The adventure of the world

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The adventure of the world , from 1992 to 2000.

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Domenica DESCHAMPS Of The Varenne


The adventure of the world , from 1992 to 2000.
RDM http://www.reporteroftheworld.co.nr
Domenica DESCHAMPS Of The Game preserve
26 rue de la ferme
94210 La Varenne FRANCE
Thursday July 27, 2000 16:10

My conscience filled up of a truth hidden under the
images of a reality present, I had an adventure to live,
elsewhere. It would start over there, in East Africa.

Amused by the comments and concerns of people
who judge without knowing, I then listened to the
recommendations of those which had never left Europe
or France. I was persuaded that a paradise would open
with me because I had a presentiment of it thus. Nearly
one month before the awaited and dreaded departure,
because I would then be confronted with the real face of
my dreams, I met conspicuous with the paces of urban
witch. From Nancy, it predicts that I will leave far, to
exert a new trade and I would return earlier than
envisaged because of a disease or a death in my family.
This one thus predicted my departure for Africa, August
26, 1992 precisely, as well as the disappearance of my
paternal Grandmother in October. The date approached,
and a week before the take-off towards the ground on


which was born Lucie, our ancestor commune, I felt the
attraction of this fantasmé universe of a African
adventure. My nights were the theatre of exotic scenes,
high colors, nappées of fruity scents, divings in concerts
of percussions. The awaited moment appeared exciting.

With the approach of the plane the images took
form by the presence of some African on our flight. I
become aware that this adventure would take place on a
territory of which they held the secrecies and knew the
stories told by the old ones. While discovering
landscapes, savours, noises and atmospheres, I should
approach me these people visited per so many men who
did not have intentions as peaceful as mine. The first
times should be devoted to the acclimatization, because
beyond all the generally accepted ideas on Africa, the
temperature and moisture pose to you immediately under
the conditions of reality. It is with the take-off of the
apparatus that the future appeared like something of
inevitable, I had dreamed, who had prepared and from
which I sought to extract the best emotions. This
departure of night allowed us to admire Paris under the
miles fires of the illuminations. These images
étincelantes of the capital let foresee the existing
difference between this brilliant and total vision, and
reality more afflicting with the megalopolis. We were
going to fly over other cities, other countries, and
capacity to put real images on the imaginary albums of


our voyages in Italy, in Egypt, in Arabia, in Sudan, in
Erythrée or Ethiopia.

Rome, Cairo, Sanah had offered their air splendours
to me, it was the moment to discover the country and the
town of Djibouti. Red Sea, the deserts and the islands
preceded the possible escapades from the principal city.
The decorations were planted quickly at the time of the
review. The hotel of luxury with swimming pool strongly
contrasted with sheet tangles and boards which
constitute the popular districts, the can cities.

With leaving the plane I have the certainty which the
pilot had forgotten to extinguish the engines, I burned
literally. However, the ambient noise was felted, as
deafened by strong moisture condensing on my arms and
streaming on my face. With the obviousness, this heat
was for a long time an indissociable partner of the local
life. We had left one fine day August of Paris, and we
sometimes happened with impression to enter a
canicular season abruptly. The equipment which seemed
to us salutary there this evening will reveal essential
throughout the months which were announced.
Ventilators, air-conditioners, and mosquito nets were
going to mark out the way and to let us know that any
action, here, would be often a great energy expenditure,
and it would be advisable to think of it and to prepare
there. These observations carried out, reality being


imposed on us, the desire to explore the environment
made feel, although the illusions are very often erased in
front of the truth, I was sure to appreciate what I will
discover. The way of a few kilometers to join the centre
town would be the beginning of an uninterrupted
succession of astonishments, of surrealist consternation
and surprises. The taxi left straight of a film science
fiction, the driver and his vehicle had lived the
apocalypse, and the five kilometers will appear noisiest
and chaotic ever imagined. The adventure had started
well. The first minutes of the stay posted the content of
the scenes of the everyday life.

Sand is omnipresent, the sky is released and floods
our eyes of an intense light. The women who walk along
this road carry immense faggots, others of ears of empty
water bottles. Naked feet of the children, their dirty
clothing and in scraps is a slap with the purest hope to
find a paradise for all. A mosque was profiled with the
faithful ones which enters to take part in the one of the
five daily prayers, the song of the "mouzine" was going
to be impregnated in me, and remains for always the
auditive memory of this city. While crossing the single
railway which connects Djibouti to Ethiopia I believed
that the green car with the white roof which transported
us dislocated. In fact, here, sand and dust test mechanics
and repairs are carried out when the car is immobilized.
Wheels, the body and the wheel thus were always


attached, the vehicle seeming to float literally and it
were necessary to turn it of three quarters of with
dimensions to the other in order to keep the car on line.
The driver with the eyes exorbities seemed hypnotized
by the road, terrified by the yaws of its old Japanese
woman and especially under the influence of the "khat",
powerful an euphoriant soup by the majority of the
population. This plant presented in branches equipped
with sheets similar to those of corn salad forms part of
the daily newspaper and takes part in many local
ceremonies. Several kilos of this green foliage are
offered to the father of a girl who wishes to reserve the
company of this one, one year before the marriage is
celebrated. These small sheets are the object of a quasi
religious respect, and their consumption is widespread
in all the mediums.

Like many countries, Djibouti found a necessary
substance which makes it possible to the inhabitants to
join artificial paradises, loopholes human commun runs
with the being since the night of times. The city was
profiled in front of us, the avenue which carries out
airport to the quays of the Red Sea lets us discover a
college, a college, dried ground boxes and children
stirring up in the dust of the impromptu toys. The road
hitherto smoothes and released becomes the place of a
permanent rodeo between the holes of the bitumen, and
the large and small vehicles trace their way while being


sure to pass the first. Accidents, although not very many
is spectacular, because one attends a total disintegration
of cars corroded by rust and torn by preceding fixings.
The Ménélik place will be our final destination for this
day, and for good of others, because it is possible to find
all the shops, administrations and desired places of
animation. This place swarms with small salesmen of all
kinds. Moreover, a small saleswoman of ten years have
me one day saved the payment of "baksheesh", following
a small error of circulation. Postcards with the
sammoussas, a paste rolled up around meat and of
spices, bath towels to the copies of Japanese watches,
sunglasses to the very skilful diggers of pockets, the
place presents to you the extent of the possible meetings
in the city.

