Dag 52: Yamoussoukro na Bouaké

(English Translation Below)

Dag 52: Yamoussoukro na Bouaké

Ons word wakker en voel soos roerlose roeibote wat in die rivier afdryf. Moet ons Wes ry en hoop die Guinea grense maak oop? Of Noord, in Mali se rigting, na 'n dorp waar Mali 'n konsulaat het waar ons kan uitvind oor visums? Of Suid na Abidjan om van daar af per boot na Dakar te vaar? Of moet ons net bly waar ons is en wag vir nuus voordat ons beweeg? Boonop het iets in gisteraand se aandete ons mae ontstel, so die oggendure was rof.

Ons ry Noord. In Bouaké sal ons die konsulaat opsoek en solank die Mali-visum proses aan die gang sit terwyl ons wag vir nuus oor Guinea en huiswerk doen oor veerbote vanuit Abidjan.

Die pad Bouaké toe is só nuut dat hy nie op my Garmin verskyn nie. Volgens Garmin het ons teen 110km/h reg Noord deur die bos gery. Sover in Ivoorkus het ons nog nét pragtige paaie gehad. Wat 'n guns doen 'n land nie sy mense deur mooi paaie instand te hou nie!

Bouaké is groter en besiger as wat ons verwag het. Ons hou langs 'n park stil om ons kaarte te bestudeer. Kry nie die Maliese konsulaat opgespoor nie. Later stap ek oor die straat om 'n sekuriteitswag te vra, maar hy weet nie. De Witt vra die naaste ou wat sommer net daar langs ons op 'n park-bankie sit. Weet hy waar die Maliese konsulaat is? Ja sê hy. Sy pa werk daar! 

Die Konsul-Generaal van die Republiek van Mali bekyk ons papiere, geïnteresseerd in ons trans-Afrika storie. Sê die visum behoort nie 'n probleem te wees nie. Kyk dan reguit na ons oor sy lessenaar. Julle moenie deur Mali ry nie. Dis gevaarlik vir mense soos julle. Daar's oorlog in Mali. Uit die perd se bek.

Ons vind 'n plek waar ons moontlik vir 'n paar nagte sal moet oornag terwyl ons ons volgende stap beplan. Mon-Afrik. 'n Stukkie oase buite die dorp onder reuse-bome. Nora Jones in die agtergrond. Dan begin ons rondbel: Bote uit Abidjan. Nuus oor Guinea se grense. 'n Motorfietsryer in Mali wat belowe hy sal ons veilig kan deurvat.

Dan bel Fransie uit Pretoria. Sy't by beide die Suid-Afrikaanse Ambassades in Abidjan (Ivoorkus) en Conakry (Guinea) gehoor: Die grense is oop!

Môre ry ons Wes.

Day 52: Yamoussoukro to Bouaké

We wake up feeling like rudderless rowboats drifting downstream Should we head west and hope that Guinea's borders open? Or go north in the direction of Mali, to a village with a Malian consulate where we can inquire about visas? Or south to Abidjan and take a boat from there to Dakar? Or should we just stay put and wait for news before we make a move? In addition, something in last night's dinner upset our stomachs, so the early morning hours were rough.

We head north. In Bouaké, we'll look for the consulate and start the Mali visa process while waiting for news about Guinea and doing our homework on ferries from Abidjan.

The road to Bouaké is so new that it doesn't appear on my Garmin. According to Garmin, we drove north, through the forest, at 110 km/h. So far in Ivory Coast we've had nothing but beautiful roads. What a wonderful gift from a government to its people to build and maintain good roads!

Bouaké is larger and busier than we expected. We pull over by a park to study our maps. We can't find the Malian consulate. Later, I cross the street to ask a security guard, but he doesn't know. De Witt asks the nearest guy, who's sitting on a park bench next to us. Does he know where the Malian consulate is? Yes, he says. His dad works there!

The Consul-General of the Republic of Mali looks at our documents, interested in our trans-Africa story. He says the visa shouldn't be a problem. Then he looks straight at us across his desk. You shouldn't drive through Mali. It's dangerous for people like you. There's a war in Mali. Straight from the horse's mouth.

We find a place where we might have to stay for a few nights while we plan our next move. Mon-Afrik. An oasis just outside town under massive trees. Nora Jones in the background. We start making calls: Boats from Abidjan. News about Guinea's borders. A motorcyclist in Mali who promises he can safely guide us through.

Then Fransie calls from Pretoria. She's heard from both the South African embassies in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) and Conakry (Guinea): The borders are open!

Tomorrow, we head west.

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