Ivory Coast Archives - TRAVELBUCKET

UNDER LOCKDOWN DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS NOW WHAT?

At the moment the world is holdings its breath in anticipation of the corona virus outcome. So what can you do while under lockdown? You can be lazy and lie on the couch, watch series and get lazy. My motto is to tackle only one task that I never get around to do or just always find an excuse for and get it done and dusted, but then thoughts wonder to travelling and I somehow still do not get around to completing my task. If you are hungry for a camping trip, but all the campsites are locked for safety reasons the next best thing to do is to unpack and check your camping equipment. Get the kids involved and pitch the tent, check the zips and window gauze and give it a good waterproof washdown. Put things aside that needs attention for another day when under lockdown. Remember the… Read more >

ELEPHANT 101

This post is not about travel as such, but seeing that we had several close encounters with elephants in Mana Pools, Matusadona as well as in many of the Botswana wild parks this may come in handy. Even in lately in Kruger National Park there were some incidents/accidents. Let’s start off with some interesting and lesser known facts about the trunk of an elephant: Feeling the vibe: Aside from smell, the trunk is sensitive to vibrations; from the ground it can sense the rumble of faraway herds and even far-off thunder. Mighty muscles: An elephant’s trunk has eight major muscles on either side and 150,000 muscle bundles in all. It is so strong that it can easily push down trees or roll over a vehicle. Move it: Like the human tongue, the trunk is a muscular hydrostat – a boneless muscular structure that allows for its excellent maneuverability. Phenomenal sense… Read more >

A VISIT TO COTE D’IVOIRE – IVORY COAST

So I had the fortunate chance to visit the Ivory Coast or Cote D’Ivoire a couple of times while hubby was working in West Africa and resided in the sprawling capital of Abidjan with its 2 million inhabitants. Arriving at Felix Houphouet Boigne airport you are in French country. Leaving the airport parking you are welcomed in French (Bienvenue) as you pass the white elephant sculptures spanning the airport road. Sadly this welcoming sign is no more as it was removed during 2011 with the change of government. Also look out for the bronze statues as you leave the airport grounds. You will also see the local guy, come rain or sunshine, delivering his bags full of baguettes every morning with his bicycle or an old beat up Citroen stacked to the roof with pain (French for bread). We were really spoiled as you will not have to look… Read more >