Unconcern perhaps a good means of remaining out
of attack of the duets accustomed to divert the attention
of the newcomer so demolishing it its first Djibouti
tickets. Another solution is vigilance and a lucid glance
on the intentions of each interlocutor. It is there one of
the universal lessons which the voyages give, it is good
to have self-confidence and to be lucid in connection
with others. The cooking sun often settles in the life of
the visitors of this country by marking their skin with
red iron. These marks are often the signs of a future
bronzing, and are with the departure heralding
interminable nights and movements slowed down by


friction clothing which lacerates you the body. It is a
wise decision to start by visiting the city the first days,
because those which will have decided to extend on the
beaches are likely to regret this search for too fast
pleasure. The day, the streets of Djibouti show the
remainders of the colonial time which modelled the
architectural face of this city. The frontages create a
particular atmosphere, they call certainly in us a
conscience of passed of share the forms and the lines of
European influence. There is a strong contrast between
the felt impressions and the reality which is exposed to
the eyes of the provisional inhabitants. The market with
spices, with the fruits, to the meats and unexpected fish
offers a coloured spectacle, very odorous, crawling of
world and invading flies. Another aspect of the
commercial sector is that of the "cases", this name
entered the daily language indicates the multitude of
built gravers the ones against the others, in which the
potential buyer will find clothing local and European,
jewels, sculptures, empaillés fish and other animals.
Innumerable opportunities to negotiate the prices arise
because the announced first is often four times superior
at a reasonable price, this one being generally higher for
the white than for a native. The patient seeks and the
contacts repeated with the merchants lead to interesting
discoveries and create an enriching relation. Several
merchants, amused by my questions in connection with
their culture took often time to speak to me about their


habits and were mediators facilitating the
comprehension of other interlocutors. At the same time
as a commercial place the "cases" also constitute a
cultural window which exposes objects of worship,
artisanal prides and preferences of the purchasers,
because the adaptation to the request is very fine. These
places offer to each one the advisability of developing
aptitudes for the negotiation, with the purchase grouped
by constituting a batch of object which will facilitate the
discussion of the price. It often happens that a purchaser
having believed in a good bargain realizes that the same
object was bought half price by another.

Beyond the money relations which do not fail to be
established quickly, there are real possibilities of sincere
exchanges and cultural discovery. This one is possible
when the principal rules of an essential direction of the
diplomacy are complied with. Confidence is fragile
because this country knew the violence and the
oppression of its culture, rancour emerges sometimes
when the history of the country is evoked, and it is be
likely to bring the conversation on the behavior of the
European occupants in the past. During certain
conversations I could express my regrets as for the cruel
acts made towards the local populations by the sure
colonists of their superiority. By the friendly and
benevolent relations maintained with Somali, Ethiopian,


Yemenis and Hindus I saw to open the doors of a world
practically inaccessible and worthy of the Eastern tales
most fabulous. Following many meetings around a cup
of "chaï", Arab tea aromatized with cinnamon and
emphatic conversations, I was invited to various usual
activities such as the marriages, visits with the families
at the city as in bush. These meetings were a source of
awakening and a considerable awakening of the range of
cultural and human behaviors in which our world
abounds. Thus, the marriage is the object of a series of
ceremonies organized at the request of families
preparing the union of two young people who know each
other or not. In the case of a mutual choice, the engaged
couple asks the father of the girl to reserve it to him, it
pays a certain amount of money and "khat offers to him"
which is tasted at the time of the discussion. During the
following year families, if they do not know each other
yet, will have the chance to do it at the time of the usual
meetings of the town life. The meeting of the father and
the engaged couple will thus decide a year later of the
marriage considered. At the time of a new meeting
around the tea and khat, one programs the festivities and
each one delighted by the various ceremonies which will
take place. The first of them is preceded by decoration
by the hands by the girl, arms of the women, and of
almost the totality of the body of the mothers by an artist
who deposits a paste of henné on the skin of those. They
are cultural or religious reasons, very Eastern. The


flower drawn on my wrist was described like an amulet
and I think that it also acted of a sign of acceptance of
the group which sincerely touched me. The come day,
the young man goes with his family and his friends to
meet his second family and his future wife.

It is at this time, if the engaged couples do not know
each other, that they are discovered. In the case of the
marriages in which I took part the future grooms knew
each other, and the ritual one were achieved by respect
of the tradition. The tea is been useful and the khat is
divided between the participants. The moment of the
division is very animated, each one wanting the sheets
freshest, and the scene takes not very ceremonious forms
then. The second ceremony takes place the effective day
of the union and proceeds a few days later, it is preceded
by a gathering by the friends and members of the family
by the engaged couple, exclusively male meeting which
aims at marking the passage of the statute of young man
to that of adult man. Chaï is been useful as well as khat,
drinks, and the assembly sings at the rate/rhythm of the
musics of circumstance. It is well on for a guest such as
me, a discovery which carries to regard these moments as
"out of time", out of all references to my own culture. At
the time of the Yemeni marriage, the afternoon previous
union itself, the assembly was invited to dance with the
engaged couple, this one showing its membership of the
Yemeni culture by demonstrations with the "djambia", a


typical curved scraping-knife of these countries. Its
decoration definite the social status of the owner. Each
one being vêtu of a tee-shirt and "fouta", a broad fabric
tube tightened around the hips, there is then a great
euphoria when one brings a paste of henné very red of
which each one tries to smear the others. At the time of
one of these festivals I had noticed a girl development by
this very coloured clothing and obviously exposed very
consciously. My glance often went on the face angelica
and the splendid clothes of this young Yemeni.

A Djibouti friend explained me thereafter that to
look with insistence would be interpreted like a choice
of my share, and the parents would not be long in
proposing to me the conditions of marriage with their
daughter. I taken care to avoid any misunderstanding and
preferred to avoid any meeting with possible parents-in-
law. This same friend says to me later than the parents
had wished to meet me. During these dances outside the
house of the family of the engaged couple, the women
danced inside, with the shelter of the male glances. The
evening of the public ceremony come especially from the
women, some one were veiled and offered the spectacle
of their beauty to us by revealing their face. One of the
marriages differently gathered nearly three hundred
women all vêtues, whose behaviours had been made
especially for this occasion. The young husbands are
accomodated by a rain of petals of flowers and songs


which recommend to the young woman to take care on
her husband, because he is not no matter who. They are
assoient on a scene where are installed two royal
armchairs and a fairy-like decoration. In front of them
will dance the women and the girls who wish it, to
express the joy of all and to give an outline of the
attractive facets of the Middle-East. One period is then
dedicated to the congratulations with married and each
one goes up on the scene to meet them. The joint cutting
of a cake punctuates then the evening and of many
delicacies and preparations are offered to the guests. The
distribution starts whereas the dances still take place,
thus mixing exotic savours with the ballets envoûtants. It
is late in the night that the grooms must discover their
new house, that they do not know normally. It generally
was arranged by the family entourage and constitutes the
principal gift of marriage with often a voyage in Europe
or in the country of origin of one of the husbands. A
sheep is cut the throat of in front of the door of the
house, and the grooms pass above so that malfaisants
spirits remain with the outside. It will be eaten the next
day and during the night, the guests present will taste the
whole of what the mothers of the young grooms can
prepare. These multiple dishes are composed of the most
various ingredients and put to the test all the conceivable
nuances of tastes. The omnipresent chicken and rice are
accompanied by ox, of sheep, noodles sweetened and of
sammoussas, softer with more spiced. This great


ceremony continues the next day by the visit of the
family close as to the friends who will come to divide tea
and the sheep cut the throat of the day before. The
voyage marks the end of the ceremonies, those being
modulated by the compromises according to the ethnic
origins of the grooms.

