1 December 2011 – 4 December 2011
2:45 am. Our ride is here to take us to the airport. We
tried to sleep for an hour, but it didn’t really happen for me. It’s going to
be a LONG day of flying. We are headed to Mauritania. I know. Where is that? I
had the exact same question when I heard someone say something about it. I had
no idea. So, here’s a picture for you.
So, here we are in the middle of the night riding to the
airport. Half awake. Overpacked. But, we are going for 41 days. We actually
need 95% of what we brought. The other 5%. Crap we can’t seem to figure out how
to leave at home. I don’t even really know what that 5% is. But, somehow, we
have to get all this back home and all the stuff we buy in West Africa.
Oh yes. My birthday, our anniversary, Christmas, and New
Years will all be spent somewhere in West Africa. The exact locations are
unknown to us at this point. Because, I married a man who refuses to plan these
trips. Which I’m starting to agree with, to an extent. It’s still important to
figure out hotels for key dates. Like holidays.
Back to traveling. Uneventful flight to Nairobi. Even though
the flight was only 1 hour, we received a breakfast. It’s nice to travel on
airlines that still give you “free” food in flight. What a change from American
air carriers. Arrive in Nairobi. Excuse the generalization I am about to
describe – but its true. Please do not take offense. It's just what people do around here. Everyone stands up to gather their personal belongings
and the Africans and Asians on the plane push everyone else out of the way to
be the first people off of the plane. To stand on the tarmac and wait for the
bus. We are almost the last two people off of the plane. And guess what?!?! We
were still waiting for the bus. When the bus shows up, what do all the Africans
and Asians do??? Run to the bus and sit in the front seats. Forcing everyone
behind them to step over them. They have to prepare to be the first one off of
the bus. Our enjoyment came after all of these people pushed their way through
to cram onto this bus and the second bus showed up. It was of course twice the
size of the first bus. We laughed as the first bus pulled away with everyone
packed in there like sardines. And I know it’s cultural. But, seriously. QUIT
PUSHING ME. It’s not really going to help you with anything.
Wander around the Nairobi airport to find our next flight to
Dakar, Senegal. They are in the middle of rebuilding the airport because of the
amount of people that travel through there every year. We finagled our way through
the masses and found our gate. Of course, there was a line. Lots of pushing and
cutting. Seriously. I’ve become that really rude person that stands there and
blocks the path because I’m so sick of being pushed around.
Get situated in the gate and wait. Forever. Like usual. I
actually think our flight was only 20-30 minutes delayed but it was HOT. And neither
one of us handle hot well. The flight was great. I slept through most of it.
Liam told me that at one point we hit some turbulence and the guy across the
aisle from him whipped out his prayer beads (Muslim guy) and started saying
“Allah Akbar.” This of course drove Liam nuts. Not because he was saying his
prayers but because he was saying it loud enough to wake him up during his nap.
At which point, Liam made the comment “I think the guy next to me is a
terrorist.” But, then again after three deployments, every person who says
“Allah Akbar” in a group of people is a terrorist to Liam. Had one stop in
Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire. More food provided on each leg of this flight. When the
plane landed, the same generalization from above happened. Except it was worse
this time.
Land in Senegal and have a couple of hours until our flight
to Nouakchott, Mauritania. In the
airport, there were tiny baobab trees for sale. It took everything I had not to
buy one. They are such beautiful trees. And probably my favorite in the world
so far. But, what am I going to do with a live tree as we wander around West Africa??? Also, we stopped at a café to have a cold beverage. Of course, the guy
running it didn’t have change and took over an hour to give Liam back his 1000 CFA
(about $2) in change. Seriously, how is it so hard to have change when you are
in the service industry. It’s part of your job. Exchanging money. Sigh.
Arrive in Mauritania. Meet the expeditor. Go through customs
without drama only because we had the expeditor. Apparently, Mauritanians
aren’t the biggest fans of Americans or expats. Without an expeditor (even with
our dip passports), the customs agents would have found a reason to search through
our bags. Makes me wish I packed a little differently. There's ALL kinds of stuff I could have packed just for reaction expressions of the guards. But, then again. That might
have put my head on a Most Likely to be Kidnapped by AQIM poster. Must remember
not to stir the pot with people who actually want to kill me.
Head to Al’s. He has a great house with a really cool Alice
and Wonderland courtyard. Settle in, eat some dinner, and head to bed.
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| All it's missing is the Queen of Hearts... |
Wake up the next morning (2nd Dec). Daylight adds
a new perspective to Mauritania. And I must say. It didn’t enhance the
view. There was trash everywhere.
Donkeys, goats, and wild dogs with puppies chewed on the trash all day,
everyday to find any piece of food they could. It looked like all of the nasty
pictures Liam has shown me of Iraq and Afghanistan. There was a nasty “puddle”
across the side “street” of Al’s house. I told Liam we can never move there
because we would end up with 20 dogs in our house. There is no way I would be
able to look at those puppies every day and not give them a good home.
