Archive > The Amazing Race 12 Archive
EP3: 'Please, Lord, Give Me Milk !'
gingerman28:
--- Quote from: apskip on November 13, 2007, 02:28:34 PM ---Concern has been expressed by Peach to me by PM about the rainy season in Burkina Faso and whether road trips from Ouagadougou to somewhere in the southeast and on to Niamey Niger would be feasible. I have found data on the rainy season(June to September, which is certainly when the Amazing Race is there) for the south of Burkina Faso. Total annual rainfall concentrated in those 4 months is 40 inches (about what we get in the new York metropolitan area in a year. The average per day is 0.33 inches. As long as they don't get 5 inches all at once, it may not be a problem. If it were, then an option is for World Race Productions to have teams return back to Ouagadougou and take charter flights the 300 miles from there to Niamey.
--- End quote ---
Things look pretty damn hot and dry when we see them chasing camels. Who would want to spend any length of time in Ouagadougou?
georgiapeach:
I agree G-Man that it does look dry. But this was less thn 2 weeks before the worst flood in BF history which left 96,000 homeless. All of the blogs I have read have talked about how the roads become impassable during the rainy season, so my point was --would TPTB schedule a drive during the rainy season when they could not be sure teams would not get "bogged down"? It also appears to be unsafe to drive at night so am doubting a late night drive as a start. Remember only a few teams were commented on on the CDG to Ouagadougou flight? Were the others on that flight--and if not which?
Here is some other info on transport in BF: (But the good news? National drinks:
• Beer is the drink of choice and is fairly cheap.)
Main Airports
Ouagadougou (OUA) is 8km (5 miles) from the city. To /from the airport: Taxi and bus services are available to the city. Facilities: Banks, post office, shops, restaurants and car hire.
Borgo, 16km (10 miles) from Bobo Dioulasso, handles mainly domestic flights (see Getting Around).
Getting There by Rail
The only route is the international line from Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, running through to Ouagadougou. However, passenger services are currently suspended.
Getting There by Road
Routes are from Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Togo, although these are often barely adequate. Regular bus services run during the dry season, from Bobo to Bamako in Mali, and from Ouagadougou to Niamey in Niger and to Abidjan in Côte d’Ivoire. The road from Ghana is being improved. Bush taxis also serve most routes.
Note: Permission from the Ministry of Administration is required for the use of photo-, film- or video cameras.
Internal Travel:
Getting Around By Air
Borgo, 16km (10 miles) from Bobo Dioulasso, is the principal domestic airport. Air Burkina (website: www.air-burkina.com) runs flights between Bobo Dioulasso and Ouagadougou. Air taxis are available.
Getting Around by Rail
There is a limited daily service from Ouagadougou and Bobo Dioulasso. Two classes are available, but can become overcrowded.
Getting Around by Road
Traffic drives on the right. The majority of roads are unpaved. In general, roads are impassable during the rainy season (July to October). It is inadvisable to drive at night, as there are few street lights and some vehicles do not have headlights.
Bus: Buses and vans are called cars in Burkina Faso. Regular bus services are operated in the dry season to all major towns and it is necessary to book at least 48 hours in advance. These buses are also cheap and plentiful.
Taxi: Shared taxis are available in major centers; fares are negotiable.
Car hire: Available from hotels in Ouagadougou. Car hire is still a recent phenomenon in Burkina Faso, and vehicles may be in poor condition. Visitors are therefore advised to lease cars for a day or two before committing themselves to a longer contract. Chauffeur-driven cars are also available.
Documentation: A temporary license to drive is available from local authorities on presentation of a valid national driving license, but an International Driving Permit is recommended.
SOURCE
georgiapeach:
:badhorse:
From the State Department Page updated on 10/12/07:
--- Quote ---There continue to be frequent armed robberies and attacks on intercity roads throughout the country. Although these armed individuals and groups operate mostly at night, there have been daytime attacks. They have injured and/or killed individuals who refused their demands or attempted to drive through their roadblocks. Several attacks have been directed at intercity public buses. U.S. travelers should avoid all intercity travel at night. Check with the U.S. Embassy for the latest security information before setting out on your journey.
--- End quote ---
and:
--- Quote ---Public transportation is not safe. While urban road conditions are fair, rural roads are in poor condition and roadside assistance is not available. Travelers should exercise great caution when traveling by land in Burkina Faso. All but a few roads are unpaved, narrow, and full of potholes. Livestock and children often dart onto the road without warning. Road travel at night is especially dangerous and, if at all possible, should be avoided. At night, there is a high volume of truck traffic passing through the country and pedestrians, bicycles, and carts pose a major hazard on unlit, unmarked roads. Vehicles are often dangerously overloaded and poorly maintained. Drivers, including motorcyclists and bicyclists, are often careless. The police rarely enforce traffic laws and are virtually absent on non-urban roads. Emergency services are unreliable and overtaxed.
--- End quote ---
Not to say that they won't drive of course--just that I hope TPTB took all this into account. Having travelled extensively in Africa using local transport--I can vouch for the frequently not safe part! :lol:
puddin:
Maybe they ride camels :rotf:?
From our picture source --fwiw
gingerman28:
--- Quote from: georgiapeach on November 13, 2007, 05:05:38 PM --- :badhorse:
From the State Department Page updated on 10/12/07:
--- Quote ---There continue to be frequent armed robberies and attacks on intercity roads throughout the country. Although these armed individuals and groups operate mostly at night, there have been daytime attacks. They have injured and/or killed individuals who refused their demands or attempted to drive through their roadblocks. Several attacks have been directed at intercity public buses. U.S. travelers should avoid all intercity travel at night. Check with the U.S. Embassy for the latest security information before setting out on your journey.
--- End quote ---
and:
--- Quote ---Public transportation is not safe. While urban road conditions are fair, rural roads are in poor condition and roadside assistance is not available. Travelers should exercise great caution when traveling by land in Burkina Faso. All but a few roads are unpaved, narrow, and full of potholes. Livestock and children often dart onto the road without warning. Road travel at night is especially dangerous and, if at all possible, should be avoided. At night, there is a high volume of truck traffic passing through the country and pedestrians, bicycles, and carts pose a major hazard on unlit, unmarked roads. Vehicles are often dangerously overloaded and poorly maintained. Drivers, including motorcyclists and bicyclists, are often careless. The police rarely enforce traffic laws and are virtually absent on non-urban roads. Emergency services are unreliable and overtaxed.
--- End quote ---
Not to say that they won't drive of course--just that I hope TPTB took all this into account. Having travelled extensively in Africa using local transport--I can vouch for the frequently not safe part! :lol:
--- End quote ---
That is exactly why I was surprised when it was determined that TAR was going to such a glamourous location this time around. And it describes very well why we in the Foreign Service at the time considered a posting to Upper Volta as the end of the world. Heck, in my day Bagdahd and Teheran were pretty good posts.!
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