The daily newspaper in this country is a fabric of
the most various meetings. I could, thanks to a point of
curiosity and audacity, to take part in forwardings in
bush with professionals of Africa for the drilling of well
in the villages, for the pleasure of rolling to motor bike
in the desert on a cracked ground and of going in the
mountains to know my physical limits, under testing
climatic conditions. Having met a Malian working in a
geological engineering and design department, I made
then knowledge with the director of the project, an
engineer geologist of Tarbes. The roughness of the
country brings closer the inhabitants expatriates, and
when one meets a foreign person with the country, the
friendly bonds are established quickly. This person was
in load of a project of installation of water reserve in the
desert of Large Barah, like in a plain close to the Somali
border. Though that can appear strange, one can retain
water in a desert where the temperature exceeds fifty
degrees. The periods of rains are prolix, although rare
and short. Thus, the desert, furnace where the mirages of
our own imagination are easily seen, becomes an


immense lake, not very deep and very wide which one
can collect water in cavities dug with same sand. This
water selected will be used to water the herds passing
by-there, like their shepherd. The study and the
realization of the project take place on the spot, that
makes it possible to take into account all the inherent
factors with the climate, in the political conditions and
the local personnel. The exits of recognition on the
ground are very good advisabilities to explore the
environment and to meet unexpected situations
sometimes. During one of the exits having to lead us to a
plain close to the Ethiopian border I understood that by
accompanying these borers by deserts and basaltic
schists I could know the most moved back places of the
country. At the beginning of Djibouti, very early the
morning, freshness can make you think of one morning
spring. The impression is especially due to contrast
between the forty degrees of the day with the twenty five
of the morning. Raising sun, the free road towards the
desert and the bush, all, in this morning peace seems to
disregard situation of guerrilla who reigns in the North
of the country. Our destination does not present a
danger, put besides its isolated situation, with three
hours and half of smashed tracks, practicable only with
one cross-country vehicle driven with the conscience of
the risks which the breakdowns constitute. The
robustness of the 4x4 does not exclude prudence and the
desires speed can be concluded by a serious situation


from insulation, without passage of other vehicles. It is
besides the reason for which it is recommended to
circulate with several, with fuel and water reserves. The
track according to and crossing the railway Djibouti
binder in Addis Abbeba is in good condition, the
minibuses rather often lead the villagers to the market
and the exchanges necessary to the various tribes imply a
relative maintenance of this lane.

To traverse the desert landscapes, and yet inhabited
by many animals, like the gazelles, the pigs épic, the
ostriches and other birds or reptiles makes it possible to
feel a pure feeling of access to the unknown. The first
village towards which this track led us was populated by
some sedentary shepherds leading their herd to the
neighbourhoods of the village, sometimes at several days
of walk. The built square stone and brick houses are of
aspect rustic and grouped on a hill. The pause in the
village, to drink a tea or a Coke with the grocer is still a
moment out of time. The project being studied, each one
in the village knows why we are of passage. Water is
vital and such a project is very appreciated. The
exchanged palaver we take again the track drawn by the
traces of the vehicles and deformation by the rains. Few
tens of kilometers preceding the plate which will receive
the swimming pool in the desert test us more than the
eighty precedents. With the arrival, the open landscape
lets to us discover the basaltic black mountains and the


green sides of the Ethiopian hills. They is here that the
herds come from the close villages, here the goat trees
are bulky, the wadis will provide water at the time of the
rains. The land surveys are carried out and the site of the
tank is delimited by the reference marks. The passage of
some camels and the nomads justifies this work and
shows that the place is quite selected. The middle of the
afternoon announces the approach of the return, with
these a few difficult kilometers better is worth to
envisage a safety margin one hour, more especially as the
car was inserted in soft and dusty sand. The way changes
as soon as the sun goes down, the softened plugging
light and the vegetation seem relieved by this relative
freshness. The train circulates a few days per week, and
it is at the time when we cross the village which it
arrives. Overloaded passengers and goods, we imagine
hardly the martyrdom of the voyage under an
overpowering heat, packed in the coaches, each one
comes to try its chance because the port is an important
point for the provisioning of Ethiopia.

The train starts and releases the level crossing, we
will do lot of mileage to Djibouti together. Our track
must cross three times the rails which drive the train to
the capital. The driver is caught with the play and the
vehicle leaps from one bump to another, absorbing the
track in direction of the next passage of way. The train is
visible by its single headlight and we are very right


advances some on him. It is true that to pass the rails
will allow us to avoid waiting of the passage of one
hundred coaches. The last turns arrive, we see the
passage to the top of the way and for a few meters it is
necessary to stop Net, because the emerged train and
cuts us the road. The race that we lived is for the train
only one slow and constant progression on one even
almost rectilinear. It continues to the capital, and at once
the last disappeared car we begin again tracks it with the
meeting of the new crossing. We will arrive before the
train, because this one slowed down at the time of its
arrival in the cans cities in order to prevent any accident
and to envisage long braking with the arrival with the
port. At the end of this day full with knowledge,
unforeseen episodes and of a foolish cavalcade, it is time
to go to taste a sea-bream or a steak. The arid climate of
the deserts contrasts with the quietude of the Djibouti
beaches, those, places sheltered between the two shores
of Tadjourah and the capital, tighten themselves to an
inland sea. The beaches thus see very soft waves
cherishing their burning sands and water with thirty five
degrees contains true alive treasures. The fish parrots,
coral clowns and eaters, the marine lines and tortoises
are as many fabulous animals to meet in the first ten
meters of depth. The mythical shark whale, sharks of
sands, the murenes and the barracudas are other more
impressive species.


Few accidents are listed and most daring have fun to
catch the tail of the sharks, a priori inoffensive. For
three days, we left on a sailing ship in order to celebrate
birthdays, which good idea to benefit from this splendid
sea. We put the course in direction of the interior of the
grounds, towards Goubet. We go towards a peninsula
overhung by a town of mountain, installed more exactly
at the top of a deadened volcano. A coral reef awaits us,
it contains and attracts many species, its natural
architecture mysteriously contains an arch under which
it is possible to slip while entering the coloured ballet of
its residents. At the time of the way until damping, the
coxswain launched a drag and sin a long bluish fish
whose dorsal fin traverses the whole of the body. The
catches are cleaned and we will profit from it during the
two days according to. It is the day birthday tomorrow,
and we anticipate a little the environment of the festival,
the principal activity will be to plunge to discovered of
this surprising bottom. The evening, the spectacle gives
us as much joy than the subaqueous coloured festival.
The alarm clock is extraordinary, the first survey, I
prepare some slices of bread and starts to fish while
lunching on the bridge. Another occasional sailor
presents himself and we complete to constitute our first
meal of the day. Sun already very high, illuminate the
mountains which border the sea. I wondered whether a
track made the junction between the beach and the top
of the volcano to nine hundred meters of altitude. The


day is refreshed by a very pleasant ground wind, the
illusion of freshness of the air contrasts with watery heat
so much so that we perspire sometimes while being in
water. We plunge and observe still the reef with
curiosity, an enormous Conger ravels itself under our
feet, and of tens of coloured fish surround us quickly
then ignore because we are not edible!

By paying attention to the fish eaters of coral, I can
hear under water the noise of their teeth which tear off
little by little their food. They include/understand very
well when they are followed, and they are turned over
sometimes very violently to be made respect. The very
serene atmosphere became in a few minutes completely
surprising, the behaviors of fish changed, and the wind
was calmed. They were there, near, coming towards us
and collecting our attention. A bench of gray and blue
dolphins, more exactly four splendid adults framing
eight small. Intense emotion with the sight of these
sumptuous animals, and their quasi human presence all
allured us, they passed to carried hand.

