February 9 to 16 2008

My adventure to Guinea and Mali...

I love the feeling of leaving for a new country, aware that I know so little yet motivated by sense of discovery.  Despite all my Internet research on Guinea, I had come up with very little on  the country - living conditions for expats, scenery, people, etc.  I even tried to get in touch with people who had lived and worked there, but with little luck.  Once I got an email but if offered me so little information.  So I resolved that I had to go and put an end to my ignorance! On February 9, I got on a plane headed for Bamako in Mali, where I would have to stay overnight.  In flight, I met a guy from Quebec who has been working in Ouaga for 2 years, living with his girlfriend and young daughter. And a funny coincidence – he was also on the same flight as me for Guinea the next morning! My new found friend had a representative from his company meet him at Bamako airport, so he offered me a lift downtown. I had made a reservation with a nun monastery which the Lonely Planet guide recommended for its good price and cleanliness.  Before going to bed, I had to find a taxi and agree for him to pick me up the next morning at 4 am so that I can make it to the airport to catch my flight!

It’s a good thing that I always travel prepared with my instant coffee, powdered milk, sugar and a kettle.  So at 4 am, I got up and had myself a nice cup of coffee before heading out.  I was relieved to find my taxi waiting since the streets were completely dead.  I went through formalities at the airport with my new friend Pierre, with a growing anticipation for our imminent arrival in Conakry following our departure on time at 7 am.  Landing just past 8 am and then entering the airport for custom check.  The only luggage carrousel was not working so each piece had to be brought in by hand.  Then we headed for the long tables where officers were inspecting luggage and papers.  A woman handled my things, putting her hand on my bag, looking at my with glossy eyes and saying: « Present.  You have to give me something if you want to pass». It was a very long stare down that lasted a few minutes, but in the end she let me go.  Ouff.  What a bizarre welcoming committee!   Then with Pierre, I took a taxi for the city center and my first impression of Conakry was good. There was something interesting about the place…

I dropped off my bags at the nun monastery, a bit expensive at 20$/night for a small and basic room, but what the heck.  Then with my knapsack and my camera, I headed for the streets of Conakry.   While leaving the place, the house guard saw me and said that tourists are not allowed to take pictures in Conakry.  « What? That is nuts! », I replied.  « You need permission», he said…« But who from? ».  He did not reply to me but simply raised his shoulder as if saying “how should I know?”  So I was a bit wary when I hit the pavement but I was still eager, tho careful each time I took out my camera. Today was Sunday, so the town was pretty quiet as everything was closed. I could not even find a Tele-Center to call Rémi at home.  I walked for hours and hours, just taking in the sights of the houses and stores, then I headed for the coast on the edge of town.  Oufff.  Not a pretty site with all the trash lying along the beach.  There was a busy little market selling a wide variety of fish and on the water, nice and colourful fishermen boats.  I walked to Novotel where Pierre was staying at the cost of 160$/night and we decided to go to the beach front for a beer at a small shack.  There I tried my first Guiluxe beer, and found it delicious. So far so good…

Then we headed for downtown to get something to eat, and went by the President’s house.  A street goes in front and the gates were open, so we decided to check it out.  We saw 4 guards and thought to ask them if we could enter.  Boy, what a bad idea that was!  Right away they lunged at us and asked that we provide our identification, ei. passport.  But Pierre didn’t have his with him so they made him go back to his hotel to get it, while I had to stay with them.  20 minutes of hell with harassment, since they insisted on getting me to admit that I had broken the law, that I was a terrorist or a rebel.  If I admitted to this charge, then we would be able to “discuss” of a settlement.  Otherwise, they would take me to their superior and put me in jail.  Tough choice.  When I said nothing, they yelled at me.  Finally Pierre returned, and thank God he came with 2 staff from the Novotel.  After ludicrous conversation, bribe put forward by me, and the guards swearing that they were just doing their jobs and letting us go because of the 2 respectable men from the hotel and not because of the money – then they let us go. But the damage was done as Pierre and I were both shocked and bitter.  Just then it was obvious to me that I would not want to come and live here.  That evening, I went to a restaurant by the sea called Le Petit Bateau but the food was plain and very expensive.

