The SnailTrails team has made good progress and is currently taking a day off in Maroua, in the "extreme North" of Cameroon. After a very short transit through north-eastern Nigeria, we've now officially entered central Africa, as witnessed by the new currency in our pockets, francs CFA issued by the Central African Central Bank.
As announced at the end of our last post, we spent a couple of relaxing days with the Luxembourg diaspora in Ouagadougou - many thanks to Rol for his hospitality, and both Inoussa and Sylvestre for their invaluable help with errands in the city! We're already missing Sylvestre's cooking ;)
Our days in Ouaga were spent obtaining our visas for Niger from the General Consulate (a 48 hour process), stocking up supplies, haggling with Touareg vendors at the Village Artisanal (an initiative of Luxembourg development co-operation), and endlessly discussing travelling and the "state of Africa" with Rol and his dinner guests. A very enjoyable time indeed!
The trip from Ouaga to the Niger border was largely uneventful: the European taxpayer has financed impeccable asphalt roads all the way since Dakar, and allow us to cruise along at a good pace. (The infamous "road to Tambacounda" in Mali has lost its holes, and with the exception of a stretch after Fada in Burkina, roads are better than in Europe.)
The border formalities leaving Burkina and entering Niger took two hours, visas and the "carnet de passage" were gladly accepted, and no "cadeaux" were requested. We reach Niamey in time for a must: sipping ice-cold beer and snacking on spicy "brochettes" on the vast terrace of the Grand Hotel overlooking the Niger river and enjoying a fantastic sunset.
Leaving Niamey, we have about 1400 km ahead of us to reach Diffa at the extreme south-east of the country: "very far", as recognised correctly by the guy at the toll booth... Surprisingly again, the EU has built a perfect asphalt band all the way (most often used by non-motorised traffic...), allowing us to make good progress, with stop-overs in Birni-Konni and Zinder.
Some 60 km outside of Niamey, the Giraffe sanctuary at Kouré was our first opportunity to spend some time in the company of wildlife, walking amidst a herd of the relaxed creatures feasting on fresh Acacia leaves.
Dusty Zinder might not be a tourist's paradise, but we needed a rest, and the old neighbourhoods of the city are a good opportunity to explore some Haoussa architecture and traditions.
Requests for "cadeaux" remained at a tolerable level, allowing us to have a good look at the so-called "banco" (dried mud brick) houses, some with decorated facades. The latter belong to hereditary traditional officials at the court of the Sultan of Damagaram, whose judicial and traditional authority still today extends over large areas of community life.
The sultan and his officials seem to be doing fine these days, with recent-model European limousines shielded from the otherwise extremely simple livelihoods of their subjects by high mud-brick walls. We conclude our visit by a stop at the local Village Artisanal (also an initiative of Luxembourg development co-operation).
Between Zinder and Diffa, the landscape clearly announces the proximity of the Sahara desert, camel caravans make their first appearance, lead by fierce-looking Touaregs.
Heavy rains transform the gravel roads towards Nigeria into muddy traps negotiated by overloaded trucks, taxis and gas smugglers.
By recommendation of the local security forces, we abandon our plan to cross through Nigeria along the shores of Lake Chad, infested by rebels, bandits and other unsavoury folk and prefer the detour via Geidam, Damaturu, Maiduguri towards the border with Cameroon near Banki.
After an unfriendly welcome by a not-so-well-meaning (but ultimately defeated) Nigerian immigration official, north-eastern Nigeria did not live up to the country's sketchy reputation: all the many check-points were passed in a relaxed and friendly manner, without any gifts asked nor offered.
After our rest stop in Maroua, near the Mandara mountains that are a welcome diversion after weeks of crossing flat African plains, we'll head south towards the capital Yaoundé where we'll start trying to obtain visas for the Congos and Angola: keep your fingers crossed!
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