Rubber Stamp: My "Run-in" at the Airport Part 2

Thanks for coming back…here is the 2nd half of the story. If you missed part 1, you can read it here.

When I left off in Part 1, I had “run-in” to the airport in Gabon and then I was being hassled by some punks in the parking lot.

I was nervous and I was concentrating on avoiding further hassle.  There is no one around and now I’m going to have to stop and deal with the toll gate.

Part 2

I stepped on the gas as I made a quick left hand turn towards the gate…the next thing I know, I am not in control.  It is like a slow motion dream.  I can hear the rev of the engine and the squeal of tires.  There is a metal scrunching sound and I must have hit the brakes.  When I come out of the dream, the front of the car is now up on top of those metal poles that stick out of the ground, several feet in the air.  Pointing into the night sky.  I thought I was screwed before, now I am totally f*@k’d.

Rubber Stamp: My "Run-in" at the Airport in Gabon

I was leaving Africa with a lot of luggage.  Similar to other 3rd world countries, the Airport in Libreville, Gabon, on the west coast of Africa, leaves a lot to be desired.  I lived close to the airport, so I figured I’d literally “run-in” early, when there weren’t any flights, check all of the luggage and then come back to the house for a quick shower and dinner before my long journey.  Nice plan.

Checking baggage, with no one else at the airport, took 2 ½ hours.  At the first security checkpoint they couldn’t understand why I was checking in so early.  They didn’t want to let me in to ticketing.  A little negotiating, a change of guards and viola I’m in.  Next was the ticket agent who was very confused trying to figure out what to charge for the extra luggage.  Then I had to go outside to an Air France office and pay the charge.  Of course they couldn’t figure out how to enter it into the computer system.  This took several conferences and a phone call.  Lastly, I had to go back through the first security check point with my receipt for the paid luggage to pick up my ticket.  They remembered me and just let me pass. Whew.

The airport in Libreville is one of the few places in Gabon where you get hassled by local punks.  I understand, its about opportunity…lots of people, luggage, some tourists…the airport is a great place to pick up “tips”.  Usually when leaving the airport, you walk straight ahead through the crowd, ignore the attempts, maybe give a stern “no” and avoid any hassle.  It works.

When the airport is empty however, it’s a very different situation.  Now there is no crowd to hide in, only me, and unfortunately, since I had to stop by the curb to pay for my parking stub, I obviously have cash in my pocket. Given that the internet is often down, and then my credit cards don’t work, I have a lot of cash in my pocket.  Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

As expected, here they come.  One guy is telling me that I have to come with him to see the security chief, “don’t worry” he says, “no problems, I can get you through.”  It is evening and it’s already dark.  I am ignoring them and walking briskly across the street to the small parking lot.  As I look over my shoulder, I see more of them coming.  I quickly get in the car and lock the doors.

Obviously I’m a little stressed, and although the doors are locked, I still don’t feel safe.  No one is in the parking lot other than my "friends" who are now gathering around the car.  I just want to zip out of the parking lot and get home.  The lot is small and surrounded by a fence.  There is one way out.  In order to leave, you need to make a sharp left at the exit and go through a toll gate.  At the toll, you insert your paid parking stub to open the gate.  There is no manned booth.  To prevent people from leaving without paying, the exit lane is lined with short, fat metal poles sticking out of the ground.

I was nervous and I was concentrating on avoiding further hassle. There is no one around and now I’m going to have to stop and deal with the toll gate...

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This is the end of Part 1 of my story.  Please join me tomorrow to find out what happened and how I finally made my flight home.  Thanks.

Equatorial Africa, France and Oil

Gabon is the third largest provider of oil in Sub-Saharan Africa.  Libreville, the capital, was once the capital of the French Congo, which covered the entire mid section of the African continent 100 years ago.  Although now independent, Gabon still has a long-standing relationship with France.

Due to the oil, and every other natural resource that the country has been eating through (timber, gas, manganese, iron, gold, etc.), Gabon is considered one of the wealthiest countries on the continent.  The former President, Omar Bongo, who ruled the country for 42 years, was considered one of the wealthiest men in the world before his death in 2009.  Outside of 33+ luxury properties in France, and another $100+ million in banks in the US, his wealth has never really been accounted for.  He was a genius at lining pockets, and not just his own.  More than fifty political ministries were assigned to family and friends, as well as political opponents and rival ethnic tribes; obviously all became allies.  French oil and timber companies held preferential status to development claims, in return for political and military protection from France, as well as an outlay of cash.  This connection with French political power, essentially locked in his presidency for the long term.  A purported quote from the former President reads as follows: ”Gabon without France is like a car without a driver, France without Gabon is like a car without fuel.”

Travel Safely

If you plan on traveling abroad, and you expect to take the road less traveled, then you should consider some of the following tips on traveling safely.

A group of Lonely Planet bloggers are sharing their insights on traveling safely from different points around the globe and this is my inclusion.