Monday morning, Conakry got busier as the week began.  It had rained the night before so the morning was fresh, something quite weird for someone from Burkina where it does not rain for 9 months of the year.  Once again I walked a lot around town from one end to the other, many times. Other then the main streets where there is traffic, cars don’t usually go on the smaller streets where people wash themselves, cook and play.  Teenagers play soccer all over town and all this activity gives Conakry a homey and lively feeling.  In the morning, the streets are pretty clean since they were swept during the night.  But as the day progresses and people keep dumping their garbage on the street, its gets pretty filthy by day’s end. In the afternoon, I went to the supermarket Hyper-Bob to get an idea of the availability and price of various products.  I was shocked to find that everything was at least double the price of things in Burkina. A bottle of JP Chenet wine costs 4$ in Burkina but there it was 10$.  Cheese was 3 times more expensive!  After I went to visit the large mosque but I was hassled by people saying I had no business taking photos of the outside.  In the end, they just wanted money and “let” me take a few shots. At the end of the day, I went back to meet Pierre who had participated in a conference all day.  We were still both bitter from the previous day’s events but I do want to give the country a chance and not stay stuck on this bad luck. Dinner at La Gondole restaurant on avenue de la République where we ate the best pizza in all of Western Africa, with real mozzarella cheese instead of Emmental.  I was able to reach Burkina and speak to Ludovic and Rémi.  Everything seemed to be fine…

Tuesday morning, I decided to go the port of Boulbinet to take a small boat to the nearby islands. I had read in the guide book that the beaches there are spectacular and it is a nice place to relax and hang out.  When I got to the port, I was told that there were no other boat leaving until much later in the day, with a planned return for the following day.  This was no good for me, so I did the African thing of just standing and waiting around without speaking.  Eventually, a man came to me and offered that I join a tourist group to the island, and return with them at the end of the day.  The price was 10$ instead of 50 cents, but it still seemed reasonable to me.  The Air France group arrived, about ten of them, and we headed out across the channel.  What surprised me the most was seeing many ship wrecks sticking out of the water like big floating metal masses. I was told that the Guinea Channel was very shallow, only 15-20 m and this was why the large ships touched the sea bed and stuck out.  We went past the long and narrow island of Kassa to our left and at our right, Tamara Island.  We were headed for Room Island a bit further, but said to be the nicest!  And it was lovely to see real clean beaches and walk along.  I left the group behind and went on to check out the island. I did not swim mainly because the sea water was so hot that it would not have been refreshing, like a hot tub! I stopped by a small restaurant and then went on to the local village.  There was garbage everywhere and fresh shit piles along the path so I quickly turned around. The country charm was gone… I made it back to the group and was invited to join them for a festive lunch – a real feast with salad, grilled fish, scallops and fruit. What a tasty meal that was!  Then we took the boat back at 5 pm for Conakry. Dinner with Pierre at the restaurant Fourchette Magique near Central Hotel. We had yet again pizza which was good but not as much as the one at La Gondole!

Wednesday, I called the office of CECI in Guinea to make an appointment with the director.  I wanted to meet him to discuss an opening for a volunteer as Communication Advisor. But already, I knew that I was not interested in coming to Guinea to live and work.  This depressed me a little because there was no perfect choice between all the options – Senegal, Guinea, Vietnam or Nepal.  I had lunch yet again at La Gondole, a type of « diner » but this time I had a burger.  But this place is so busy and every customer during working hours is a heavy Chinese smoker.  The place was full of smoke so I ate quickly and left.  Last supper with Pierre who was leaving the next day – I wanted to try an Indian restaurant I had seen on my numerous walks but it was not open yet – the Taj Mahal.  So we walked along the same street down a bit to the Chinese restaurant which was good. That night, I could not sleep and kept thinking about my posting options, and finally made a decision – Vietnam.  Since there is no French school in Danang where I would be posted, I would have to do home schooling, get the proper books, find a teacher and other students.  Still, I feel that this is the best option for us and we will be able to adopt a girl quickly.  I am happy with this decision.

