filling up whenever we could.

Next we took a bit of a risk and headed a tiny bit north to see Amedzofe, the highest mountain village in Ghana. We had checked with our transit sticker issuer to see if we could go to the Volta region and he said we could.

On the way - our first roadside wildlife since the warthog in Senegal!

This baboon was hoping for something

One again, we parked with a small hotel that allowed us to use the facilities. Many of these places are empty right now as tourism has not come back to pre-COVID levels. People seem happy to have us stay, sometimes charging nothing in exchange for a promise to use the restaurant or bar, sometimes charging a nominal fee.

And some lovely Austrian overlanders were already on site! We enjoyed our conversations with Eveline and Manfred in Der Rote Jumbo.

We made it to Amedzofe, center for mountain, waterfall and rainforest walks and were welcomed instantly. People asked if we wanted to stay and we explained that we wanted to hike. We were escorted to a small eco-tourism booth and showed a price list of options. We really didn’t want to do a guided hike, but had known that the trails were maintained and controlled by the village so were expecting the necessity.
The village had obviously worked hard to build the suspension bridges for the canopy walk and they were impressive. It was not quite the hike we thought we were coming for (total walk was about 1/2 mile although steep), but we appreciated the enthusiastic conversations with people along the way and our hiking guide, Dennis.

Canopy walk bridges at Amedzofe

Approaching the border to leave Ghana - time for Togo!

We reached the Ghana border at 1 pm. It was one of the more confusing borders we have been to. When we walked up to customs we were approached by fixers and declined their services. When the customs officer saw our transit sticker she called over a fixer to show us the way to the office. From there the afternoon just got crazier and more confusing. We were passed off from one person to another, with our paperwork being handed over to people not in uniform (which we never do).

Then we were told that we needed to pay more money to have the transit sticker removed and be cleared to leave. Andy basically blew a fuse and refused. So we ended up in another big boss office who agreed with us that we had already paid a lot of money and shouldn’t have to pay anymore. So he called the folks who issued us the permit and yelled at them for charging us so much and for not including the exit costs in the price.

Five hours later we finally had the tracker removed and exited the border. On the bright side, the Togo entry process only took about 45 minutes, vaccine record check, visa on arrival and $10 vehicle permit. We were good to go!

So Ghana was a mixed bag for us in the end. We feel that there was much more to see that we missed.

As always, thank you for reading!

 

[tacototheworld]

Togo - part 1

Side excursion into Fazao-Malfakassa at National Park in Togo. We drove the road we could find in Togo’s largest national park.

Togo proved to be both an interesting and challenging adventure. Our first evening, we arrived later than we wanted due to delays on the Ghana side of the border. But the Togo side was super easy and fast. Visas On Arrival in 15 minutes ($53 each) then Laissez Passer for the truck in 10 minutes ($11) and we were good to go. We had booked a hotel in Lomé for the night with the expectation that we would be tired and want a safe place to land.

For our first night in Lomé, we had apparently found a neighborhood hotel down a very narrow alley with the dedicated parking being the first floor of a building under construction. It was tight.

Entrance to the parking at our hotel, maybe an inch to spare either side, mirrors in.

Squeezing by the wooden poles being used as scaffolding for workers above.

Ever since leaving Senegal we have had surreal hotel experiences as the only travelers staying in hotels. Staff have been fantastically courteous but we cannot understand how all the infrastructure is being supported. But mostly we just look at each other in amazement as we walk across deserted hotel spaces, retire to our room as the only visible guests, show up to breakfast with staff ready and waiting for us.

After maneuvering the truck into its resting place, we set off to find some food. Dark had set and in general we try not to walk in big cities at night. We asked our friendly front desk person for a nearby recommendation for food and he described a local restaurant. We made our way two blocks down streets literally covered in people. (Did we mention it was hot? Even it was dark it was still 90 with high humidity) People were outside sitting, lying and praying on the streets instead of hanging out inside their homes.

Our route most of the length of Togo

Our destination was Coco Beach, a nearby beach area with camping available, and, we hoped, some cool breezes. On our way we encountered our first serious military stop. We were whistled and waved over to the side and told that we had gone through a red light. Andy was seriously confused, he was being scrupulously careful about driving slowly, following what others were doing and paying attention.