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| Donkey and trash. |
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| Someone's drinking water to the left, goats, puppies, trash. Just another day in Mauritania. |
Across the street, there was a beautiful compound with their
slaves beside them in a make-shift tent. Apparently, until 2007, slavery was
legal. Well, now that slavery is outlawed, these people are indentured servants
because there is absolutely no way they can survive without their employers. How
come this information doesn’t make international news. Oh. I know why. Who
knows where Mauritania is???
The guys head to the embassy for a little while to check
email and find out what needs to be done before we leave on the West Africa
road trip. I hang out at the house and work on school stuff and information for
this trip. Eat dinner and then head to a bonfire on the beach. Met a lot of
really cool people. It’s such a different expat community than in Dar. Probably
because it’s Mauritania and it’s basically a hell-hole that the various
governments have dumped people in and said, “have fun for two years”. Fingers
crossed we don’t EVER have to go there for a post.
Spend most of the 3rd, prepping for the trip and
repacking our stuff. The guys made a trip to the embassy to check email and
follow-up on a few things. A rather boring day overall.
The 4th, begins our West African adventure. We
are hitting the road. Woke up. Did a few loads of laundry and finished packing
my stuff. The guys went to the embassy again to take care of paperwork and a
few other things we needed before we left town. Washed and refilled our water bottles.
Gathered snacks.
Got on the road about noon with 30 copies of Ordre de
Mission, a document that states our reason to be on the road and we are allowed
to travel outside of the city. You have to give a copy to a policeman at every
checkpoint. There is a checkpoint about every 50kms. And of course, they speak French
or Arabic. Good thing Liam has some French and I’m good with hand gestures. Once
we figured out which road would take us south to Senegal. Seriously, Nouakchott
looks the exact same in every direction. I don’t know how anyone could actually
choose to live there. Or find there way out of town. But, I did get some great
pics of Home Depot, the butcher, and camels.
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| Home Depot. Mauritanian style. (Actually, African style). |
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| The Butcher. See Goats. See dinner. |
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| CAMELS!!!! |
We headed south through the Sahel. It was really beautiful. Red
sand dunes with sparse vegetation. I can only imagine what is over that dune
and beyond. I know it’s the Sahara but I really wish we were closer to see it. I’m
going to take a couple of pictures on the way back. We were in two vehicles
since we have to caravan to the border and it was too hard to stop for that
kind of photo session.
On the way down, we pass a truck with two camels in the
back. I didn’t realize there were two camels until after we passed. To which I
stated. “OMG. STOP. Let them pass us. WE HAVE TO GET A PICTURE OF THAT.” And
then we started laughing. Because the silly camels kept posing. Seriously, they
are very quirky and funny characters. I’m a fan.
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| Who knew this was even freaking possible????!!!!?!?!?! One camel maybe...but two. AWESOME. |
Got to Rosso, Mauritania. This is the border town to cross
into Senegal on a ferry. The ferry crosses the Senegal River. Back and forth
from 8 am until 6pm with a three hour lunch. I’m just glad the boat didn’t flip
like the one in Zanzibar. That would have been pretty nasty water to swim in.
Once we were across the river, we met a few people who offered to be our
expeditors. Even though we didn’t need them. While we were getting our
passports stamped and approved, a few guys took it upon themselves to wash our
cars with mud, nasty river water which left a horrible dirty film across the
windshield and then wanted us to pay them. I’m sorry but #1 - I did not ask you
to wash my car & #2 – Please at least use clean water and a clean rag so that I can
see while I’m driving and don’t die on the crazy roads in Africa. Thanks.
So, we get in our car and head to the gate. Well, in one of the expeditor's minds he helped us get through the border and we must pay him. Even after
we told him we didn’t need his help. We were able to get through the border gate, but he
refused to let Al through without paying the “fee.” GRRRRR. This is the crap in
Africa that makes me crazy.
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| Crossing the Senegal River. |
Drive through Saint Louis and head to Dakar. Saint Louis
could be so beautiful. It’s near the mouth of the Senegal River. There are
birds flying all around. Then, you see the trash. And all the people peeing on
the side of the road. Then, more trash. And it makes you rethink coming back
for a visit. So sad. Some people have no idea what is in their backyard.
Reach Thies. Make a wrong turn, make a right turn, and end
up behind a horrible line of traffic on our way into Dakar. Finally, get
through the traffic and into Dakar. Find our hotel, the Le Meridian, off of an
inadequate map. We check in. Head to our room.
Since all of the restaurants are closed we order room service from their late night menu. Two cheeseburgers
and fries please. Before dinner arrived, I spied a cockroach. In a previous
version of myself, I might have demanded to move to a new room. But, the Africa
me told Liam to kill it. Only because he was closer to it. Assess the room and decide we are disappointed
in the quality per cost and vow to never stay here again. We are both a little
annoyed by the lack of mosquito net. Not really sure why they missed this
detail. Also, no bug spray. Now, I’m starting to wonder if the ONE can we
brought is going to last us through this entire West Africa trip. Probably not.
Dinner arrives and we inhale it. Clean up and head to bed. Fall
asleep sans mosquito net hoping that I suddenly turn into a block of ice and
they don’t find me quite as delicious as they normally do. Liam’s safe because
they prefer my blood.
All in all, it was a MUCH longer day then we expected.
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