January 8th – Leaving Ouesso
Good day. January 8th. Time to leave Ouesso. Before heading out, I drove by to take a photo of the ferry that crosses the river there. It can carry one large lorry at a time and maybe a small car as well. There was a long line waiting, and I was honestly glad I didn’t have to take it. African ferries can be an adventure of their own.
So far, I’ve only had to take one of those open drive-on ferries—the one between Mauritania and Senegal—and that’s been enough for now.
Heading Toward Oyo
The plan was to reach Oyo, though ideally I wanted to go beyond it to get closer to a wildlife sanctuary known for protecting gorillas. Getting a head start would make tomorrow easier.
Along the way, I picked up a man named Frederic. He was an adjudant in the military, still in uniform, and needed a fairly long ride. We spoke in French, which is at least manageable for me now.
Frederic had quite a background. At one point he had been a commando and a parachutist, participating in exchange programs with other West African countries. He had even traveled to Libya and Chad—not for tourism, but for military cooperation and parachute jumps. Fascinating stories.
A Tree Across the Road
At one point, we encountered a fallen tree blocking more than half the road. A few vehicles had already squeezed past, but no one had attempted to clear it.
So we stopped. I pulled out my knife—which, until then, I hadn’t actually used—and together we cut and dragged the tree out of the way. It took about 20 minutes. Not a huge task, but satisfying to make the road safer for everyone else.
Conversations About Remote Areas
Frederic mentioned that we were passing near game reserves. According to him, some local communities live alongside—and sometimes partially within—these protected areas. He said that some of the children there don’t attend school and that families live largely off the land. This was simply what he shared with me; I didn’t verify the details.
Two Unexpected Passengers
After Frederic got out, I picked up two women—one older, named Nature, and her relative, whom she described as her “grand sœur,” though the relationship seemed more like an aunt and niece. When they entered the vehicle, they launched into a lively and animated conversation in their own language, which I couldn’t understand.
They hoped to go all the way to Brazzaville, but by then I was only committed to reaching Oyo. During the ride, they repeatedly opened a pink folder containing what appeared to be an official police document.
Another Police Stop
Sure enough, we hit another checkpoint. The officers asked for their documents, and the pink folder came out. Apparently, a required number was missing from the paperwork. The women were told they needed to pay 20,000 CFA. They didn’t have it.
I told the officer I would wait five minutes to see if the situation could be resolved. Soon one of the women came back and explained that they would have to stay behind and sort it out. Although I had the money, there had been no prior discussion, and they didn’t ask. They gathered their belongings—phones and other items—and remained at the checkpoint.
A Sobering Accident Scene
Earlier in the day, we had also encountered a major traffic stop. A bus had apparently crashed into the back of a truck on December 25th. The damage looked severe—serious enough that it was hard to imagine there were no casualties, though I don’t know what actually happened.
Authorities were attempting to load the damaged bus onto a large truck. Fortunately, we only had to wait about ten minutes before they cleared enough space for traffic to pass. Scenes like that are stark reminders of how dangerous night driving can be.
Arrival in Oyo
In the end, I made it to Oyo. I would have preferred to continue another hour, but that would have meant driving into darkness—something I try to avoid. Not worth the risk.
So that’s where the day ended. Thanks for coming along. See you tomorrow.
