-Martin Buber-
It was time to say goodbye to showers.
It was time to say goodbye to toilets.
It was time to say goodbye to Wi-Fi.
It was time to say goodbye to a bed.
We were going ‘overlanding’ for the next 3 days. Proper overlanding with no facilities as we
tackle the unknown north of the Ivory Coast, cross a border and head into
Guinea. At our meeting last night, Sam
was calling us the pioneers of the trip.
It has been years since Dragoman have done some parts of the country,
and some they had never done, add the crew into that and also us, we just
didn’t know what to expect, the itinerary was a ‘play by ear’, ‘see how we go’
attitude and if we wanted to stop somewhere, see something, do something we
could just do it. There were no
activities as such planned and really, we were going to be pioneering this trip
for, at least the next 2 groups, and as it added the excitement, it also brings
a little apprehension as you just didn’t know what to expect and neither did
anyone else.
I made the most of the last internet we were probably
going to see for minimum a week and possibly until Freetown in 2 weeks’ time, so
with a status update to that effect, I shut down the computer and made for my
room to make the most of the shower and a last toilet stop, well the use of a
toilet for the next 3 days. This is what
I signed up for and now the true overlanding experience was about to
begin. I am glad that the group had time
to get to know each other before we were thrust into this section, because if
things go south, then at least we know each other pretty well by now to
understand rather than trying to getting to know people in a tough situation,
that would really suck and I think you would be more reserved and not able to
share the full experience when you are trying to still make friends with
everyone. We were all locked and loaded
on the truck at 8am, and with a quick stop at the central market just down the
road to stock up on some supplies for lunch and dinner for the next few days, a
stop in the supermarket to buy a few beers and some processed meat for the
lunches (sounds delicious already) we were on the road leaving Korhogo at
9.15am.
So it was goodbye to the lap of luxury that we had last
week and we were on the open roads, well bouncy in parts, until 11am, when the
party really came to a halt and we hit the dirt roads to take us north for the
next 3 days. Due to the rains, there
were some puddles that were the size of a small pool that we had to cross, and
not knowing the depth and the base of the puddle, there were points where Sam
got out of the truck, legs zipped off his pants (it’s the first time I have seen
his legs all trip), shoes off and he was walking through that puddle to check
it all out and at some of the trickier ones, Zoe would also get out, they would
assess our options and then make the call and drive through with no dramas. It was funny at one of the stops they were
checking, a large truck passed us and zipped straight through the puddle like
it was a walk in the park, but in Sam and Zoe’s defence we were a lot heavier
than that truck and I think they were also just finding their overlanding feet
and also Madge’s capacity as well in circumstances I am sure that their driving
history may not have seen so much of, but I am sure will see a lot more and as
the days pass, they will know the vehicle and their overlanding ‘confidence’
grows with each new situation that may get thrown at them. There wasn’t much traffic on the roads at all
and in one hour, from 10 till 11am, I counted only 6 cars and 2 trucks that
passed. Not a lot of traffic, especially
to what we have been used to the last 2 weeks so far.
We stopped for lunch under the shade of a large acacia
tree, the only piece of shade for kilometers, well that we had access to anyway
with the truck, and with the small group, we are having more ‘on board’ lunches
where there are a few of us that hand up what we need from the lockers, through
the windows to some of us in the cab and then the food is all chopped and
cheese peeled and then everyone makes their own sandwiches and stays on the
truck or heads outside to stretch their legs with their sanga in their
hands. It saves having to set up wash
bowls, the table and chairs and all the boxes-to make a few sandwiches and then
pack it all away, and I also like to think we save some time doing it this way
and we could get back on the road. Even
though from now on we were the ‘pioneers’, we still had some places pinpointed
where we would like to be at the end of each day and with this in mind a quick
lunch is a good lunch and at 1.30pm we were ready to leave again.
Ian asked if we could pop open the sun roof that is
located at the back of the truck, as the roads we had been travelling on were
perfect to have them open as there weren’t any trees high enough that could
make our life difficult and due to the condition of the roads, we weren’t
travelling at a 100 miles per hour so Sam said yes!! There are a few rules that need to be adhered
to, to sit in the sun roof seats and they are no shoes to be worn up there, you
have to wear the seatbelt at all times and to get up or down, the truck has to
be stopped and I can see why, it would be easy to knock out a tooth or bang
your head if the truck was in motion. So
Ian, Rich and I jumped up for the first round, the seats can take 4 people at
one time, and with Sam warning us to put on sunscreen, as it was hot as hell
out there, we settled in for a bit of a ride.