It turns out that on the four lane divided road, the left lane was a dedicated left turn lane and had a separate light which was way down low to the ground, partially hidden by poles and signs and it had turned red. Due to a lack of arrows, painting or signage that indicated that people were to stop and prepare for a left turn, Andy had continued straight down the lane. They were ready and waiting to pounce on ignorant travelers coming in as this was the main route from Ghana. We watched them pull over person after person as we negotiated our situation.

To date we had been proud of the fact that we had not paid a bribe in over three months in West Africa. This situation rapidly declined. The officer had Andy’s driver’s license and was clear that he was not giving it back until we paid. We could give him the fine now, or wait until the next day and go to the police station to pay and reclaim the license. He explained that he took all the tickets to his chief at the end of the day and they were not available to pay until the next day.

It was a strange and unsettling situation. We had actually broken a traffic rule so a ticket was in order. But he was refusing to write us a ticket on the spot, instead saying that we just pay him 15,000 CFA (about $25 US dollars) or we relinquish the drivers license until the next day when we would go to the police station to pay. Something was off. We were waiting it out, repeatedly asking for another solution, but he was getting pissed off and didn’t want to deal with us. He would disappear, deal with another poor sucker, else then re-appear telling us to pay or go to the police station the next day. Frustrated, Andy snapped a dashboard picture of him in case we didn’t get his license back (this will come up later).

The infamous photo


After about an hour, and a discussion with the officer’s superior, it was clear we weren’t getting anywhere and we gave in. Feeling a little disgusted and discouraged, we handed over the cash and got the driver’s license back. If money go before, all ways do lie open.

Such is travel, ups and downs. To make up for it, the travel fates then gave us two spectacular days (with ocean breezes) at Coco Beach. We found ourselves at a (no surprise) deserted beach resort which allowed us to camp for $10 a night and use all the facilities. They opened a side gate for us and we pulled in and got settled.

Only campers/guests at Chez Antoine (see truck in background). Andy enjoying our private palapa. Some restaurant guests did appear the next day.

Freshly rejuvenated, we woke up bright and early on Monday and headed back into the city. But first we stopped off at the famous fetish market.

We were once again surprised that this acclaimed tourist attraction had minimal signage, no parking and was down a small street surrounded by a busy neighborhood. (Some day we will stop being surprised by this in West Africa.)

Not sure where to safely park in Lomé to visit the fetish market, we asked a friendly gas station attendant if we could park there. He was happy with the tip we gave him when we returned (1000 CFA or a little over $1)

We were glad that a visit to the Akodessewa Fetish Market came with a guide as we were completely ignorant about the practice of Voodoo or the associated fetishes.

Our guide Dako Mark Okeke explaining the healing practices and use of various dried animal parts.

The biggest surprise for us was that everyone there was actually from Benin, where many of the Voodoo practices originate. We learned that Voodoo is a religion based in hope and healing and is commonly practiced in addition to or alongside other religions. It is not unusual to have the same people attending Christian churches or Islam mosques, and Voodoo churches.

Impressive display of dried animal parts used by Voodoo Priests for a variety of healing purposes

According to our guide, Hollywood has done a number on Voodoo as a practice and the bad witch doctor cursing people is not actually part of the religion. He showed us the Voodoo dolls (not actually powerful unless blessed by a priest) used for healing a variety of ailments.

Voodoo dolls for sale as souveneirs, they are not blessed by priest so no power in them

The chameleon is a key symbol, represents the spirit of life

Dawn being silly, cow tails used in ritual dances

We did visit a priest who had a number of blessed fetishes for purchase. We invested ($8) in a token one which guaranteed our love together forever. Although really, if we can travel together in a truck camper in 95’ heat for months on end we can do anything.

We enjoyed our introduction to Voodoo and the visit. The stench of the rotting animals in the market aside, it was fascinating to learn more. Once again, we were the only visitors.

Standby for Part 2

 

[tacototheworld]

Togo - Part 2


We enjoyed our introduction to Voodoo and the visit. The stench of the rotting animals in the market aside, it was fascinating to learn more. Once again, we were the only visitors.

