Ben Abroad: Ben in Benin

Hello Hello! This weekend, as Facebook and my previous blogs mentioned, I went to Benin. Benin is Togo’s eastern neighbour and only an hour from Lome.

Besides organising Visas the week before for the 7 of us going, we were very disorganised on Friday when we left. We were blessed to find two taxi’s willing to take us to Cotonou, a three-hour trip and then again as our French speaker, Sam, managed to find a reasonable Catholic hotel in Cotonou. The border crossing was typical: slow, painful, unnecessarily complicated and with the policemen telling the girls they could not pass through as they had to stay with them. I was in fact informed that I did not even need a visa with my SA passport!

The trip was pleasant; our driver was pacing the other. Probably to compensate for the regular bribe stops and pot hole slow-downs. We arrived in Cotonou after dark and after finding our hotel. We met an American man involved in water projects who has been visiting the country for 15 years (glad to be staying in the same hotel as he). He advised a Chinese restaurant across the road where I had a calamari that I have been craving, which is odd because I rarely eat it at home. I even had leftovers!

The rooms were hot and thankfully had fans. Even so under the mosquito nets the fan was largely ineffective. Sam and I chatted until 3. I couldn’t believe how quickly time went. When our alarm went off at 7, we were so tired that it went on for about three minutes. We had breakfast downstairs and my Nutella was very handy with the plain baguettes. A day worker Antoine met up with us a bit later and we went to the stilt village, Genvie. This is a community of 30 000 living in wooden houses above a lagoon. We took a boat that was meant to be propelled by men with long sticks but this turned into one with a motor. The village was different, not that spectacular. I’m glad we went though.

Afterwards, while waiting for our taxis, I ate my left over calamari, rice and vegetables… with my hands of course. After much discussion with the drivers, we left Cotonou for Bab’s Dock. It’s difficult to describe this place. It was as though the Swiss family Robinson had landed on a lake that was never deeper than 2 meters and uninhabited and then built a house, guesthouse, bar and small zoo. The pictures will probably show it best. I had a homemade Bissap juice, which was delicious, while others ate. We played some volleyball and generally relaxed. After a few hours we took the motorboat away from luxury, across the lake, through mangroves and back to West Africa. Its crazy how far from Africa the place felt.

We arrived at our host and day worker Thomas’ cousin’s house in Cotonou. This was the best part of the weekend. We were unfortunately late and got there after dark. Before dinner we were offered palm gin. This was so potent. It probably would have evaporated out my cup if I didn’t drink it fast enough. The family had prepared chicken, fish, fufu and gravy. This is the most satisfying meal I have had. It was very special sitting there, feeling so blessed by the family who had prepared this special meal.

We were offered the bed inside but it was so hot that we all slept outside. I was wearing long pants, had insect spray and mosquito nets around me buy I still managed to get bitten rather badly on my legs.

On Sunday we woke early to meet up with Antoine againso that we might visit his church. We had coffee and bread (with Nutella, of course) for breakfast before catching a bus, taxi and two motorbikes to church. Hmmm, church. The preacher taught money and took 4 offerings. Sam walked out! It is so sad to see how the congregation just lap up every word. The service was two and a half hours long but not all that boring. It gave me a good time to pray! Afterwards, while we waited outside, we could hear children screaming inside. Exorcisms.

We were told we could get a lift home in the priest’s bus and only cover the cost of petrol. While we waited we played soccer with some children in the street and then ate some coconuts that we had with us.

We went back to our hosts for another good meal, lamb curry with rice or fufu. We were unfortunately hurried as we wasted much time after church. We left in the bus that took us back to where we’d been earlier where we were transferred to Peugeot car. No surprises the bus could not, in fact, take us home. They did, however, try and extort the same amount of money from us as they had earlier predicted would be necessary to cover petrol, only without actually doing us any favours. It was cramped in the car and we still managed to fit in a random person. So there were ten of us in this car and it was probably the fastest on the road. We got through the border and arrived back at the ship at 9pm for a very late but tasty Mexican dinner. It was a mixed weekend but I am definitely glad to have been.

Otherwise, I am trying to save some money for my holiday with dad in the Canary Islands in July. I would like to visit Ghana but would need an expensive visa.

I received a package of vitals from home yesterday, which was wonderful! Thanks for the things, mum and Grandma. I also attended my first South African evening in the Marx’s family cabin where we watched Funny People. I had watched it with the Semples a few years ago but it remains a hilarious film. It was good to meet together. We have been asked to sing and pray at Easter, representing southern Africa. So we planned that as well.

Moukaela has now been here 3 weeks and is thoroughly enjoying playing Sorry!, a fun game. He now has a balaclava type thing on to aid in his healing- he hasn’t recovered as hoped but he remains a strong boy. I look forward to visiting him most evenings.

Will go swimming later and hopefully finish my book! There will also be a fire drill: (