The seats are a little on the thin side, so I had to move around a
little until my fat arse was comfy, and it was a little difficult to find a
foot rest, until my feet reached the seats in front, which I am sure would not
be acceptable, but it made such a difference to rest them and holding on for
dear life and my camera around my neck we were rolling. It was a different perspective from the back,
up higher than the actual roof and it was HOT HOT HOT. Luckily Ian and I are sunlover’s, and after
20 minutes Rich had to head back inside as the sun was just beating down and
you could feel your skin burning. I am
lucky that I have tanned up the last 3 weeks and now any form of sun is just
turning me into a brown berry now and I won’t go a lobster colour and Ian was
on his way to that point now as well. We
thought we got some funny looks before just driving in the truck, well you
should have seen the looks we got now that our heads were popping out of the
roof, it was hilarious. Ian and I lasted
an hour, before we had to come in. If we
were moving a little faster then I think we could have stayed up there longer,
but with the roads slow going, there was no breeze and we came in for a respite
from the heat. It would be nice up there
first thing in the morning or later in the afternoon, when the heat doesn’t
pack such a punch, but it was awesome to get up there and it was the first time
it had been opened all trip so far.
Bean, Patrick and Harj will be so jealous, as they would have LOVED to
do that. I miss the guys so much, but I
am thankful that the ‘newbies’ are super awesome, considering with a small
group if you got a loon or two, it could change the whole dynamic to the trip,
but this leg we don’t have to worry and I am SUPER SUPER lucky that the
‘couples’ are continuing on to Dakar, so I have some buddies till the end.
At 5.40pm, we stated to keep a lookout for a camp site
for the night. It may sound easier than
what it actually is as we need to try and keep away from a village to minimize
the ‘local’ attention, it has to be big enough and firm enough to park an 8 ton
truck and safe enough for us, all at the same time. Well we found a spot exactly like that at 6pm
and after a quick scout to make sure that Madge wouldn’t get bogged, we pulled
off and parked up for the night. It was
coming on dark now, so first go up the tents, and after a look at the sky,
which seemed quite clear, Ian and I decided to keep our rain fly’s aka tent
raincoats off for the night to let some cool air into the tent. I am now nearly a wiz at putting up the tent
on my own and after they were up, helping Ellie and Rich struggle with theirs
it was time to set up the rest of camp which involves the table, the stove and
chairs. Rich and I were all over dinner,
and Rich is happy to cook for the group, so with Suzanne and I as assistance,
Chef Rich cooked up a spaghetti delight (using tinned corn meat) and some
secret herbs and spices. There were a
few flashes of lightning streaking across the sky that got us thinking we
should put on our fly and when the wind picked up a little during the cooking
Ian and I decided quite quickly that maybe the raincoat should go on and after
pegging it up, I got Sam to check mine, as I struggle with the fly for some
reason and after inspecting and making a few changes I was ready should the
heavens open later on.
Well we didn’t have to wait long as it started to spit a
few minutes later. We had time to pack
everything away bar the table and cook top, and as Rich started to serve
dinner, the sky opened up and the rain started to fall. So we all climbed into the truck, as Sam held
an umbrella over Rich as they served each meal on a plate and it was passed to
the truck and the dryness of the remaining passengers, poor Chef and Sam. They were both drenched when they finally got
into the truck, but the good thing of rain in the tropics is you don’t get
cold, so with the boys in wet clothes and a dry cab we enjoyed dinner over a
few beers (I was on Pepsi) as we ate dinner and waited for the storm to
pass. And pass it did and the crew that
hadn’t cooked, made the use of the break in the weather to wash the dishes and
pack away the table and stove before it started to rain again. Talk about lucky breaks so far.
There was some more chit chat over a few more beers and
then at 9.30pm, we all peeled off into our tents for some sleep as we had
another travel day tomorrow and with an early rise at 6.30am for breakfast-it
was time to catch some shut eye. Just as
the last teeth were scrubbed, the last toilet stop taken and the tent zippers
all closed, it stated to rain again, which I LOVE when I am in a tent, that has
been put up properly so it doesn’t leak, and I was gutsy enough to leave one of
the flaps open, so with a cool breeze blowing in, the sound of rain on the tent
roof, I was asleep before you could say pleasant dreams sandman…….. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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