Bondoukou, Cote d'Ivoire - I

It is high time that this drive make its presence felt - the road to Bondoukou. 450 km of travel into the interiors made comfortable with some breathtaking views on the Autoroute du Nord. This particular stretch lies between Tanda and Bondoukou, and early morning sightings here are quite something, especially during the harmattan. Low lying mist covers the canopy of dense green savannes, pulled right out of the lands of Rohan of Tolkien folklore. Well, the travesty of the fellowship onward to the Misty Mountains seemed a bit gloomy for my liking, so thought a bit of Zanzan bathed in bright evening sunshine and clear blue skies would make equally interesting reading :) A spotless tarmac offers the impulse to cruise well over 100, but the endless left curving road does deter such misadventures with many blind spots. 100 to 120, and the ride is comfy. Do not miss the fruity smell of freshly grown cashews, do soak it in outside the confines of your air conditioned SUV for a minute or two :) Tanda grows the best of the nuts in this part of West Africa, and much of life here revolves around its fortunes in the months of Feb-June. Villages around are much less populated here, and you would fly by some in the blink of an eye, without any barrages on the way. A stopover in Tanda, with a hearty meal at a maquis near the office of the sous prefect makes a perfect complement to the trip. Enjoy the ride...