Instead of writing about the dangers of malaria or a run-in the local Gendarme in Gabon, the following are just some basic tips from me as a New Yorker…

World Travel with Lonely Planet

A few months ago my blog was selected by Lonely Planet’s Blogsherpa program.  It’s a hand picked list of travel bloggers whose posts are linked to world travel content on Lonely Planet’s site.  If you go to LP’s info on Gabon, post’s from my blog are syndicated into their content.  Pretty cool, maybe I’ll get a book dealJ

I have been working with many of my new World Traveler friends and linking our sites with each other.  We have also aggregated our links to a single to a page on Squidoo.  If you are interested in traveling the world, or just wondering what life is like traveling in different parts of the world, please check out this World Travel link.

There are roughly 50 bloggers in the program from all around the world with some really interesting articles (including mine).

A Brief Pictorial, What a Difference 15 Minutes Makes

I wanted to show you how the country changes during a 15 minute drive from the middle of Libreville up north along L101.  The change is dramatic recognizing that while Gabon is the #2 or #3 richest country on the continent, very little gets spent beyond the capital.  Some visiting military officers from Senegal and Cameroon pointed this out to me a few weeks ago.  They were enlisted in a military exchange program here and were remarking that while their countries are poor, at least they have roads.

A Local Military Picnic

The English Lab, run by the Gabonese military and supported by the US military had their annual picnic on Sunday.  It was a lot of fun.  A few of us were on site to help manage English word games, i.e. hangman, tongue twisters, sentence building, etc.

It feels good to do what you can to help out and be supportive.  Those who I have met before refer to me as “New York”.  The event was mixed, with varying degrees of ability and understanding, so some students are very English literate while others have great difficulty.

A Few Pictures from Libreville

It was a beautiful day on Friday, even though we didn’t have internet; sunny, low”er” humidity, a high sky and a light breeze.  It’s amazing what a different mindset you get when it’s not stifling…you can easily forget about the negatives (like corruption, the pathetic lack of infrastructure for an oil rich country, limited work ethic, traffic, pollution, military stops, unreasonable cost of living, etc.) and focus on just how lucky I am to be here and experience all the positives…the ocean, the smiles, the sun and the sky.

Finally, American TV

Woo hoo, we're finally hooked up to the American Armed Forces Network in our home.  AFN is broadcast via satellite to military bases, embassies and navy ships around the world.  Obviously, everything is in English and much of the programming is broadcast within 24 hours of original broadcast in the US. 

The advertising guy in me notices an unheard of mixture of cross-network programming, i.e. the Saturday morning Today Show (NBC) is broadcast on a Sunday and is immediately followed by the show Sunday Morning, which is CBS.  In addition, the programming does not appear to be as "managed" as it probably once was...apparently the news channel only used to broadcast FOX News, now the channel regularly switches between FOX, CNN and MSNBC throughout the day.

The African Diet

After trekking around for a while, you can't help but notice something remarkably different here versus back home.  I’m not talking about lack of infrastructure, no internet connection, or impenetrable jungle and forest elephants, but…Why are there no Fat Gabonese people?

It's the 3rd World, Figure it Out For Yourself

Living in Africa has taught me a new motto…just go figure it out.

The camera broke this weekend. I know it was still taking pictures, but you couldn’t see anything because the LCD screen wasn’t showing any images.  After being pissed, frustrated and upset for a day, I finally got off my ass and went to the internet (fortunately it was working).  I found a sight with recommendations from a “camera guy” who listed potential solutions to my problem.  A pair of eyeglass screwdrivers, a cloth to catch the tiny screws and a tweezer from the bathroom helped me take the LCD screen apart and reconnect the circuit board.  I don’t even know how to use the flash, but viola, a little trial and error and the camera is working again; which you can see from the pic above of Sabliere after the storm today.

Nightime in Gabon

Did I mention that it’s hot here.  The heat index was 105 today.  I had a meeting in town with the WWF and I thought I would melt in the taxi (no, they don’t use AC).  Plus, my driver was moving slowly because I guess he thought that would save gas.  I noticed he was on empty and I’d be surprised if he made it to the gas station after he dropped me off, poor bastard.  It’s probably much hotter when you have to push your car.

I’m not complaining mind you, I like the warm weather.  It’s just that our satellite TV shut off 2 of the 3 English movie channels that we have.  Everything else is in French or Arabic.  FOX was the best and now it plays pop music videos 24/7.  With no TV, I am sitting outside on the patio at 11:15PM writing this short blog because I am bored, it’s pitch black, it's 92 degrees and I am sweating...

The Seasons are Not What They Seem in Gabon

If you ever plan on traveling to Africa, especially Equatorial Africa, be sure to get the inside scoop on the weather from someone at your destination.

