2011 February 18 Entered Ivory Coast left Ghana West Africa

Yesterday, I traveled from Takoradi, Ghana to Elubo, Ghana to get my exit stamp. The local Elubo taxi drivers and their commissioned bag carriers swarmed me; they all wanted to take me either across the border, or all the way to Abidjan. I needed to pull my bag away from them and get strict, I finally chose Sylvester for 1000 CFA help me get the Ghana and Ivory Coast stamps and then drop me in Noe.

I was worried, by strange quirk, I took photos of a friend who was a Police Officer, he was very demanding and wanted to know where I was at, as if he was coming to get me. I removed the photos, but there is some strange code in Ghana that believes they can control other people, it is a "Chief Mentality." Maybe a master and slave way of commanding other to obey, I obeyed because no picture of Ghana is worth fighting over, nothing that exciting and photos would be close to impossible to sell.

Putting up a Road Blocks to Collect Money System
The normal system of extracting money from people is to set up a roadblock, a border crossing is the extreme form of a tollgate. It is very common for Border Guards to try to get an extra 5 or 10 dollars for unknown reasons from people crossing a border. They use some reason, maybe you are on the last day of your visa, maybe you purchased some clothing that appears to be imported into their country. I have had problems with my computer and cameras; they want to say you need a license or permits. I did not have a Yellow Fever card with me one time as I entered Niger, no problem, they just asked for 20 US Dollars. Any small reason is translated into cash for the military or police forces, and they carry guns, and can deny me exit of country.

A normal tollgate on the road can be bypassed, it is very difficult to cross borders and without becoming an illegal alien, a person must get an exit and entry stamp. Well, in this case, I knew it was possible for the Police Officer to call ahead and tell the border workers, stop this white man and extract money. In the worst case if the man happened to be very connected, they could put me in jail and get as much money as I was willing to cough up.
"I will make you and offer you cannot refuse."

Extraction of money depends on how much money the person has, and how urgent the need. If I exited on the last day of my Visa, the border guards know I must leave, I have no choice. I do not leave on the last day of a visa in dodgy countries, which is about 50 percent of them.

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Cote d’Ivoire, West Africa --- Saturday, February 19, 2011
by Andy Graham of HoboTraveler.com | Read Gadget Profile
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| Cote d’Ivoire Hotels / Ivory Coast- West Africa
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I made it through the Ghana tollgate, a.k.a. border crossing, I smiled a lot and then my driver took me to the Ivory Coast crossing, where they wanted to know the exact city I was going too, as if to track my travels inside the country.

Maybe you could call this a "Vested Interest Transport System" to cross borders. When I was in Takoradi, Ghana I tried to ride in this van, it was going direct from Takoradi to Abidjan and for 5000 CFA the driver would help with border crossing, 15,000 for the Van, and 5000 CFA for the border crossing assistance.

If you are up to no good, maybe a smuggler, or bad papers, or you want to bring some contraband into a country, this is the way that it is done. Intermediaries collect large fees for trips and magically the border guards let you pass. I wanted to go with this van because the driver agreed to become a stakeholder, I told him, I will give you the 5000 CFA when I am across the border. This is not a direct bribe; it is an indirect way to sweeten the pot, finding someone who knows someone who has a special deal.

He needed three more riders, and finally the direct van next to me loader for Elubo and I changed loyalties and went with the faster transport situation. It could take five hours more to find someone that would pay 10 times the going rate for the direct trip. I was more interesting in speed than sweetening the pot, I also knew I could hire an arranging driver in Elubo if needed, and there is always someone around who will make life easy for money.

I think I would be a great escort for high powered executives who need to come to a truly off the wall country, I could relieve tons of stress by explaining clearly what is happening. It is stressful to just accept what is happening without ever understanding.

Snails Purchased by Private Taxi Driver

Private Driver from Noe to Bassam
I arranged a private driver to take me from Noe to Grand Bassam about 80 miles, and strangely, we had his cousin or someone in the back seal that was going to Abidjan. It cost 6000 for one seat in the shared car or I could buy them all, for many reasons I purchased them all for 20,000 CFA, which is about 40 US Dollars.

Crabs

The driver stopped for many reason, any reason, to many reasons, first for Snails, next for Crabs, and we almost stopped so he could buy one of the huge rats they eat in Ghana and Ivory Coast. I was happy to not have a dead rat sitting on the floor behind the driver.

New Road Block World Record
The most stops to be checked by immigration police was maybe between Colombia and Venezuela, that record was eight. Yesterday we went 10 between Noe and Aboisso, about 50 miles, then got another five between Aboisso and Grand Bassam.

15 times, they stopped the car, opened the trunk, look in my bag, and asked for papers, sometime my passport, or sometimes the drivers, or both. The extra passenger got out one time and walked through one stop point or barrage and we picked him up later, a proof positive he was up to something, and not just the cousin in the back.

Note: I did NOT pay any bribes to Ghana or Ivory Coast, I have only paid one bribe and it was in Mexico. (Mexico is one of the most corrupt country on Earth and Americans love it.) I have given unknown fees or unexpected five dollars; I did this to enter the Dominican Republic from Haiti, and extra five for the DR.