I never felt joy as intense as during these a few
minutes. The eye of one of the adults is always present
in my memory, the perfect shape of the animal and the
spark of intelligence at the bottom of its eyes are
unforgettable. It was the paroxysm of the possible
pleasure at this time, with a boat, the most beautiful


mother of the world and majestic dolphins coming to
immortaliser this moment, and the glance of the dolphin.
However none could transmit and make feel this original
emotion, this contact with the beauty of the world.

We were going to sleep a second night on this boat.
Such emotions could not leave me in peace. Throughout
the night I scanned the horizon lit by the African
luminosity. This virgin and pure environment of any
human trace... On the peak of the mountain passed a
man and his goats, the round moon splashed the boat
with its fluid reflections. A light breeze brought
draughts hot, it was there an attractive experiment of
great freedom, as deep as sensual. The return towards the
port was carried out in an agitated sea, under a covered
sky and a wind of sea inflating the waves torn by the
point of the boat. The shocks printed a strong pitching
with the boat, and with each passage of vagueness, the
prow leaped out of water to meet the next one with
crash. Hung with before I enjoyed these noises claquants
and this scum vaporized by the shock of the meeting.
Although animated the way was carried out without
encumber and the setting with quay confirmed the end of
this short and splendid escapade. We were pleased all
with this excellent idea. The following weeks were
impregnated this paradise between outline and of the
benevolent messengers who are the dolphins.


I was going soon to live new feelings in another
environment, we were going to go in the desert of large
Barah with four motor bikes and a 4x4. With a purely
exploring aim, we wanted to know the tracks bordering
this desert extent and to go up on the peaks
neighbourhood to see at the same time the gulf of
Goubet and this vast sandy surface. The track chosen,
during one moment parallel with the single trunk road of
the country, obliqued quickly towards a wadi which
showed a practicable ford. This rather technical passage
was for one of the pilots the occasion of a red mud bath
without other consequences that amused laughter. This
basaltic mountain waited us firm foot and it is with a
great concentration until it was necessary to cross
passages of black rollers and gullying printed by the
rains on the way. The skirting of the mountain allowed
us to admire the islands of the inland sea, Goubet, then
we continued towards the desert by a very soft track
because of the fine sand transported by the wind. The
great extent is very favourable with the mirages, and
devoted itself to us. After a pause to refresh we we
would go straight towards the Northern end of this
luminous space. A few minutes after being gone up in
saddle I seen with far two lengthened and animal forms
and while observing better I succeeded in distinguishing
two ostriches. That was indeed, and their unrestrained
race towards the hills astonished us by an exceptional
speed. These particular birds had heard us before seeing


us and were held ready to pack up. We did not have any
chance to approach them. The night was announced, and
it is thanks to the geographical reference marks and our
direction of the orientation that we were going to find
the course towards the asphalt road. The hardly
discernible horizon, and the horizontal extent of this
desert force the respect, more especially as they are
transformed into an immense lake after a few minutes of
pouring rain of end of the year.

Another forwarding would lead us towards little
attended villages, and we would leave in recognition in
order to mark out the circuit of a rally discovered. The
starting track was that of the entry of the desert, in
direction of the south. Bordered of mountain and
marked out strange grassy lumps of earth. This track is
most unstable for the motor bikes. We would leave the
desert to join a track of bush. The landscape changed
radically, trees bottle pushed easily on the sides of the
hills to the shelter of the dusty hot wind, the "khamsin".
The palm trees also appeared and the way became
tortuous, avoiding groups of trees, circumventing faults
in the rock and furrowing the hills. The descent of the
edge of a drained wadi caused the emotion of the three
drivers of 4x4. True wall eroded by water, the slope was
practicable although impressive. The inhabitants of the
very close village did not seem to appreciate our visit,
and it is under a stone rain that we have escaped with


their anger. Quickly outdistanced, they found their peace
and we could carry on our way. After a second
impressive descent it is an interminable rise which was
announced. The track became an accumulation of round
rocks paving this road of thousand different rollers.
With a sufficient dash, a constant speed and an intense
concentration I been able to pass this corridor which my
front armlevers remember. What could have been easier
for the cars was not it, because fearing a very probable
damage because of the ceaseless shaking of the track, the
three cars progressed slowly. At the time of a deserved
pause we took time to look at what was offered to us,
and we could admire greener extents of Somalia to far
towards the south and the end of the Red Sea towards
the horn of Africa. We were in fact on a track very little
attended, perhaps because of the reception of the
preceding village. The return towards the capital allowed
us to notice this track which we do not know, especially
because it was not visible any more because of a reduced
use.

At the time of a solitary exit, I traversed this large
desert in order to return account of its vastness from
beginning to end to me, and on the way of the return an
Ethiopian shepherd and his herd presented themselves.
Vis-a-vis with me, a splendid tornado raised fine sand
and developed its spiral until a hundred meters of the
ground. The motor bike that I led seemed enough heavy


to surmount such a breath and I clutched myself with the
handles while rolling right towards the base of this air
swirl. This breath swept the surface of the desert and I
which been able to cross in the center even of the storm,
most impressive being total darkness caused by the sand
dust. I begun again several times direction of the heart of
this attractive natural phenomenon. The shepherd had
stopped and observed my strange excitation. Then
stopping me with its with dimensions I desired
exchanging some words with him, in Arabic perhaps or
English. But none of these languages was familiar for
him, and I could not speak the amharique one. We thus
simply drank a little water together and each one smoked
its cigarette. No word, and yet we included/understood
well that connect it power of the Man is not nothing in
comparison quiet force the nature which carves
marvellous landscapes. My two years stay in Djibouti
was going to be intersected with a return in France, in
province initially for the reason described above. Then I
was going to remain in Paris where I will meet Alysson.

A few months later we left to seven, me only French
in company of six Djibouti friends. We travelled in
direction of Addis Abbeba for a few days before joining
the town of Mombassa in Kenya. This morning it is
another mission which awaits us, the geometrician
hydrologist had spoken to me about a puit located at the
borders of Somalia and Ethiopia in the west of the city.


The route promised a large variety of landscapes and the
uneven impressive ones. The village close we were going
to find a team local of drilling one of is more moved
back in the bush. The usual track led us until Large the
barrah, and this one exceeded we were going to cross the
large village of Ali Sabieh, to go to the camp of the
National army and to take another track. We directing
towards south-west in direction of the mountains we
would quickly have arrived at the point of meeting held
on the three borders. Along the track we attended a
succession of layers of colors crossing the road. The
rocks varied ferrous red with an alternate major green
with the yellow of the sandy stone. Seams of each colors
constituted true demarcations between the grounds. On
the edge of a wadi we were going to observe layers
explaining us the geological history of the country. One
can notice the omnipresence of the basaltic rocks in this
country. The presence of volcanos and the rift which
runs to Lake Victoria produced modifications of the
ground in relation to the climatic conditions. Under the
weight of the lava and by the action of their heat certain
layers are true terra cotta plates. One can easily notice
the process of cooking by observing progressive
hardness and the blackness of material thus modified.
The track was going to lead us on a peak of mountain
from where we were going to see emerging the Ethiopian
plates and the astonishing luxuriant vegetation which


benefits from a more favourable temperature thanks to
higher altitude.

