Cote’ de Ivoire border to Abidjan

As usual I woke early this morning and left my $10 accommodation, I had had a good nights sleep, despite the damp and insect infested bed and was ready for the journey ahead. I saw the ladies I shared my late night ride with me leaving a few minutes earlier and thought I would travel with them but they were gone as was the truck that was supposed to take me to the border!

I perused the array of Moto taxis as they swarmed around me looking for business. I asked the price and they wanted 10,000 CFA which I thought extortionate and haggled the price down to 400CFA, pretty big difference! Then came the battle to who was going to take me, in the end I chose the calmest looking guy with the comfiest seat! 

So off we went, straight to the fuel station! This was a bench with a few glass jars of fuel, served by an attractive young woman the guy was immediately flirting with her.

Fuelled for the journey we set off, calmest looking guy my ass, he was flying!

He explained that we had to rush to get the connection at the border, I relaxed and let it happen. The border road was incredibly difficult and this chap knew how to ride. We soon caught up with the truck from last night, it was waiting at a huge bomb hole where local boys were digging it through the obstacle. There was an articulated lorry buried up to its chassis and other trucks waiting to negotiate the terrain. To be honest it would have been pretty straightforward on the CRF but not today! I decided to walk over to the other side and the rider followed on the bike. 

Soon we were off again and speeding to the border some 17km away. There were many difficult sections over rock, through mud and many water crossings the Moto taxi took them all in its stride and we made very good progress, the only problem I had was the constant misting of my glasses, I used my finger as a wiper and contemplated riding with no protective gear, something I would normally never do!

The border post appeared in the distance and I was off to start the proceedings.

It was an easy border, without the bike it’s just me and my passport, I was through the Liberian side in no time and off to cross the river bridge to the Ivory Coast.

This is my last border check on this trip and I wondered how it would go.

At first they couldn’t find my visa but I’m well versed in these matters and I soon found it and the paperwork began. It’s amazing how they write all your details in by hand in huge ledgers, each one repeating the same process, the last check was the public health officer who asked for my yellow card, this could be a sticking point as I sent inadvertently it back with the bike by mistake but I have a picture on my phone of the said document and it works, I’m through! 

The borders in West Africa can be a real pain in the ass but I’m done, that’s the last one, hip, hip, hooray!

Next issue is getting to the next town, this journey is about 40km of jungle road, to be honest I would have preferred a 4X4 after the last Moto taxi but there were none around so I opted for another bike taxi. The cost of this one was considerably more expensive but I had the money so I paid and off we went. 

I thought the last guy was fast but this one took it to another level. The roads were a lot better on the Ivory side and he was making the most of it, I asked him to slow down but again he said we needed to make the connection so I hung on and off we sped. I wasn’t totally comfortable with the speed but he was good and he took the terrain in his stride. We passed many villages in which all of the people stared as the white man in his best sped by. The jungle here is amazing and many people were going about their early morning tasks, washing clothes, collecting water and everything else that makes life go on in the African jungle. I’m kind of jealous how simple life is out here, on the surface it looks idillic, but these people are desperately poor and just feeding there families is a daily battle, I suppose idillic it is not!

We arrive at the town where I will make my connection. I find a bus that is going to Abidjan and agree to make the journey, I have no idea how long it’s going to take but jump in anyway. I look on my mapping software and find out that it’s 624km ! Oh my, what have I done now! That is a massive journey on good roads and believe me these roads are far from good.

I’m travelling with about 40 other people in a 614 Mercedes Minibus, to say its full is an understatement, that and the inevitable cargo that gets picked up and dropped off on the way, it’s all part of how Africans work. No African vehicle is ever under loaded, ever!

The roads are awful and the van regularly bottoms out in the huge potholes, I noticed one when this really quite large vehicle was entirely inside one pothole, the driver was very professional though, he never took unnecessary risks for the whole journey, he did however spend a lot of time on his mobile phone.

I could give you a blow by blow account of the whole journey but to describe the following, very cramped and sore 14 hours would bore you to tears. 

What did stand out was that as we neared the capital, Abidjan, the roads got much better, but then I realised were were on a toll road and for the local currency the fees were pretty substantial too. We made our almost final stop and everyone got out for a wee, the men pissing everywhere and the women not so discreetly squatting alongside the bus.

Soon after we stopped again, we had dropped off a couple of people and needed to fill the seats. One young woman tried to get on but there was a hell of a fuss and I assume her boyfriend wasn’t letting her go, the bus boys ended up physically dragging the man away amidst much shouting and physical protest, it was a little concerning to say the least. The girl didn’t join the passengers, who knows what went off next? 

Another young woman got on though and she sat next to me, I had been briefly enjoying a little more space but she had a substantial bottom and my small space was now severely restricted! She smelt nice though. As the bus left there was a lovely smell of perfume and woodsmoke, it reminded me of a large glass of Lagavullin Scotch whisky after a night out with Sally my wife, I’m reminded that soon I will be home, a lovely warm feeling in that smelly, cramped and uncomfortable but memorable, bus.

The journey comes to an end and I’m now in a bit of a predicament, I need to find a hotel and it’s almost midnight in yet another strange city. Easy, I just ask around, find a taxi and he takes me to one, simple as that, I had been thinking about this for some time but was never really concerned, I just figured I would sort something out when I arrived and I did. I had had visions of sitting on the street all night but dismissed them, I just thought that there was no need to worry I will deal with the situation when it arises.

In the end I found a nice, and a little expensive (ouch) hotel, that has cold beer, hot showers and air con. I will probably move somewhere else tomorrow but who knows, tomorrow is a new day.

This jungle road was rather challenging! Imagine trying to get your car through this section!

This would have been fun in the bike, ok I am on a bike but it’s not mine and I’m not in control! In the end it all worked out just fine.

I do love the jungle roads although my expression may indicate otherwise!

Sometimes you have to five way, this road is the transit route for all traffic.

One of the many cargos carries around the country, a very important cargo.