There are some truly off the path fees that governments can come up with, it is not possible to know all the possible reasons to pay a government and who cares, as long it is small. Nevertheless, to offer a bribe only enables the bribe system to work. On the other hand, bribes can help a person have all the freedom possible on the planet, all you could ever want to buy is for sale. A person can truly buy their way through borders, but I do not recommend you ever offer money, wait for them to ask and always call it a gift, or help for their family.

Travelers love to tell stories on how to bribe, some are very creative, and the normal person would rather bribe than do things correctly. It is like paying taxes, people cheat on their taxes because it is easier than paying, and people consider a bribe ok if they can afford it and it makes life easier.

I Left Poor Ghana and Entered Rich Ivory Coast
I look at the world as a farmer, when a farmer see good tillable soil, he or she looks at it with a lust for land. Ghana does a good job, 10 times better than Togo at farming, which does about nothing, but Ivory Coast is the farming champions of West Africa.

There was a sudden lushness as we entered Ivory Coast, everything was green. Plantations popped up for Rubber, Palm Oil, Pineapple, and a few very large fields of onions. There were now factory size processing plants for these plantations. I left the small boys and entered the big boy world, Ivory Coast feels rich.

No Visa Pushing Please
I am happy to return to Cote d’Ivoire, the proper name, not Ivory Coast as the English world demands to use, but is clear to people from a writing point of view.

I have until September to leave this country, I got a one year Visa in the USA, I requested three months and they gave me a year. Now, I can make good decisions without feeling like a Visa boss is looking over my shoulder.

Bah Bah I am Back with Bah the Ivory Coast Girl
Bah came to see me, she was happy I returned, she is in a safe place. When she entered Ghana, she was in culture shock, relationship shock, and language shock. When people are experiencing these types of shocks, they often become demanding as they try to control an uncontrollable world. If they are in extreme fear, they become passive, and very controllable, well, Bah was never passive.

The saga continues…

I am thinking, maybe I invest two months and finish my book, I need to push onto the finish line and get a completion high. I love the rush of finishing what I started months ago, we are going this presently with the photos project and "My Hobo" the social network on HoboTraveler.com.

Video of Pineapple Plantation as I entered Cote d’Ivoire or Ivory Coast

Video of 10 US Dollar Hotel in Accra Ghana West Africa

2011 February 18 Entered Ivory Coast left Ghana West Africa

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Peter from has written 8 comments

Hi Andy! Even youre a top experienced traveller, be careful with bah. What i am talking about? Hobo-experience has probably nothing to do with West-African-young-girls experience. Nearly all of them are very, very tricky scammers. I had already some of these experience, but never fell really deep into one of these traps. They are world champions in wrapping a man around their finger.
Whats the strategy? They find a white man. This means, youre basically a living wallet.
I think, you already paid all in Ghana: room, food, drinks. Thats still normal, thats what we would do with a western girl. But then, you start to bite the hook and then...youre in the trap.
You feel lonely uproad, you´ve a very beautiful young girl, she invites you at home, shows you around in the neighbourhood. You will invite some of her girlfriends for dinner (but never men).
West african girls are very clever. They live, as you already mentioned, in a harsh, brutal macho environment. I knew young girls, they got a child from an african guy: most of these west african guys give a shit for the girl or their child. They just leave the mother alone. Thats why you can meet so much young girls with 1 or 2 children, but no husband. They know how to survive. I dont want to take you down, believe me. Just be careful and analyze these situation with sharp eyes and brain.
Two stories:
1. the "cellphone scam". I was together somewhre in West Africa with a young, beautiful perfect girl. No sex, just hanging around while I was bored in the city. Once, we left with one of her girlfrined to my hotel. Initialyy, they wnated to go away to a party or something else. Suddenly in the taxi in front of my hotel, they decided to come with me, just to accompany me to the reception. Out of the taxi, my girlfriend started to yell and cry. What happened? She told me, she lost her cellphone in the taxi that just left. She bagged me, to give her the money for a new one, her parents would kill her for the lost. What really happened? I left the taxi first, then the two girls. My so called girlfriend gave her cellphone to her girlfriend, she hided it. Then, she wanted to suck the money out of my pocket. I didnt give, I was amused by this cheap scam.
2. "the " I am pregnant scam": First step: the girl wants to make you trust. Thats why, they demand a "HIV-test". That has nothing to do with her fear, that you´ve AIDS. She wants you to trust her, that he hasnt AIDS. Now, you are shure, that she is sain. After that, when youve have sex and youre in a weak situation, she will aks you to sleep with her without condom. So now, youre in the trap. After a certain time (when from the medical point of view, a pregnancy test mekes sense), she will tell you, that she has a child of you.
This will be, when you already left somewhere else. I am sure, even after leaving, you will stay in contact with her. Then, in a very, very subtle way, she will demand money for the child. She will never demand directly. No, they have very subtle tactics.
Ok, Andy, these are my experiences, just wanted to share it with you.
Be careful in Cote d´Ivoire. West Africa is the origin of voodoo, these tricky religion is deep in the society, its part of it and some of west african behaviour goes back to voodoo.
Wish you the best, i love your blog, follow on and good luck.
Peter

Gadget from has written 916 comments

Peter, that was great, you explained with detail, many readers comment without enough detail to trust it was firsthand experiences.