This is where things turned south for us. After starting the process on our Gabon visa, we decided to go to a supermarket for supplies. With trusty Google maps on Andy’s phone we set off for the largest one downtown. Google said turn right so we did. Apparently down a newly-created one way street. The wrong way. With no signage. And motorcycle police hidden behind a building on the corner, waiting.

Once again, a ticket. OK. The negotiation begins. This time we only handed over copies of documents, driver’s license and truck registration (lesson learned). But the policeman was insistent. Kind pedestrians came up and translated for us, recommending we just pay the equivalent of $10 and go on our way. But Andy was frustrated and wanted to understand, no signage, how was he to know? The police just wanted him to pay. Then the police officer saw Andy’s dashboard phone and asked if he took a picture of him, Andy said “no” and the officer demanded to see Andy’s phone. Andy handed it over and the officer saw the photo of the military officer Andy had taken a few days ago. Yikes. The yelling and threats of jail started.

The demeanor of the policeman had drastically changed and it was clear the situation was not good for us. He didn’t speak English and we didn’t speak French. This is when our good samaritan, Ibrahim showed up and started advocating and translating for us. We showed him our limited local currency and the officer said that taking a photo of military was a jailable offense and we would have to pay much more than the initial ticket. Well, two hours later, much back and forth with Ibrahim and an escorted visit with Dawn to the ATM down the street and we thought maybe we were going to get out of it with a $100 fine.

Then Ibrahim let us know that people on the street were getting activated and watching and making the police uncomfortable. They thought we should have to pay much more because of our fancy car and because of what white people had historically done to Africa. Ibrahim explained that we were all going to go down the street away from the crowd and do a deal in private. He let the crowd think that we were off to jail.

So, in the end, we went to an abandoned building and handed over $243. It was the weirdest scenario and without Ibrahim we would have been lost. Our second West African bribe, both within two days of each other in Togo. Maybe we could have held out longer and had a different answer, but it really didn’t feel like it. We have learned, hide the phones and don’t hand over original documents.

Ibrahim, our good samaratin who stepped in and translated and advocated for us during a really ugly police stop

So we went to his store and bought a mask. He would not take any payment for helping us.

Ibrahim later explained that he was raised by a white missionary when he was orphaned and tries to help white people when he sees them in trouble in Lomé.

The whole incident unsettled us but we felt lucky to have made our way through it. And grateful for the help of a kind bystander. Maybe not the ideal outcome, but at least for us the hefty bribe was not a trip ender. As we keep reminding ourselves, we are having this enriching, rewarding and deep experience traveling in West Africa. If it was easy, it would be crowded with tourists. So we will take it as it is.

After a stressful experience time for some food therapy, Found a tiny place called “The Best Burger in Lomé”

Actually, the best burger in months. Andy still looking a little stressed but so happy with a burger and fries, he had been missing them.

The next day donned our embassy outfits (long pants and closed toed shoes for Andy, covered arms and legs for Dawn) and picked up our visas. We have been known to change into these clothes parked outside the gate of an embassy. We happily left Lomé. Availibility of burgers aside, big cities are not our happy place. They tend to be dusty, hot and crowded.

We made our way north, looking for cool mountains and green and found it in Kpalime. We also met up with some fellow overlanders and their friends that we had been in communication with by Whatsapp for a while but had not actually met yet. Great fun to exchange stories, tips and highlights. Dutch overlanders Renske and Maarten van Pel are out to complete the first fully electric journey from the Netherlands to South Africa. (You can find them on Instagram at 4x4electric).

Great meet up with fellow Dutch overlanders. We are the old ones. It seems like the majority of the travelers are either European 20-30 somethings taking a break from work or retirees like us.

Kpalime was beautiful, quiet and casual, surrounded by green mountains. After our big evening out with the young people, we wandered the town one day and hired a guide for some hikes the next.

Our first real avodaco tree! (Despite having been buying them in the markets along the way.)

Following our informative guide, Kome

Beautiful refreshing water break

Despite still feeling resistant to hiring hiking guides for well marked trails, we understand that it is often the most straightforward way to contribute to the local tourism economy, And we enjoyed our time and conversations with Kome.