It is a formidable contrast between these two edges
of borders, in a few hundred meters the vegetation of the
ground and desert climate changes in an abundant and
almost tropical flora. This escarpée peak held us too
much with overdraft, and a recent incident at the time of
a similar mission, caused by a rebel with the political
régime incited us to take the course of the drained wadi
which was profiled in the valley. This natural route of a
as furious river at the time of the rains as non-existent in
their absence put to us to the test as far as the vehicle.
The mixture of hard stones and sand dispersed by the
erosion put to us plusieures time in front of steps a
limiting height for our passage. The descent of the wadi
was possible, the increase of its impracticable course
published to us and we would have to find a route
different for the return.

The puit that we seek was at the edge of the wadi,
and the abundant rains had ruined the efforts made until
now. Two women came with their some animals of
which a she-ass and its haddock. Although sand covered
the building site, the nomads quickly released this
essential source of freshness and life. The group of
Toukouls that we see on the slope was that of the team
of drilling. The tea awaited us and the reception very


sympathetic nerve made us forget the chaotic way having
tested us as much as the mechanics of the car. The chief
of this itinerant village spoke to us about the many years
during which it had dug this sandy ground under which
alternate the crushed basalts and schists from where
water coming from deep ground water goes up. The
stories had attracted all the members of the clan, and
each one redoubled imagination at the time of historical
accounts. The shaft sinkers existed well before the
arrival of Europeans and their knowledge of the country
often ridiculed the techniques of search for tablecloths.
This incursion into the zone moved back of the country
carried me to think that modernity brought its share of
improvement, and that proportioning was well controlled
here by the wisdom and the humility of the respectful
inhabitants of their environment.

We had taken a very difficult way to come up to
now, and we were going to be guided by an inhabitant of
a nearby village towards a track in better state. Our guide
deposited with its toukoul, a made hemispherical tent of
skins and branches, we continued through an Ethiopian
refugee camp. Our arrived caused clamours and about
thirty of them followed our shining vehicle the eyes to
the hope of a so much awaited supply. As had said it the
geologist, we had interest to cross the camp without us
to stop. The surprise of our arrival being dissipated, the
glances became less friendly. The smiles and the tended


hands were transformed into grondements and blows
whose body still trembles. We were on their territory,
and the arrival of the vehicle of the United Nations
transporting food drew us from business. E provisional
camp due to the war in Ethiopia had become for them a
provisional place "of dwelling". It is at this time that in
me the taste of the Humanitaire action germinated. With
this episode a track only borrowed by the convoys of
food for the hosts of the Djibouti country succeeded.
This one crossed a wadi of sufficient flow to water this
group moved several hundreds of kilometers.

The relief of the surroundings enabled us to
understand that this water came from Ethiopia, to go
back there after having circumvented some mountains.
The horizon found the choking atmosphere which
announced to us red and yellow colourings forthcoming
hills. A colonial fort took shape at the top of the highest
mountain, its strategic position supervised since years
the movements and circulation between the two
countries. The soldiers made us share of some doubts
and accepted finally our passage. By explaining your
route to reach the small village we were the proof that
their control of the surroundings was rather effective.
After some palaver and the distribution of cigarettes they
us suggested that with our next passage we would have
to offer to them a little more. We left the places without
missing thanking them for letting to us pass and we


found soon the track towards the capital. A few days
later I decided to return to me on the islands from which
each one said than they were samples of the Polynesian
paradise. The departure of the port accompanied by
some dolphins was done this time on board a boutre.
Wood boats, typical of this area made good offices with
a coloured supplement.

The Arab decorations and inscriptions supplement
the impression of adventure given by squeakings of the
structure. Sea, somewhat agitated, had changed the
carefree atmosphere of the way into concern and
behaviors little reassuring of the passengers. The
obvious overload of the decayed building was a valid
reason so that the captain is worried. Without the
address of the coxswain the many waves which the prow
of the boat was to face could easily make it rock. The
approach of the planted shores of palm trees and
mangroves also announced the sand banks which would
attenuate the power of the waves. The swell became
more discrete and the beautiful gilded extents
accomodated us in order to relieve our concern. The
boutre made half turn and left us the such survivors of a
shipwreck, delivered to this peaceful nature. Heat and
the insolations were the only apparent risks. Our inflated
bags of food and drink were forgotten with the profit of
a long period of fishing. Green crabs hidden under the


rocks, the fish artists and the murenes would be our first
captures.

These a few days on this terrestrial paradise were
going to give many opportunities to us to taste with the
feeder wonders of the Red Sea. The single shark whale
of the area could have visited us, and in fact the lines
mottled took the high-speed motorboat during our stay.
Those, equipped with a dart and recognizable for their
blue spots on the back had a sufficiently powerful
venom to paralyse to us during a few hours. One of them
clung to a hook, and, having caught we decided to cook
this catch in order to taste the flesh of it. The evening
around a lighting fire our faces reddened by the sun was
announced succulent, the seafood and the tea of the
vintage were combined for the greatest joy of all. To lay
down sun on the sea emerald fills up us beautiful
emotions, coloured by these different and enthralling
experiments. Usual night attackers, happy to find us
deprived of mosquito nets encountered our
ingeniousness, fire would protect us from the punctures
of the infamous insects which watched for our sleep.
Some wet branches would produce enough smoke to
move away the undesirable ones from their bloody
intentions. The alarm clock, under these latitudes,
dazzled the directions of the most miraculous
perceptions and each morning the taste of the discovery
gives, exploration of a rich environment of resources.


The first hours of the day on an island constitute an
awakening.

The existence holds the best experiments whatever
the places for us where we are. The large metropolises
abound in various meetings and many occasions to
discover the artifices inherent with the social life. Here,
this island offered spectacles without age to us, nature,
free to control the order of the things had recognized
splendours of the Red Sea. Inhabitants, as coloured as
frightening offered their underwater saraband to us.
Between the roots of the trees of the mangroves, the
murenes established their field, the walks on the
abundant roots let predict many surprises. Disturbed
during their hunting or their sleep those show the signs
of highest aggressiveness. Their escape at the bottom of
their den is better than an attack of their share.
Frightening jaws of these alarming spectres, equipped
with tilted teeth do not give any chance to their victims
to escape. A hand, or a human foot enters the teeth, the
animal would retract strongly in its hole. To cross
Mangrove with prudence and skill proves to be a
beautiful experiment, the absence of ground and ground
transports us in times in which water covered almost the
whole of the sphere.

One can imagine which problems would be to solve
if one were to live in this environment. Houses on pile,


dugouts, the floating markets met in Kenya will be the
examples of the excellent adaptation of the man to the
natural conditions of a rudimentary life. The air sights of
the islands and their environment promise a paradisiac
stay. The colors turquoise and green blue emerald of the
sea account for the transparency of water and the sandy
funds reflecting the light. The days and the nights of
Robinson volunteer give an intense feeling of existence
and geographical freedom. The natural world is a great
power of which we control the evolution only with
difficulty, this will of control is carried out by very
expensive means of which the effects are often dubious
long-term. Of return on the continent, I was going to
attend with interest the night activities of the Ramadan.
With the restrictions the everyday life in the city changes
considerably. Without being able to drink nor to eat the
inhabitants count and save their movements.

