Dag 51: Aboisso na Yamoussoukro

(English Translation Below)

Dag 51: Aboisso na Yamoussoukro
 
Ons word wakker met die opwindende verwagting van die volgende stuk aarde wat voorlê. Vandag via Abidjan tot in Yamoussoukro. Dan verder die binneland in tot by Guinea en dan 'n paar rowwe grondpad-dae tot in Senegal. Die Sahara-woestyn lê nog ver maar die gedagte dat ons naderkom maak ons beide nuuskierig-opgewonde.
 
Die teerpad speel saam. Pragtig tot in Abidjan en toe word dit beter: Snelweg tot in Yamoussoukro. Ons vorder vinnig en voel hoe die volgende hoofstuk van ons reis naderkom.
 
Maar toe stop ons vir petrol. Kry die nuus: Moeilikheid in Guinea! Die vorige diktator het in die oggendure ontsnap en die landsgrense is toegemaak. Wat nou? Sowat 'n week gelede het ons navorsing oor Mali gedoen as potensiële roete om die slegte Guinea-paaie te vermy, maar wat ons uitgevind het van die onrus en ontvoerings in Mali het die Guinea-grondpaaie na kinderspeletjies laat lyk. Ons onthou ook hoe Stephen McGown vir ses jaar in Mali gyselaar gehou is.
 
Die ander opsie is om Liberië en Sierra Leone deur te ry, al langs die kus, maar dan moet mens nogsteeds deur Guinea gaan Senegal toe. En Niger is in chaos weens hulle onlangse staatsgreep.
 
Op stop by die Basilika in Yamoussoukro. Dis reusagtig. Blykbaar byna 600 miljoen USD gekos om te bou vanaf 1985 tot 1989. Die plek is asemrowend, maar iets van ons vooroordele teenoor die Groot-Man-in-Afrika-sindroom, wat mag wil vertoon ten alle koste, ontneem vir ons die moontlike betowering van só 'n struktuur. 
 
Die bestuurder van 'n magtige Land Cruiser, wat vroeër op die snelweg só naby teen ons verbygesnel het dat ons byna bokveld toe was, is ook hier om die Basilika te bewonder. Die magtiges van Afrika wat kan ry soos hulle wil, kastele en reuse-kerke kan bou, weermagte kan beweeg om regerings omver te werp. Grense kan sluit.
 
Buite in die strate staan die kaalvoetkinders bakhand. 'n Man sonder klere wat met homself loop en praat. Dan wonder ons, dalk heeltemal uit ons plek uit, wat 600 miljoen USD sou kon regkry as dit eerder op skole en hospitale spandeer was. Trouens, reg oorkant die Basilika staan 'n leë hospitaal.
 
Môre sal ons die nuus lees en hoop Guinea se grense is weer oop.
 
Day 51: Aboisso to Yamoussoukro
 
We wake up with the exciting anticipation of the next stretch of earth laying ahead. Today we're heading through Abidjan to Yamoussoukro. Then, further inland to Guinea and a few rough off-road days into Senegal. The Sahara Desert is still far, but the thought of getting closer makes us both curious and excited.
 
The tarmac plays along, beautifully into Abidjan, and then it gets even better: a highway all the way to Yamoussoukro. We make good progress and feel how the next chapter of our journey is approaching.
 
But then we stop for petrol and get the news: Trouble in Guinea! The former dictator escaped in the early hours, and the country's borders are closed. Now what? About a week ago, we did some research on Mali as a potential route to avoid the bad Guinea roads, but what we found out about the unrest and abductions in Mali made the Guinea dirt roads look like child's play. We also remember how Stephen McGown was held hostage in Mali for six years.
 
The other option is to drive through Liberia and Sierra Leone along the coast, but then you still have to go through Guinea to get to Senegal. And Niger is in chaos due to their recent coup.
 
We stop at the Basilica in Yamoussoukro. It's massive. It reportedly cost nearly 600 million USD to build from 1985 to 1989. The place is awe-inspiring, but something about our prejudices against the Big-Man-in-Africa syndrome, which wants to display power at all costs, deprives us of the possible awe of such a structure.
 
The driver of a powerful Land Cruiser, who earlier, on the highway, almost ran us off the road, is also here to admire the Basilica. Africa's mighty, who can drive as they please, build castles and giant churches, move armies to overthrow governments, and close borders.
 
Outside in the streets, barefoot children begging. A man without clothes walks and talks to himself. And we wonder, perhaps completely out of place, what 600 million USD could achieve if it were spent on schools and hospitals instead. In fact, right across from the Basilica stands an empty hospital.
 
Tomorrow, we will read the news and hope that Guinea's borders are open again.

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