Thursday morning at the crack of dawn, I decided to go to a travel agency to change my return ticket.  I had had enough of Guinea. There was one flight for that same evening, with a 2 day stop-over in Bamako, Mali.  I had to pay a penalty of 75$ but that was ok.  I packed my bags and cleared my hotel room, then I headed for the district of Bellevue.  I stopped at a supermarket called A-Z and found the prices there cheaper then the other one, tho still more then in Burkina.  Then I went to eat lunch at the restaurant Indochine, a very chic place with amazing decoration.  Good food tho expensive as can be expected.  I took an overcrowded taxi with 2 people in the front passenger seat and 4 behind and  I arrived at CECI offices and met one volunteer.  We talked about living conditions and he informed me that there is never electricity during the day, sometimes in the evening and usually at night.  Water and petrol shortages are common.  Hassles with the police every 2 days, etc.  These comments confirmed that I am not the right person for the posting here.  Return downtown to have one last pizza at the Gondole before heading out to the airport

That day, there was a shortage of petrol, so people were fighting to get into taxis.  I finally managed to get one after seeing about 20 pass me by!  I got to the airport and went through the usual check in.  When I get to security, the X-ray machine did not work.  3 officers were there to look through my bags.  One woman who looked like a criminal asks me « How much money do you have on you? ».  Should I lie and risk getting into trouble or tell them the truth?  The truth, right?  Bad idea. Another officer says to me « You must pay otherwise you cannot go through.  Did you hear me?  How much do you give us? ». I offered him 5000 CFA or 10$, but I was shocked.  They also took my bottle opener but I could understand that.  I proceeded to the waiting lounge and then an officer came towards me and I thought« what now?… ».  The officer gave me the bottle opener but I said to her « this is not what I want… I want my 5000 CFA back! ».  I should not have said that, of course.  Great big stupid mouth Ben!  Then to my utter fear and dismay, another officer came back yet again with my money and the bottle opener!  OK What is the catch?  When do I get arrested?  In the end I don’t know what happened but I was eager to leave this country.  At take-off, I felt so relieved because I had really been scared.  We landed in Bamako late at 10:30 pm so it was not so easy finding a hotel at that time.  In the end I had to go to a youth hostel, but it was a hole with expensive and filthy rooms.  Plus it was infested with mosquitoes.  The next day, I was thrilled to pack my bags and leave.  I managed to get a room at Auberge Lafia near the avenue de la Nation down town.

My 2 day stay in Bamako was a nice contrast to Guinea, and I was happy to find real policemen and friendly people. I went to the central market, a real maze of alleys with many things for sale.  I also went to the Artists’ Market where they had lots of things such as batik, bogolan, etc.  I walked around town a lot as well, but I must admit that Bamako is not a very pretty place – no restaurants or coffee shops, dirty, and with hardware stores everywhere!  I quickly had gone around town and on the 2nd day, I had nothing to do.  I went to the French Cultural Center and read newspapers, then I stayed at the Auberge.  I met some Japanese guys who are real travellers, one of them is cycling through all of Africa, from Europe down to South Africa.  He left from Spain and then came through Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Mali.  Then he will continue to Burkina and Ghana before heading more south!  So I finally got a chance to use my Japanese and was surprised that it was still pretty functional!  With the Japanese guys, we wanted to go to the Thai restaurant Sukothai but all tables were reserved when we got there.  So instead we went to Long Ma Chinese restaurant, and it was good.

Return to Burkina Saturday February 16, very happy with my trip but also glad to be home.  Now I understand why people say that of all countries in Western Africa, Burkina is the best with its stable political situation and access to products and services.  I had to leave to appreciate it here!  So this trip allowed me to make a clear choice re my next mandate, and also provided me with a wider experience of what « Africa» is about.  I come home satisfied and ready to get back to my daily routine and my little Rémi.  Vive l’aventure!