Ibis Abidjan Plateau

De nouveau une capitale, avec ses maux habituelles : embouteillage et insecurité. Je voyage donc assez souvent en taxi et je ne sors pas la nuit. J en profite pour faire mon visa pour le ghana et remettre a jour mon blog, envoyer des colis. Ce qui surprend c est de voir une serie de gratte ciel. Le centre ville avec ses mercedes, BMW et grosse audi au milieu des gratte ciel est assez ...

... and we were sure to be able to get some. It was 70 or 80 km to get there, so we were down to a eighth of a tank when we arrived, and there didn't seem to be any diesel, or gasoline available at any of the 4 or 5 service stations in town. After driving around we found one station with a tanker in the driveway: a load had just come and had filled the underground tanks. There was a line of cars, trucks, busses, and motorbikes for the one functioning ...

... There were no coffee cups out, and no bottled water which is perhaps the most important thing to have for breakfast. Hotel guests from Australia, Canada, India, Italy (those were accents or languages I heard) and several African countries: Gabon and Ghana to be sure, were milling around looking for food or dishes, and trying to figure out where to find each. Good morning Africa! Paul Tia was hoping to come to the hotel at 9:00 but he ...

... to understand. I had to ask them to repeat everything they said. I felt better when I noticed the Air France staff did too. They were very friendly however and it was pleasant, if slow, to talk with them. On the other side of the isle was an Ivoirian fellow who really liked his drinks; he wanted refills on everything with alcohol in it - insisting rather loudly at times, and he wasn't speaking very distinctly by the time we arrived. He became a ...

... more than 40 degrees for the rest of the day. At about 10am the first of the nurses started to file into the hall and we sat them according to graduation order in their seats. An hour later, and of course and hour behind schedule, the programme began. The Deputy Commissioner had made it with all the signed certificates and all the nurses were looking great in their uniforms. The press was there, and our projector was sort of working. As the first of the dignitaries started their speeches ...

... so and preaching it too. That led to the termination of his employment and position. A friend of his was also along, a former pastor for another Sabbath-keeping church. He has some interesting beliefs (he believes for example that his tribe is descended from the "lost Israelite" tribe of Dan). Their stories were interesting and touching. I will keep in touch with them and see where the relationship leads, if it leads anywhere. One rarely ...

... pas énerver ceux qui prennent les taxis en France! Belle ville qu'Abidjan, moderne, active, industrielle, relativement propre, apparemment peu polluée, rien à voir avec une ville africaine. Néanmoins, il fait 35° (donc frais pour nous !) mais l'humidité supérieure à 100% (j'en entends une qui se marre!) rend l'atmosphère étouffante et nous suons comme des boeufs au labour. Celà donne soif et faim. GG, magnanime, invite dans un bon restau ...

... pour nous. Respect, mon caporal, vous n'êtes pas tous pourris! (surtout que vous ne nous avez pas demandé de vous rembourser!) Salutations, nous continuerons notre route en zone gouvernementale, sans aucun problème, à la fois heureux, soulagés, mais regrettant déjà de ne pas rencontrer quelque nouvelle aventure. Arrivée à Abidjan, 18:00. Nous trouvons un hôtel indiqué par un pote de Nouakchott, directement, sans adresse, sans plan, sans guide, sans GPS ...

... requires them. I place my bags on the belt, along with vest, shoes, belt, and all pockets' contents. The agent insists firmly that I take my eyeglasses off and put them in the bin too. Once through the checkpoint as I was putting myself back together, one last agent wants to see my papers. Seven verifications in one very small airport. Finally I reach the departure lounge. The plane on which we would travel arrived on time from Libreville. We ...