Andy found a big tree.

Driving the green roads around Kpalime

Social life along the road

We saw on the map that the biggest national park in Togo was nearby and decided to go there and see what we could see. The park looked huge but the road infrastructure was minimal. We got a taste of the scenery, but no large animals.

Typical village in central Togo, square homes made of clay, outside shade structure for cooking and resting.

Main road through Fazao-Malfakassa at National Park

Then, finally the reason we had driven to northern Togo, the fortress houses or Tékyèté. Built by the Tamberma in Togo, these clay houses have a distinctive castle-like structure. Built for beauty and defense they are definitely unique.

The homes fit beautifully in the natural terrain

Built in cylinders with coned thatch tops - often removable

Despite making our way to the cultural center of Koutammakou, we were unable to find any tourism guidance so drove the roads appreciating the sites and designs but did not learn as much as we hoped. We felt hesitant about randomly approaching the villages and intruding so stuck to the main roads - maybe a mistake. Sometimes our inherent introvertedness and shyness holds us back. But we are also aware that people are living their lives and may not want us snapping photos or walking through their village compounds.

Immigration office on the Togo side of the Togo-Benin border

Similar to entering Togo, leaving it was super simple. The Togo to Benin border was probably our easiest border crossing to date. No one else there, no lines, no fixers, no fees. Just kind people waving us on.

Next country, Benin, for more adventures

 

[roamingyak]

- When asked for your license/papers ALWAYS say yes of course, please can you first identify yourself as a police officer with ID and put their ID on the dash or hand it to your wife to look at very deeply before handing over yours etc. Also take your time writing all of the details down and compliment them on their nice name, how handsome they look in their photo, how they have the same birthday as your niece etc etc
If they can't provide an ID, then politely explain they can't be a police officer...

- I'd suggest taking 5 or so International Driving Permits which cost about $6 each. You can buy as many as you like normally. Then when you have the "I've got your license/give me money situation' you just drive off without giving in or paying. Plus as you know this, you don't looked so stressed about the situation so they don't keep pushing as much.

- When you don't speak the language be aware that your 'helper' might do a deal with the police so he gets half of the inflated money and acts like he is helping you so much. You may have been taken away from the crowd so they didn't ruin this for him, and they may have been hostile to him as they knew what he was doing instead of helping some guests in the country.... just a thought to keep in mind, I've seen it many times...

- Always have your embassy phone number entered into your phone for the next few countries. Then say you are confused, so going to call the American Embassy for clarification. Then call and explain you have been stopped by some angry policemen and would appreciate some diplomatic translation if they would be kind enough (even if they say no and hang up, just keep talking to the phone and looking at them with different surprised expressions...)

95% will leave you alone by the time they have had to produce ID and been offered the chance to identify themselves to the American Embassy ;-)

 

[Northern Tundra]

- When asked for your license/papers ALWAYS say yes of course, please can you first identify yourself as a police officer with ID and put their ID on the dash or hand it to your wife to look at very deeply before handing over yours etc. Also take your time writing all of the details down and compliment them on their nice name, how handsome they look in their photo, how they have the same birthday as your niece etc etc
If they can't provide an ID, then politely explain they can't be a police officer...

- I'd suggest taking 5 or so International Driving Permits which cost about $6 each. You can buy as many as you like normally. Then when you have the "I've got your license/give me money situation' you just drive off without giving in or paying. Plus as you know this, you don't looked so stressed about the situation so they don't keep pushing as much.

- When you don't speak the language be aware that your 'helper' might do a deal with the police so he gets half of the inflated money and acts like he is helping you so much. You may have been taken away from the crowd so they didn't ruin this for him, and they may have been hostile to him as they knew what he was doing instead of helping some guests in the country.... just a thought to keep in mind, I've seen it many times...

- Always have your embassy phone number entered into your phone for the next few countries. Then say you are confused, so going to call the American Embassy for clarification. Then call and explain you have been stopped by some angry policemen and would appreciate some diplomatic translation if they would be kind enough (even if they say no and hang up, just keep talking to the phone and looking at them with different surprised expressions...)

