Dag 45: Cotonou na Lomé, Togo

(English Translation Below)

Dag 45: Cotonou na Lomé, Togo
 
Daar breek 'n storm uit net toe ons wil ry. Ons wag. Gesels met Yasmina, die plaaslike motorfietsklub se raakvatter en organiseerder. Sy vertel ons van Benin en Togo, wat eintlik een land moes wees, maar deur die Europeers verdeel is. 'Gee my 'n liniaal, en 'n plek om te staan, en ek verdeel die wêreld.' Op plekke loop die grens reg deur mense se huise. Sy vertel van 'n ou wat sy huis as grenspos gebruik. Jy loop vanuit Togo by die agterdeur in, sit 200 Wes Afrika Frank op die tafel neer, en loop by die voordeur uit Benin in.
 
Toe ons vertrek, ry Yasmina en twee ander motorfietsmanne saam. Gaan wys ons die bronsbeeld van die eerste en enigste vroue-koning van Benin. Stigter van die gevreesde Amasones, 'n groep vroue-krygers wat in hierdie geweste geheers het lank voordat hier landsgrense was. Daar is iets vasberade en vreesloos in haar oë. En ek kan sien hoe dit in Yasmina weerkaats. 'n Baken van vrou-wees in 'n wêreld waar mans in beheer is. In sterk kontras met die gedweë onderdanigheid wat ons tot dusver gereeld op ons reis teëgekom het.
 
Ons ry. Die pad Togo toe is eersteklas. Ons wil-wil die storm van vroeër inhaal, wat beteken alles ruik vars en skoongewas. Die strate ís ook skoon en die verkeer ordelik. Dan, skielik, die grenspos. Wat 'n verfrissende ervaring! Jy stap in 'n ordentlik-instandgehoude gebou in, gee jou paspoort vir die Benin-beampte wat jou uitstempel. Dié gee die paspoort sommer aan na die Togo-persoon langs hom wat jou hulle vorms laat invul, en instempel. Twee grensposte in een!
 
Ons geluk hou nie op nie. In die hoofstraat in Lomé is daar blykbaar 'n KTM/Husqvarna werkswinkel. Dink nou net as ons vandag sommer die motorfietse ook kan diens! Ons soek-soek, kry die plek. John, in sy geel T-hemp en stil glimlag, ontvang ons. Ja hy kan die olie vervang. Ja hy kan dit vandag nog doen. Ons wil nog beduie maar besef skielik ons is in die hande van een van daardie bekwame, plat-op-die-aarde mense wat die wêreld aanmekaar hou.
 
Die aand gesels ons oor Afrika, hierdie reis, ons onderskeie geaardhede, en hoeveel ons nog het om te leer.
 
Day 45: Cotonou to Lomé, Togo
 
A storm breaks out just as we are about to leave. We wait. We chat with Yasmina, the local motorcycle club's enthusiastic organizer. She tells us about Benin and Togo, which were supposed to be one country but were divided by the Europeans. 'Give me a ruler, and a place to stand, and I'll divide the world.' In some places, the border goes right through people's houses. She tells of a guy who uses his house as a border post. You walk in from Togo at the back door, place 200 West African Francs on the table, and walk out the front door into Benin.
 
When we depart, Yasmina and two other motorcycle enthusiasts ride with us. They show us the bronze statue of Benin's first and only female king. The founder of the feared Amazons, a group of female warriors who ruled these regions long before there were national borders. There is something resolute and fearless in her eyes. And I can see how it is reflected in Yasmina. A beacon of womanhood in a world where men are in control. In stark contrast to the submissiveness we have encountered so often on our journey.
 
We ride. The road to Togo is first-class. We are almost catching up with the earlier storm, which means everything smells fresh and clean. The streets are clean, and the traffic is orderly. Then, suddenly, the border crossing. What a refreshing experience! You walk into a well-maintained building, hand over your passport to the Benin officer who stamps you out. He hands the passport to the Togolese officer next to him, who hands you their forms to fill in, and then stamps you in. Two border posts in one!
 
Our good luck continues. Apparently, there's a KTM/Husqvarna workshop in the main street in Lomé. Imagine if we could get the bikes serviced today too! We search and find the place. John, in his yellow T-shirt and quiet smile, welcomes us. Yes, he can change the oil. Yes, he can do it today. We want to point out to him where to open what, but suddenly we realize we're in the hands of one of those capable, down-to-earth people who hold the world together.
 
In the evening, we talk about Africa, this journey, our respective ways of being, and how much we still have to learn.

BackaBuddy