Moslems practising their religion, in more of the
five daily prayers, the rules follow then which govern
this period. The peaceful day, punctuated of the prayers
sung by the "mouzine" and diffused by the loudspeakers
does not allow to imagine what will begin the come
night. It is then a release for all, ceremonies of tea, the
meals in family occupy the adults. Dances are organized
by the women with the shelter of the glances. For the
young people it is the moment to play in the street, the
meal taken and relative freshness provide all energy to


givethemselves to the matches football on the beaches of
the city. The walkers are done more than in other
periods, and the generations approach thus, although
each one is occupied with its occupations. The dressers
discovered with laying down sun abound in sammoussas
and all the dishes which will delight each evening the
famished ones by the day. The rate/rhythm of the life is
very different from that of the remainder of the year.

With calms which reigns during the day substitute
agitation and cheerfulness during all the night. The
discovery of the cultural practices of people so different
from that of my country of origin fascinated me, and
each event giving place to ceremonies and dances would
call me by far. For a few weeks the effervescence of a
dream of voyage had invaded the Club. The annual
conference of this caritative organization approached,
and a delegation of Djibouti would be invited to take
part in it. Being adherent for only a few months I had
not dared to propose to return to me to Kenya with this
delegation. The president of the Club having set up a
group for this voyage proposed to me to join them.
Salah, recently married with Fozia, was very happy to
have constituted its delegation to accompany it in her
role by president in order to present the report/ratio of
the activities organized by this Club. The three days
devoted to the meetings and the exchanges between the
clubs of the various countries gave us the advisability of


knowing other means of action. Participants of
Mauritius, from Uganda, amongst other things, us drew
up splendid portraits of their countries and made us
share the richness of their experiments of caritative
projects. Before knowing this marvellous Kenya we
passed to Ethiopia for one night of stopover. With
leaving the plane we immediately seized the change of
altitude between Addis Abbeba and Djibouti. The desert
climate changes quickly into a climate more favorable to
agriculture.

The high plateaus of Abyssinie visited by Rimbaud
see their invaded slopes of very green tropical plants and
water mouthfuls. As I had noticed at the Ethiopian
border a few weeks earlier, the impression released by
this luxuriant flora and the fresh air contrast with the
sandy and rock horizons of Djibouti. Since the hotel
room in the center of Addis I could see a very developed
and typical splendid tree of Ethiopia. The shape of
reversed pyramid and the branches slim whose ends are
very touffues seem to hide some natural treasure. Since
another room it is a river of a water orange which offered
to us the spectacle of a course between the meanders dug
in the medium of the rocks and in this very red ground.
The scene fascinated us more especially as a few hours
before we were in the heart of the Djibouti furnace. The
come evening very quickly we decided to return to us in
a restaurant which could present the Ethiopian culinary


wonders to us. To return to us in this restaurant we had
chosen to walk along a beautiful planted avenue of
superb palm trees. The dwellings which we could see of
each with dimensions were similar to those of the
districts of the town of Djibouti. My practice to go to
see Djibouti friends on their premises and to meet their
family had given me a sense of security some is the hour
or the place in which I was. Although the decorations
was rather similar, the sense of security disappeared very
quickly when some inhabitants showed their frank
hostility with our presence, and especially with that of a
white. This followed upon a discussion agitated enough
with the reception of the hotel, the price of my stay was
quite simply the double of that of my African friends.
These attitudes were perhaps inherent with the change of
government, with the conflict in progress or more
probably in the economic conditions. We had some
concerns also when our group arised at the airport for
the departure towards Nairobi. The objective of this
displacement as a delegation being to present the annual
report of the activities of the Club, and the president
should present the projects for the year to come.

The three days of conference accomodating three
hundred participants coming from ten countries of
Africa our presence thus had a certain importance for the
international projects. However, the president of the
Club had forgotten to be made vaccinate and a person in


charge for the airport wanted to keep it in observation
during one week, what ruined our project of visit Kenya.
Accompanying the two interlocutors in an office I took
the initiative of the negotiation, and we could triumph
over this test with a frank success. The conference
reappeared in our spirits we were going to carry on our
way in order to meet these people.

This event was the object of our reflexion at the
time of the dinner and the accounts in connection with
French colonization in Djibouti lived by my friends and
their parents weighed heavy on my shoulders. Rancour
especially seemed to relate to the restrictions relating to
their traditional languages and their cultures, as well
Somalia as Ethiopian. Issas and Afars had undergone the
violences made with their way of life. This testing
historical evening allowed me to include/understand
what African had said to me at the time of a ceremony of
tea: "Even if you live here, according to our habits, by
respecting our way of life you will be never African ". As
I would note it later in the heart of the Andes
Argentinas, one often supports the consequences of the
acts of his country, of only one individual when one
goes in another Nation. The subject having been largely
discussed on the historical level, policy and cultural, we
had succeeded in dividing these lived painful and
passion by channeling the very major emotions which
stick to it. The following day the breakfast prepared us


with the new voyage which we were going to accomplish
towards Nairobi. Top of the clouds we could observe
great variations of landscapes which, passing from the
dazzling yellow of sands to the red of the ferrous
grounds then to the green shining of the very dense
forests announced the most astonishing discoveries to
us. A large lake of the north of Kenya revealed then its
vast stretch of water surrounded of villages and a
populated savanna of the African animals most known.
Mountains, of which the Kenya mount and Kilimandjaro
in Tanzania, us their imposing statures at the time of the
visit of savanna revealed a few days later. Arrived to
Nairobi for the correspondence towards Mombasa an
overall picture revealed us, the center and the periphery
were connected by asphalted or earthy cords on which
grouillait an intense movement of people and vehicles.

In a few minutes we were going to leave this plane
of Ethiopian Airlines and to gain a room of airport
equipped very well to receive the various waves of
tourists of all the continents. The presence of a white
plane of the United Nations recalled us that we would
find Peter, a young American Diplomat in station in
Djibouti. The transport of Nairobi would be carried out
on a small aircraft of thirty places the top of which we
could still better benefit from the wild extents which
separate the capital from our destination. The reduced
dimension of this apparatus and its flight at lower


altitude makes it sensitive to the winds which give birth
to from strong emotions among the passengers. The sight
of these landscapes cause in me a great desire for going
on the hills, to traverse the ways rougeoyant which cross
savanna to gilded grasses. With the airport, the Kenyan
friends come to accomodate us will facilitate the
discovery of the country to us by accompanying us in
their friends. A stockbreeder of reptiles, snakes, iguanas
and crocodiles showed us its animals of very near and
some among us took a snake or a chameleon in their
hands. A fine and light red snake seemed to appreciate
the heat of my fingers and it was surrounded around my
hands by drawing up the head like supervising a new
territory. The chameleon clung to a shirt using his legs
with two fingers, each one finished by a frayed claw. Its
eyes, two points brilliant at the top of two fleshy cones,
can be directed according to a hundred and four twenty
degrees of each with dimensions of their body, it thus
sometimes happens to him to look at to see discreetly
behind which approaches it. The royal python remained
in the cage, because the two meters of flesh very
powerful this body magnificiently decorated are
imprévisiblement dangerous. An enclosure of glass my
attention attracted, and I learned that the snakes that it
contained project a very acid venom which plugs its
preys. One of them showed us his hostility and projected
a white liquid on the pane. Further, a crocodile made us


admire sharpened teeth and struck the walls of the pit by
a powerful movement of tail.