95% will leave you alone by the time they have had to produce ID and been offered the chance to identify themselves to the American Embassy ;-)

Great information, thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience!

 

[tacototheworld]

- When asked for your license/papers ALWAYS say yes of course, please can you first identify yourself as a police officer with ID and put their ID on the dash or hand it to your wife to look at very deeply before handing over yours etc. Also take your time writing all of the details down and compliment them on their nice name, how handsome they look in their photo, how they have the same birthday as your niece etc etc
If they can't provide an ID, then politely explain they can't be a police officer...

- I'd suggest taking 5 or so International Driving Permits which cost about $6 each. You can buy as many as you like normally. Then when you have the "I've got your license/give me money situation' you just drive off without giving in or paying. Plus as you know this, you don't looked so stressed about the situation so they don't keep pushing as much.

- When you don't speak the language be aware that your 'helper' might do a deal with the police so he gets half of the inflated money and acts like he is helping you so much. You may have been taken away from the crowd so they didn't ruin this for him, and they may have been hostile to him as they knew what he was doing instead of helping some guests in the country.... just a thought to keep in mind, I've seen it many times...

- Always have your embassy phone number entered into your phone for the next few countries. Then say you are confused, so going to call the American Embassy for clarification. Then call and explain you have been stopped by some angry policemen and would appreciate some diplomatic translation if they would be kind enough (even if they say no and hang up, just keep talking to the phone and looking at them with different surprised expressions...)

95% will leave you alone by the time they have had to produce ID and been offered the chance to identify themselves to the American Embassy ;-)

Thanks for the great ideas. I do think that our helper was genuine as there wasnt any obvious non french-speaking tourists around the city.

Will definitely get more IDPs - brilliant idea. I have made a laminated color copy of my US license but no one has ever asked for ii, only my IDP.

 

[tacototheworld]

Benin - Part 1

Visiting the chameleon Voodoo church outside Abomey

Benin exceeded all our expectations and quickly became one of our favorite West African countries.. A small, French speaking nation, our time there was rich with cultural learning, fascinating architecture, art and interesting people. The whole country was an enchanting experience. Benin is opening it's doors to tourists with the easiest West African visa system of all.

After the police corruption in Togo, the border fiascos in Ghana and the reserved culture of the people of Côte d'Ivoire (at least toward strangers), Benin felt like a continual sensory overload of travel “wow” moments.

After crossing, we set off to find some Tata Somba houses to explore. Similar to the conical homes in northern Togo, in Benin the Somba people build fortress like homes, or Tata, out of clay and mud.

There are sign posted routes that you can drive to see the houses from the road, but this time we wanted to know more about the culture and see the architecture up close so went to the visitor center in Kossoucoingou where we were able to hire a guide for the two of us for about $8 each.

First floor, main cooking area

Fascinating to see and understand more about the traditional lives of people living in these villages, cooking over fire, carrying water from a nearby well. It is a very physical life.

Our three weeks in Benin, we relaxed with some layover days and spent over a week and a half in Cotonou and beaches at the end, waiting for our Nigerian visas

Despite being surrounded by countries with significant unrest and terrorism, Benin is stable and safe. It is the ONLY West African country to date that we have travelled through with absolutely no police or military stops. There is a police presence, but they are in the background watching, no barriers, no requests for money. This is a big contrast with other countries where as soon as we have been spotted by the police or military we are waved over for conversation.

Benin also ranks among the world’s poorest countries. Its economy is based on cotton and subsistence agriculture. We could see the lack of infrastructure and development as we drove the country, most people live in small, self built homes. But peoples’ clothes are extraordinary, the fabrics absolutely gorgeous.

Our camping spot on the grounds of the Auberge d’Abomey, $5/night.

In Abomey, we opted to camp on the grounds of a hotel so that we could be in town and explore the culture and history. We pulled in at 5pm, hot and tired. The manager asked us if we would be interested in a guide to take us around the town the next day, we said sure.

About an hour later, Mark showed up and told us he could be our guide for a tour of the town the next day. He also said we should come with him that evening as it was the final day of a village Voodoo ceremony that only happens once a year.

