Bike tour Benin
Trip Start
Sep 22, 2003
1
23
62
Trip End
Dec 13, 2005
Materi,
Benin
Sunday, May 9, 2004
Well we have an "in-service training" down south this week. So we decided on the way down we'd leave early and bike around the Atacora region (the region where we live) to visit other volunteers' posts. The first day we biked 18 miles to Cobli, where there is an English teacher and another health volunteer. The ride had scenery similar to that around Materi, savannah with hills/small mountains in the distance. The hills are beginning to be greener from the recent rains that have begun. Cobli is a smaller village than Materi, but is very beautiful since it's at the base of the hills. It has a nice charm to it, and we enjoyed our day visit there, talking, cooking, and playing games with the two volunteers there. The night before our next leg of the trip, Robyn (the health volunteer)cooked us an excellent cheesy tuna maccaroni dinner that our bodies sure needed. The next morning we left for Boucoumbé, where there is an environment volunteer. The 30 mile ride was a beautiful one, probably the prettiest scenery we've seen in Benin. There is more water along the mountain range, so everything is much greener. The skyline of mountains reminded both of us of the Blue Ridge Mountains back home, very beautiful with the blue tint of the mountains. The "hills" here were much bigger too, and we felt comfortable calling them mountains. The bike ride was definitely more hilly than what we've done before, but nothing impossible, more of a pleasant rolling ride. Along the way we saw rushing rivers, rice paddies, beautiful green valleys and the "tata sombas" that are only particular to Boucoumbé, a style of house that is like a mini fortress. They are made of mud, have many round huts that can be 2 levels high, surrounded by a 2 level high wall. There are usually secret passages, low door ways, and one central large tower that makes them easily defendable when under attack. We don't know the history as to why this tribe of people is so ready for an atack, but it makes the countryside more unique when it is dotted with these structures. After this beautiful ride, we arrived in Boucoumbé, which is also a cute town, but a little larger than Materi. After finding the house of the volunteer, we learn that she had left the day before for a week trip. (Due to a lack of phones and an unreliable mail system, its hard to give other vols. advanced notice.) After we relaxed a little under her porch and had a nice lunch in the market, we decided to head out toward Natitingou to look for an inn that someone had told us about. We knew it was about 6 miles away, but weren't sure exactly where it was. So off on our bikes again, we are oblivious to whats ahead of us. We knew the road would be hilly and probably the most challenging leg of our trip, but we didn't realise that the majority of this was just for the first 10 miles out of Boucoumbé. So we hit parts of the road that have been detoured/switchbacked for the sake of cars because its too steep for them to ascend. So we find its better to use these detours, and slowly make our way up 2 huge ascents, with our bikes in lowest gear. After making it to the top of the 2nd mountain, we hear that the inn is there, but that the rest of the road to Natitingou is fairly flat/downhill. We see a sign for the inn and the building didn't look all that great (what we thought was the inn we only later found out that the actual inn was way off the road and is very nice Oh Well...) So we decided to continue on to Natitingou, even though it was still another 24 miles. Despite the fatigue, there was still lots of beautiful scenery, now we were IN the mountains we were seeing from the distance that morning. The ride was relatively flat with downhills, but also some uphill that was more gradual, but our legs weren't happy with this. So after 6 and a half hours of biking, we finally make it to Nati. So we ended up biking 55 miles in one day, and through some of the toughest terrain in the country. But it was well worth it (at least now we say this, ask us tomorrow if we're able to walk).
While we've been at post we've been busy doing a bunch of different projects. Our biggest activity was a great AIDS awareness campaign put on by Rebecca's work and a local womens group. The project trained 8 local community memebers to go around and give informational discussions about AIDS. While AIDS is a disasterous epidemic in other parts of Africa, fortunately here in Benin only 4% of the population is infected (compared to over 30 in other countries). This 4% could possibly get out of hand very quickly if steps aren't taken now. So the 8 people split into groups of 2 and went door to door talking to everyone (mothers, men, children, young adults, students, and elders) about the causes and ways to prevent transmission of the virus. It was really good because the descussions were very personable and people felt comfortable enough to ask their questions. Both of us were a part of the door to door campaign and it was great getting out and talking with people we wouldn't otherwise see. This project lasted 10 days and finished with a procession down "main street" (Benin humor) with the womens group singing an AIDS song one of our trainers composed. The day we did this was the big market day so lots of people saw us and hopefully we reached people so they will think about us before doing something that would put them at risk. This was a really positive experience for both of us and we definitely feel we were able to contribute to our community.
Jason has been also helping out with a local tree nursery. they've planted around 3000 cashew trees and several hundred Moringa (peace corps influenced). I have also talked to the mayor's office and we are planning on having a big tree day celebration. So we'll hope that everything goes well with this idea too. I have also planted several different trees with my environmental club but we'll see when we get back if they remember to water them.
So we finally made it through the dreaded hot season and are now in the transition time between the heat and the rains. We've had three really big soaking rains and several quick down pours. Our garden loves the water and the lower temps and has produced 4 wonderful eggplants (with plenty more on the vine) and everything else is really taking off too. The storms during this period are usually pretty violent and bring lots of wind and hard rain. The very first had horizontal rain blowing in one side of our house and out the other before we could get the shutters closed. Our garden fence and our porch cover both took a fall but are now more securely attached to weather any future storms. During these rains the sound of the rain hitting our tin roof is so loud that it's almost impossible to talk without shouting to eachother. Definitely very exciting!!! Usually the clouds start to build up around 3 or 4 in the afternoons but can never be sure if it's really going to rain or not. We have also been chased inside during the nights when we are sleeping outside and a front comes through. Days are still pretty hot (a comfortable 98 degrees) but we know soon it's going to be better.
Well we know this is a lot so we'll end our logue here. We'll probably write again in about a week or two on our way back from our training session.
Take care,
Rebecca and Jason
