Archives Africa

Kenya

(1995, Fabrice)

Fabrice was there in 1995 with friend Jean-Marie. On our way to Madagascar, we managed to find a very cheap flight via Sofia, in Bulgaria, to Nairobi, and then a flight to Madagascar. We had about a week transit in Kenya, where Jean-Marie and I went on a safari tour in the Masai-Mara wildlife reserve... Really impressive: Slept in a tent in a small camp.... met lions, elephants, giraffes, lots of springs bocks, a cheetah (very rare.. see picture below) and all kinds of other wild animals. Remember walking around the tent during the night, and being told by the guards to run back ASAP in my tent if I don't want to be eaten by some wild beast: it was indeed strictly forbidden to leave the tent during the night... lions were never far... and they hunt at night.

ROBBERY IN NAIROBI

Another adventure that happened to us in Nairobi, was a robbery by a fake policeman and a fake Somali refugee. Story goes like this: some Somali refugee would ask us some money; he was in Mogadiscio a good university teacher, and had now nothing left... well a good story, so we gave him a dollar and bye-bye. A couple of meters further, we got arrested by a policeman, who took us in some dark place, telling us that we're under arrest because they found drugs on the refugee, and he thought we bought him some. He checks our passports, and our money.... tells us our Kenyan notes were fake, and it all happened so fast, he suddenly disappears with all the money.... it was a fake refugee and a fake policeman. We were really stupid there, especially when we read the exact same story in the Lonely Planet afterwards..... Anyway, was OK, did not loose lots of money, and yes: their show was really good.

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Madagascar

(1995 & 1997, Fabrice)

Fantastic!!! One of my best travel souvenirs ever. In 1995, went there with two good friends, Jean-Marie and Lalaina, himself from Madagascar.... so we had the chance to visit his family there and it was really "authentic" . Went to Antananarivo (the capital), Fianaratsao, Isalo, Tulear, Tamatave, Ste Marie Island, Morondave and the baobabs, Ivato ...

TURNING OF THE DEAD

Went into the village of Lalaina's grandfather: very small village in the "Hauts Plateaux" centre of Madagascar, where kids had never seen white people before, and where no car could arrive. Stayed in the village for a few days, and it was just the ceremony of the "Turning of the Dead": the dead are taken out of their tombs, and they are being embalmed in new clothes, and everybody drinks, and dances around the tombs before putting them back into their graves. The ancestors are very important in Madagascar (e.g., in the living room of most homes, there is a corner for the ancestors where if we for instance have a drink, we must give some drops of the drink to the ancestors) ... This was really a really unique experience: we were really plunged in the day to day life of these villagers.

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Tunisia

(2002, Cornelia & Fabrice)

This was just a small two weeks relaxing holiday with Cornelia, friend Luuc, and Fabrice. Bought a cheap package, flight & hotel. After two hours in the hotel, we decided that we must absolutely leave this place: average age was seventy-five, all speaking German (even the Tunisian waiters and receptionists or cooks talking German with an interesting accent).... So we hired a car, and visited the country during two weeks. Went to Sousse, Kairouan, Sbeitla, Tamerza, Chebika, Tozeur, Douz. In the South, in small villages it could be felt in the air that women were supposed to stay at home. No bars for Cornelia!   Special experiences were:

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Morocco

(2002, Cornelia)

In January 2002 I was punished and sent to work with two colleagues in Morocco for three weeks for a site investigation on a refinery near Casablanca. Poor Cornelia. Many days we spend in the evil smelling fumes of the refinery, many nights we spend in "Casa", which is a very Western city with wild bars and girls dancing accordingly on them.

One Sunday I enjoyed a trip with one colleague to Fez. Of course, we wanted to see the Medina, without a guide. It takes quite some persistence to escape the ever so helpful Moroccans, but finally we won. The medina was fabulous. As we progressed into its hearth without anything worth to be called a map, we were a bit afraid of not ever being able to find our way out again. The core of the medina has preserved much of its atmosphere and I felt as if in a film scene, or in ancient times. The tanners still tan the famous Maroc-leather barefoot in earthen tubs. It smelled worse than the refinery. We were not allowed in the glamorously decorated mosques, but we did visit a little medieval pharmacy which sold porgy-pine pens (only for white magic) and a musk that made up for the worst of all tanner smells.

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Nigeria

(1999, Fabrice)

I spent two months there, on Bonny Island, for my work. I was the site manager for the soil investigation of the new expansion of one of the biggest refinery in the world. I had my own office, and had about sixty Nigerian workers (mechanics, drillers, welders, tech lab...). Was a very rich experience, having to deal with a different culture, in a quite difficult environment, sometimes even a bit risky (the army had to protect our camp against rebels.... who took hostages.. and my drawer under my desk was full of money - see photo... I could go on for hours telling about these adventures...). Anyway.. during the week end, we were sometimes able to visit a bit the villages next door,...

THE KILLING HIPPO

Next to the camp lived a hippo. At first I thought it was cool.... a wild beast that I had not seen before! But when I heard that I'd better be careful because it is a killing hippo... Hippo's are in Africa one of the animals that kill the most people. During my two months stay, two villagers were killed, and one worker (luckily, not one of mine)... I did not see the hippo.

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Egypt

(1981, 1998 & 1999, Fabrice)

Went for the first time in Egypt with my parents when I was very young (eleven as I recall correctly).. do not remember a lot.

Later, for work this time, went four times in Egypt for what we call "rig moves". It was on the red Sea, in the Gulf of Suez. After the job, I usually took a few days off to visit Cairo and surroundings. Huge!!! Impressive. I'd really like to go back there and this time take more time and visit the valley of the Kings and Luxor....

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Ivory Coast

(1997, Fabrice)

Went there twice two weeks for the job in 1997. The first time, I did not see a lot from the country itself, we were immediately sent to the oilrig where we made our job. But the second time was much more interesting. I spent one week in Abidjan arranging all kind of stuff, and met lots of interesting persons. We were staying on a boat in the harbour... After the job, I was even invited in the best restaurant of Abidjan by the boss of the Ivorian Oil Company, with lots of very important personalities around the table (a minister of I do not know what was even there).... and I had to give a speech to all these freaky old guys with my twenty-seven years old.

FRANK ESCAPED FROM JAIL

Frank, a colleague mechanic did not show up that morning. Quite annoying because we were ready to sail out, and everyone was waiting him.... He finally arrived, completely exhausted, and ran to his room. Because I was responsible for my crew, I went to speak to him and asked what happened... he spent the night in jail, because some obscure reason, and because they did not want to release him, he fought, and he escaped.... good, but then, he fainted.. I had to bring him to the hospital where he stayed for two days...

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   Congo (Brazzaville) & Angola

(1998, Fabrice)

UNDER CONSTRUCTION

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