It was one of the most extraordinary experiences we have had. The kindness with which we were received into the space was amazing. There were no other tourists there. The village Chief set up chairs for us next to his. Mark told us exactly what to do and expect so we felt comfortable. Everyone said the same thing, “we are happy you are here, we want you to understand, we want to share with you.” We were also welcomed to take pictures which surprised us.

Seated next to the village chief and musicians

Beautiful ceremonial clothes.

Saber dance

The next day we set off with Mark to explore the royal palaces of Abomey and learn more about Voodoo. As Mark explained, Voodoo is a national religion for Benin, steeped in history and the ways of their ancestors. Most people adhere to some of the beliefs and often practice Voodoo alongside or in addition to the Christian or Islam religions.

Voodoo is more than a belief system for the people of Benin, it is a complete way of life, including culture, philosophy, language, art, dance, music and medicine.

Our first stop in learning about Voodoo in Abomey was the Voodoo church shaped like a chameleon - the spirit of life.

We were welcomed inside for the service. Women and children sang and danced and, the priest told a story about peace and getting along with each other.

Once again we were welcomed inside a sacred space, the only tourists there and invited to take pictures. The priest addressed us, translated by Mark, to say that he was happy we were there and wanted to learn. There is a high awareness of how Voodoo is represented in American entertainment and a desire to tell the story that it is really about hope and healing, not cursing.

Even the children wore the most beautiful clothes

Some of the boys in the village wanted us to take their picture, we were happy to

We visited a 102 year old Voodoo priest who told us the story of how he collects herbs in the sacred forest

Voodoo priest spreading water onto the fetishes (representing the spirits) on his altar

Visit to another fetish market with dried animal parts and herbs used for a variety of healing Voodoo practices

We quickly realized in Benin that the gas infrastructure was not the same as Togo. Most of the gas in Benin is smuggled in from Nigeria and sold in road side stands. We passed many old gas stations with pumps which were crumbling and in disrepair, obviously had not been operational in years, We hit our first open, official gas station with pumps 300 km south of where we entered the country.

Typical gas station.

Still battling with the heat we next opted to camp at the coast next in the sleepy ocean side town of Grand Popo. Instead of wild camping we found a hotel that welcomed us to camp on the beach in front and use the pool. For $6 a night. We alternated between reading at the beach and heading to the pool to cool off.

Awale Plage in Grand Popo

Beautiful hotel pool to ourselves. Again. (Where are all the visitors?)

We had the added interest of watching the local men bring in the fishing nets. On two different nights we watched as they would haul in an enormous net over hours. The men would sing as they heaved and someone was always playing a cowbell. Teenage boys were sent into the water to control the net as it came in. The coordination and amount of work it took was compelling to watch. At the end when the final net came in, women and children would come with buckets and bowls to retrieve the catch.

Often 30-40 men working a single fishing net to bring in the catch

For us, buying food is a constant learning experience. Home made bread and fresh eggs are easy to find. Roadside markets sell loads of fresh fruit and vegetables, along with bulk rice and beans and a variety of grans and cassava. Always wary of our intestinal systems not being used to local microbes, we spray all fruits and vegetables with a light bleach solution which we then wash off with purified water before we eat them.

 

[tacototheworld]

Benin - Part 1

Visiting the chameleon Voodoo church outside Abomey

Benin exceeded all our expectations and quickly became one of our favorite West African countries.. A small, French speaking nation, our time there was rich with cultural learning, fascinating architecture, art and interesting people. The whole country was an enchanting experience. Benin is opening it's doors to tourists with the easiest West African visa system of all.

After the police corruption in Togo, the border fiascos in Ghana and the reserved culture of the people of Côte d'Ivoire (at least toward strangers), Benin felt like a continual sensory overload of travel “wow” moments.

After crossing, we set off to find some Tata Somba houses to explore. Similar to the conical homes in northern Togo, in Benin the Somba people build fortress like homes, or Tata, out of clay and mud.

There are sign posted routes that you can drive to see the houses from the road, but this time we wanted to know more about the culture and see the architecture up close so went to the visitor center in Kossoucoingou where we were able to hire a guide for the two of us for about $8 each.