She has had problems now with two cell phones, I am not sure, the one stopped working while I was with her, the other one she lost.

I am going to post a good voodoo type story soon about Bah, the the last day I have been teasing her she is doing voodoo.

Traveled 86 Countries | Visited 45 Cities | 19 Photos

Peter from has written 8 comments

Maybe shes the one out of the masses. Who knows? I wish you a very nice and perfect time with her.
I tell you another last story about how voodoo works. Was in Ghana.
I knew a west african guy who worked for a long time uproad in Europe.
After this time, he went back to his mothercountry. He fell in love with a local girl and wanted to marry her. Socialized in Europe, he never believed in voodoo but couldnt avoid it once back home. Why? His mother didnt agree with her son to marry the girl he loved. She wanted him to marry another one, the one SHE choosed. Why? The mother of the girl she choosed owned a small grocery. The mother of my friend had for the area and the local income level a huge debt in the grocery. Her idea was her son should marry the girl SHE choosed, and all the debt would be cancelled.
He didnt agree. So his mother hired a voodoo-socerer to put a so-called spell on his girl.
Even he didnt believe in voodoo, he started to be under enormous social pressure, because all his local surrounding believed in voodoo. They started to avoid him and moreover, to agress him. The solution for him was to hire an own voodoo-sorcerer to put something like a "counter-spell". That was the only way to overcome his mother.
As I said, he dindt believe but couldnt avoid. Finally, he could marry the girl he loved.
Voodoo isnt something to fear from a spiritual point of view, its simply a very old, tricky and sometimes dangerous system of social rules. And finally I believe that its something that doesnt go in a western socialized brain, its out of our horizon and logic-analytic-based radar. I experienced some other more or less harmless stories about voodoo. I know the symptons and can detect them but finally I dont understand, what it really is in its nature.
Peter

Ah yes Peter, the Cell phone routine. Those West African Ladies are crafty to say the least.

Next up is, "my sister/brother/mother/neice has Typhoid/Malaria/etc." and will die if you don't buy medicine, of course "she" will take the money to them.

Then there will be a death in the family, and she will need money to buy clothes/offerings for the funeral.

Then there's the weekly "food money".

Then there's the "rent money".

Then there's the "generator money" because the other one is "spoiled".

Then there's the "new TV" money because someone stole the existing one.

Then there's the "mattress", cause mine is spoiled.

By this time she has had at least 4 or 5 cell phones lost or stolen.

Then there's the "cooking pots".

Then there's the "Taxi money".

Then there's the ... "I'm pregnant".

- Got to love it, these beautiful West African Ladies have a strong survival instinct indeed. If you start giving in to their demands, they will see you as being weak, and to be exploited to the max!!! Then when you're not around, she will share her success with here "sisters", including the money, and they will sit around and compare notes, cook a big meal, and have a good laugh ... at you.

Thanks Andy, be careful.

P.S. Watched an excellent movie last week.

"Corbra Verde"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4glquMRJLF8

Gadget from has written 916 comments

I started moving some of the Scam information to this link, while don't you to men help keep the boys and me out of trouble by writing even more details.

Note, I think she has brought up everything on your two list in one way or the other. She has not wanted money for anything, but she wants to rent a room. The situation is this, it looks like I can rent a room for a year for the same price I pay in a Hotel for a couple of months.

Fun stuff, and you do have to love the women of the world, they are always trying to talk us out of money. Not to say men in Africa are not doing it to the women, normally rather fat women.

http://www.hobotraveler.com/scams/index.php

http://www.hobotraveler.com/love/index.php

Traveled 86 Countries | Visited 45 Cities | 19 Photos

Van RV Motorhome Buy Gear used by Andy on RoadTrip of USA

Distance From Cote Divoire, Grand Bassam to:
Miles
Kilometers

Accra Ghana
224
360

Bangkok, Thailand
7,072
11,381

Cairo Egypt
2,840
4,570

Chicago
5,685
9,149

Frankfurt Germany
3,186
5,127

Istanbul, Turkey
3,188
5,130

Johannesburg South Africa
2,922
4,703

Kathmandu, Nepal
5,984
9,630

London
3,212
5,169

Los Angeles
7,409
11,924

Manila, Philippines
8,795
14,153

Mumbai, India
5,207
8,380

New York
4,974
8,004

Orland, Indiana
5,558
8,944

Paris France
2,854
4,592

San Francisco
7,421
11,943

Singapore
7,400
11,908

Tel Aviv Israel
3,090
4,972

Tokyo, Japan
8,745
14,073

2011 February 18 Entered Ivory Coast left Ghana West Africa

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