The dangers which one imagines when one sees a
report with television are very real, and the signs of
animosity which the animals show us are enough Nets so
that one holds account of it. There is besides in all the
human societies of similar attitudes when the groups
seek to impress and to use of similar efforts to reduce to
silence any form revealing comments. The ideologies
and handling are well kept territories of which the real
goals are dissimulated and retracted by the nobler
intentions. The familiarity which existed between this
stockbreeder of reptile and the frightening animals was
comparable with that which I had been able to establish
with the two monkeys of Djibouti. Called "Edith and
Marcel", these two macaques with red buttocks were
being wary towards human the bus little of them had
testified to them to a real sympathy.

While being calm and insensitive with the
demonstrations of power of the large male I which been
able to gain their confidence. I believe indeed that the
fear can hide bad intentions, thus, established
confidence and the attention paid to these two animals
with the powerful hands and the jaws calmed their fear
and their hostility first in my connection. The small
beings which we were going to discover thereafter in a


thick forest would not have the possibility of frightening
us, but to fill with wonder us by the splendid colors at
their peeling. some swimming pools practised on a slope
between the trees and the tropical plants offered the
spectacle of a fish myriad to us decorated with the red of
the ground, green of the foliages and blue of the sky.
These thousands of alive works of art reflected the solar
rays through hot and transparent water with the silver
plated reflections. The presence of this water reduced
the temperature, and relative freshness made me shiver.
The large swimming pool of the hotel with its slopes and
its jets of water could heat me, and to put back our legs
after the escapades of the day. The following day, after a
few days of collective visit I desired to make contact
directly with the city. I thus taken a coloured bus which
could deposit us downtown. Taxis in front of the hotel
did not attract me, because I prefer to mix with the
tumult and to share interrogative glances with people of
the country. The "matatou" are popular buses which
serve the most moved back villages, each one of them is
decorated and one can hear music there. "matatou"
means "ever filled", what implies that they overflow
sometimes of customers. Mombasa was going to offer all
to me that research the open and curious traveller, the
poet sensitive and lucid as for realities which it
observes. Once returned in the centre town, I taken one
moment to look at the neighbourhoods in order to
choose my future route quietly. A merchant of cigarettes


sold two American to me and I offered some to a passer
by to thank it for information. A changer of currency
approached me very quickly to sell Kenyan shillings to
me witha very interesting rate, I refused quickly smelling
the fraud, and perhaps even he was a police officer
seeking to cause a business with an aim of benefitting
some from it.

Heat carried me in an Indian hairdresser who
disencumbered me of my superabundant hair. These
hairdressers in more than one neat cut always make a
massage of the scalp and nape of the neck by aspergeant
the whole with eau de Cologne. Refreshed by this
service I descended the staircases in order to benefit then
from the daily spectacle of the African streets. A young
person entered by the window of the first stage, it left a
French course who seemed not to interest it. Since the
chance put to us in contact, I proposed to him to
accompany me in the city, and especially in places which
he did not know. It seemed amused by this proposal and
to make knowledge we went to drink a fresh fruit juice.
A cocktail mango guava and lawyer would give us all
energy to traverse the city. In one of the magic stores
where almonds are found, ivory or wood statues, skin
garments of gazelle or the plumeaux ones of ostrich, we
were going to remain one moment to divide a Kenyan
coffee of a decorated unforgettable taste of some
sammoussas more spiced than in Djibouti. A splendid


model of sailing boat drew my attention, long of almost
one meter and quite as high, I found his line and the
admirable precision of reproduction. Although this one
can change owner I preferred not to encumber me in
order to benefit from the city with complete freedom.

A little further, we were going to taste coldly
gathered coconuts whose green hull was easily cut out.
The piece thus removed was used as spoon and very soft
pulp had a taste of very natural paradise.

By tasting these jewels goûtus and succulent, I
proposed to my new Kenyan friend to find a temple
Hindu to visit. Many religions are present in this city,
and decorations are as rich as the people are poor. It
seems that each temple is dedicated to a divinity
hindouist and only one. The first astonished us by his
immense smooth and square fresh marble court, we
exposed ourselves and the contact with this stone
moderated the tropical climate of the city. In the center
of this court, a monument on a broad rectangular base,
bordered of steps, is set up for the worship. The
beautiful ones and fine columns carry out to the furnace
bridge where the petals are laid out of flowers and in its
heart smoke of many incense sticks. After meditation in
front of the richly gilded and coloured representations,
many practise slip a part into a slit applied to the base of
the furnace bridge. The great peace of the place crowned


contrast by its whiteness and its luminosity with the
dusty streets and the colonial frontages tarnished by
time. At the time of this visit we met a resident of the
temple, and the monk explained us in a few minutes that
we visit most recent of the places of worships hindouists
of the city. It showed the way to us to go in another
temple where it was before by saying to us that the
murals would learn to us much on this religion. The
monk accompanied us until the threshold by the temple.
Ken, who seemed to appreciate the visit of his city
agreed to continue and cross the market in order to reach
the second temple. Along the road the cars did not cease
surprising me because the Kenyans roll on the left
because of the laws emanating of English colonization. I
noticed few cats in the streets, and only some dogs
accompanying or not the inhabitants, with the difference
of Djibouti where the cats furrow the districts in the
search of food, and where few dogs are seen. The way
carried out us to great defenses overhanging a road in the
honor of the Queen of England.

Four defenses form two giant doors while crossing
with the top of each with dimensions avenue. While
borrowing some lanes we were going to arrive at the
temple, and the many stores condemned by boards or
walled meant that the richness was not the common
batch of these districts. The imposing door, carved and
decorated with Indian reasons made us hesitate, because


I was not sure that the visits are accepted. A character
worthy of a film observed us from the interior and did
not express any reserve with our calm and benevolent
approach. Songs resounded under the porch, and very
coloured mural decorations were for a great part persons
in charge for this atmosphere enchanter. The glances of
the women announced us that this room accomodated
only representing them female this religion. A stone
staircase to the multiple arabesques led us on the floor
where we were going to discover a rectangular gangway
overhanging the court. The songs and the music of the
water of a fountain were harmonized completely with the
light emanating of a canopy decorated with thousand
Hindu symbols. In this temple, the visitors can place
their shoes in wood racks. The freshness of the ground
pointed out to us that of the court of the first temple. A
vast room opened with us and the large mural frescos
seemed to colour the ideas conveyed by this religion. We
quickly felt the glances of a group located at the bottom
of this part and vêtus of traditional costumes. After a
respectful safety of our share we had gained the
tolerance of this intrusion. The inscriptions under
paintings in Sanskrit and English facilitated the
comprehension of the scenes represented to us.