First floor, main cooking area

Fascinating to see and understand more about the traditional lives of people living in these villages, cooking over fire, carrying water from a nearby well. It is a very physical life.

Our three weeks in Benin, we relaxed with some layover days and spent over a week and a half in Cotonou and beaches at the end, waiting for our Nigerian visas

Despite being surrounded by countries with significant unrest and terrorism, Benin is stable and safe. It is the ONLY West African country to date that we have travelled through with absolutely no police or military stops. There is a police presence, but they are in the background watching, no barriers, no requests for money. This is a big contrast with other countries where as soon as we have been spotted by the police or military we are waved over for conversation.

Benin also ranks among the world’s poorest countries. Its economy is based on cotton and subsistence agriculture. We could see the lack of infrastructure and development as we drove the country, most people live in small, self built homes. But peoples’ clothes are extraordinary, the fabrics absolutely gorgeous.

Our camping spot on the grounds of the Auberge d’Abomey, $5/night.

In Abomey, we opted to camp on the grounds of a hotel so that we could be in town and explore the culture and history. We pulled in at 5pm, hot and tired. The manager asked us if we would be interested in a guide to take us around the town the next day, we said sure.

About an hour later, Mark showed up and told us he could be our guide for a tour of the town the next day. He also said we should come with him that evening as it was the final day of a village Voodoo ceremony that only happens once a year.

It was one of the most extraordinary experiences we have had. The kindness with which we were received into the space was amazing. There were no other tourists there. The village Chief set up chairs for us next to his. Everyone said the same thing, “we are happy you are here, we want you to understand, we want to share with you.” We were also welcomed to take pictures which surprised us.

Seated next to the village chief and musicians

Beautiful ceremonial clothes.

Saber dance

The next day we set off with Mark to explore the royal palaces of Abomey and learn more about Voodoo. As Mark explained, Voodoo is a national religion for Benin, steeped in history and the ways of their ancestors. Most people adhere to some of the beliefs and often practice Voodoo alongside or in addition to the Christian or Islam religions.

Voodoo is more than a belief system for the people of Benin, it is a complete way of life, including culture, philosophy, language, art, dance, music and medicine.

Our first stop in learning about Voodoo in Abomey was the Voodoo church shaped like a chameleon - the spirit of life.

We were welcomed inside for the service. Women and children sang and danced and, the priest told a story about peace and getting along with each other.

Once again we were welcomed inside a sacred space, the only tourists there and invited to take pictures. The priest addressed us, translated by Mark, to say that he was happy we were there and wanted to learn. There is a high awareness of how Voodoo is represented in American entertainment and a desire to tell the story that it is really about hope and healing, not cursing.

Even the children wore the most beautiful clothes

Some of the boys in the village wanted us to take their picture, we were happy to

We visited a 102 year old Voodoo priest who told us the story of how he collects herbs in the sacred forest

Voodoo priest spreading water onto the fetishes (representing the spirits) on his altar

Visit to another fetish market with dried animal parts and herbs used for a variety of healing Voodoo practices

We quickly realized in Benin that the gas infrastructure was not the same as Togo. Most of the gas in Benin is smuggled in from Nigeria and sold in road side stands. We passed many old gas stations with pumps which were crumbling and in disrepair, obviously had not been operational in years, We hit our first open, official gas station with pumps 300 km south of where we entered the country.

Typical gas station.

Still battling with the heat we next opted to camp at the coast next in the sleepy ocean side town of Grand Popo. Instead of wild camping we found a hotel that welcomed us to camp on the beach in front and use the pool. For $6 a night. We alternated between reading at the beach and heading to the pool to cool off.

Awale Plage in Grand Popo

Beautiful hotel pool to ourselves. Again. (Where are all the visitors?)

We had the added interest of watching the local men bring in the fishing nets. On two different nights we watched as they would haul in an enormous net over hours. The men would sing as they heaved and someone was always playing a cowbell. Teenage boys were sent into the water to control the net as it came in. The coordination and amount of work it took was compelling to watch. At the end when the final net came in, women and children would come with buckets and bowls to retrieve the catch.

Often 30-40 men working a single fishing net to bring in the catch