Gabon has 2 short Dry seasons; June – August and December/January.  The remainder of the year is considered Rainy season.  Gabon gets more than 100 inches of rain per year (Seattle only gets 36).  If you are like me, you may have thought, I have to remember to take advantage and get as much traveling done and pictures taken during the dry season.  Not the case.  Dry season is the worst time to come.  Sure, it’s a little cooler, but that’s because it’s cloudy, overcast and grey every day.  The rainy season on the other hand, is the best time to come, with bright blue skies and sunny days.  Yes, there is the occasional grey day, but it mostly rains at night.  I think I notice the rain more in NYC than I do in Libreville.  That’s not to say that I don’t see the rain; when it rains here, it pours.  Rivers accumulate in the street and flights don’t land.  What I mean is, the rainy days that affect your mood are more prevalent in NYC.

A Lazy Sunday on the Beach in Gabon

Went to the beach on Sunday with the Lieutenant Colonel - I put that in for effect, so you don’t forget the community that I live with - did it work?

We just went close by in Sabliere, the neighborhood where we live.  It’s been hot here, it’s always hot here, but it’s been hotter than usual.  The heat index has 104 Fahrenheit everyday, but it’s cooler on the beach because of the constant breeze off the ocean.

Walls surround the compound where we live, like all properties in Sabliere, so you don’t get the effect of the wind to cool you down when you’re outside.

Malaria

I am not a doctor and this is just my opinion.  I do not take malaria pills.  I obtained a prescription and brought malarone with me, supposedly the best medication available on the market, but it made me feel dull-headed and generally not good.   It is also ridiculously expensive.  No one that I know takes US prescribed malaria medication here.  Several friends have had malaria.  You know when you have it because you are extremely tired, mostly nauseous, and switch between fever and chills for several days. It is equivalent to a bad case of the flu.

Here in central Africa, they sell Coartem at the pharmacy which does a great deal to alleve the symptoms.  It is made by Novartis and although it may be a prescription medication elsewhere, it is purchased over the counter here.

Some of my friends from the environmental NGO's have had it several times after being in the bush.  Everyone says it is no big deal and they would rather deal with it if/when they get it, rather than take the US prescriptions, which may be preventative, but do not provide absolute protection.  If you get malaria while taking malarone, the recommended response is to take a higher dosage after you get it.  That's so "American".

More Ridiculous Corruption

In many African countries, ‘power’ is divided into multiple ministries (economic minister, minister of forestry, minister for transport, interior, national defense, foreign affairs, etc.).  It sounds like this is set up to prohibit corruption…it isn’t. 

First of all, in most countries, ministers are assigned, not voted into office.  Secondly, there are so many ministers assigned it is hard to keep track of them.  Gabon used to have 50 ministers, although the new President, Ali, has apparently made a lot of cuts in an attempt to weed out corruption…or is it just a closer distribution of funds to friends and family, we’ll see.

Local Religious Ceremony in Gabon

Went to watch a local Bwiti ceremony a while ago.  Bwiti is a local religion that has been followed for hundreds of years by several different tribes throughout this region of Equatorial Africa.  It is practiced by the Fang, which is the largest ethnic group here in Gabon.  It is a very colorful ceremony with lots of fire, dancing and drums.  During ceremonies, it is usual for participants to chew the root bark of the iboga, which acts as an hallucinogenic.

Living on the U.S. Embassy Compound

I get asked by friends online, what’s it like?  Well here you go…

It is somewhat isolated for security reasons, but it’s actually quite nice.  Libreville, Gabon is a small post and luckily, all of the State department and Military personnel stationed here are warm and pleasant. I can see how you could get stuck at a post with some horrible people, which can happen at any job, but that would completely suck at such a small post. 

It is very much a community here.  We celebrate birthdays and holidays together, invite people over for dinner & drinks, share weekends on the beach together or tour the countryside, take each others money in poker games.

Quick Weekend Safari

Went into the jungle again this weekend for a short elephant safari.  Despite its many challenges, Gabon is primed for eco/adventure-tourism.  The country is just so green and wild.  It is one of the most bio-diverse countries in the world.

You drive into Libreville to one of the “ports”…more like a dirty, muddy lot surrounding a single cement slope into the water.  There is no dock, all of the boats sit on rollers and they are dragged into and out of the water with a rope tied to a truck and a lot of guys yelling in French “non celui-ci, celui la, on fonction…sortez de la voie! (not this one, that one, get out of the way”).

you are not connected to the internet

Can you appreciate how difficult it can be to get along without a regular internet connection.

Our connection has always been slow (10kb/sec).   That’s fine, it’s the 3^rd world, you get used to it…you just don’t communicate with the friends who insists on sending you youtube videos or facebook clips of themselves, since it can take an hour to download (if the connection maintains for the full hour).  But when service is as inadvertent as it has been for the past two weeks, it can drive you crazy.  It’s connected for 2-3 minutes every 20-60 minutes or so.

Imagine every time you log onto your bank, the connection shuts down during the time it takes to go from logging in with your password to see what’s available in checking.

I need to make a plane reservation home.  I can call using vonage, but by the time someone gets the full spelling of my name, the internet goes down again…ugh.

At least I can post on this blog by writing in word and then just cut and paste into….