Several men were plunged in a very major prayer,
and, according to their preference requested with knees
or lengthened on the ground. This serene atmosphere,


favourable with meditation us also conquered, and the
incense which burned in front of the statues still added a
key of dream to this crowned room. The eyes astonished
by Ken made me smile, because in all the country each
inhabitant could discover in his own environment of the
places and the unknown people. A wicker basket filled
with pink and orange petals of flower pointed out those
to me which Djibouti launches in the passing of the
young grooms as we make in France with rice.

Attracted by the fresh colors of the flowers, I
desired to feel them and I thus inclined myself towards
the basket, what caused hostile cries in my connection.
The members of the group whom I described higher did
not want to support this curiosity longer. I did not think
of offending them, nor moreover to touch with this
basket. By showing my hands and by inclining the head
I tried to make me forgive this moved act. Faithful the
pretence to include/understand my embarrassment did
not express any more any hostility. We had walked all
around the part and very observed, it was now the
moment to continue the visit of the city and to leave with
this temple all its peace.

While leaving, Ken and me had shared a visit out of
time, because he also had been smelled enough deprived
at the time of this passion clamour. Which new emotions
were going to live itself now? The evening was profiled,


and the city changed aspect, rare lightings gathered the
last tradesmen and the buses "matatou" took the road to
deposit each one in its village. Each one of these buses
carries much more passengers than there are places
envisaged. Certain travellers do not hesitate to cling to
the bars which border the doors whereas the bus runs
already, it is a whole environment, and a short way
becomes a collective adventure. A last juice fresh and an
apple of but roasted were going to enclose our day of
visit of the center of Mombassa. Ken lived a village on
the coast of the Indian Ocean, we were going besides to
travel by the same bus, this one passing in front of the
Beach-hotel where the conference proceeded.

Circulation on the left me surprised once again, and
at the time of the departure of the centre town I looked at
the lanes and imagined all the places which I could not
know. I found then my friends with the hotel, and after
this dusty and tropical afternoon I taken again a human
appearance. Great luxury of the rooms, rooms of
restaurant, the swimming pool with the forms and the
multiple basins seemed very artificial compared to what I
had been able to foresee of the reality of the everyday
life of the city. The following day we were to go in the
bush, in the wild world of the African animals. The car
that we were going to use would make it possible us to
be more close to the animals, without danger thanks to
an opening on the roof. On the road in direction of


Nairobi we went along Kilimandjaro and outline to far
the Kenya mount. We were going then to borrow tracks
red blood stone in the search of some herds or
individuals isolated to observe. First gazelles, I had
crossed the way in the hills of Djibouti, us offered a
ballet improvised to the medium of grasses. They leaped
gracefully during a few minutes around our car offering
a tonic and air spectacle to us.

Further, the termitières red brick fascinated us by
their height. These insects, by digging the ground, use
the ground thus extracted to build turns from two to
three meters which seem to be totems set up in the honor
of this worthy thousand-year-old nature. A wood with a
few kilometers sheltered a family of pachyderms of most
impressive. The driver knowing the country well
preferred to move away without waiting, because the
trumpetings of a male protecting a mother-to-be could
change constantly into a load which would have
probably ruffled the vehicle. A group of zebras very
quickly allured us by a black and white farandole which
startled the birds accompanying them constantly. Height
of a hill we were going to attend a fight amusing
between elephant calves, two herds of zebras and the
phacochères. The water points are very appreciated by
the animals, and the elephants did not wish to divide
their play-ground. It is continuously to barrir and
furiously charging the two assoiffés groups that two


elephants from three to four hundred kilos were right of
the zebras and the ridiculous phacochères pretence
opposite them. Some gigantic eagles, impalas and
gazelles giraffes charmed us and impressed in their turn.
Largest with the mammals honoured us with his
presence a few minutes, giraffe of a grace and an
unequalled indolence dominated the trees like the Eiffel
tower emerges in the medium of Paris. Its body
dissimulated by a tree projected its head with the top of
the mountainous top visible in the horizon. Another
impala leaps out of a bush and skirted the track on
which we rolled to sharp pace. It briskly exceeded us
before cutting us the road while jumping of one edge to
the other of savanna.

All these animals amazed us by their beauty and
their life in this universe without laws. We hoped,
without to have said it, to see them finally lords of the
places, where were thus the lions, lionesses and their
lion cubs. A lioness went quietly and lay down without
being worried by our presence.

It seemed to pose for us and hardly considered us.
Suddenly another lioness and a lion appeared, they took
seat with with dimensions first, the male remaining sat,
proud to be so well surrounded. The so natural and
unforeseeable scene moves me so much that I forgot
some to press on the release of the camera. I had strongly


felt these moments, perhaps that a photograph could
never make besides share such an emotion. Scents of
grasses heated by the pitiless sun, the dust of red sand,
green foliages gorged with water, the cries of the various
animals were as many mixed perceptions which created
images and memories still present in me. To write and
revive these exciting hours are a pleasure as much as a
discharge system, such an amount of these months great
expatriation engraved in me of any other reference mark
and a vision of the different life. The return towards
Mombasa held a beautiful starlight night for us between
the mountains and in direction of the sea. The evening
was to proceed at a person taking part in the conference,
we were going to share an Indian traditional meal in a
pretty house decorated with many statues out of ebony
wooden. This family, very happy to make us discover the
many ones and succulent dishes was prolix in
explanations as well in connection with the nature as of
the local culture. The coloured and very spiced mets
raised the temperature in the parts of the house and a
current failure be right of my appetite.

Indeed, stopped air-conditioners and ventilators, I
felt my body to be liquified and the salad refreshed by
ice floes was not enough to reduce this feeling to cook
on the spot. Moisture and heat had the easy victory and I
due to excuse me not to more taste these hot and spiced
dishes. My soaked shirt, unbearable trousers led me


outside, and the 35 degrees of the Kenyan night relieved
me of an unquestionable drowning. The darkness due to
the lack of electricity gave a deeply solemn aspect to our
presence, and, without anything in saying I hoped that
these exchanges could spread and calm such an amount
of hatred between the various people. At this period of
many Somali sought refuge in Kenya, in Ethiopia and in
Djibouti. During this stay I was going to test assembles
it à.dos.de camel. Esther, participating from Uganda
agreed to benefit from one afternoon to explore the
surrounding beaches. The vastness of the Indian Ocean,
the beaches bordered of oscillating palm trees
in.liaison.with the waves of a translucent water had
already filled with wonder our directions and had filled
our imaginations. A camel followed us eyes and the idea
us had just tested this desert vessel. The camel driver
agreed to haggle over and we were going to climb on the
back of this funny of animal. The American stringcourse
surrounding the black hair of Esther were, according to
it, a foot of nose to all the detractors of the United
States. I enjoyed with it an unforgettable experiment, a
walk à.dos.de camel with an Ugandan friend on an
extraordinary beach. One of my paintings is probably
inspired by these magic moments lived during my so
various adventures in Africa. In fact, while living these
marvellous moments, I often had a thought for the
children whom I met on the tracks of Djibouti, those
which have as a daily newspaper to wax the shoes that

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