After The Clinic It Was Off To The Zoo or Thursday The Aftermath pt 2

Kassoum while we had our picnic and waited at the gate.

Rakieta eating. She brought us shardines (sardines) and avocado which she made into a guacamole (sp) of sorts.

Our picnic. I always send pictures of American food so it was only fitting that we bring back pictures of Burkina food. Note my plate. It is the one with bananas and croissants.

These are our bus mates. About 30 kindergartners. They thought we were pretty cool.

Remember my description of the driving and note the lack of seat belts or heck even seats. I resorted to the sign of the cross once again.

Ok, folks, first of all think about the irony of me in the shape I am in at this point in the week trying to walk around any kind of zoo with Rakieta, the prosthetic wearer. Remember this prosthetic is not like one an American would wear. It is very primitive and not in the best shape. Now that I have set the stage I'll get on with the story.
We waited some more for the driver. Probably 45 minutes or so. It seems I spent my whole entire visit waiting for rides. Africa time, what can I say.
The driver and his friend finally arrived. Then I had my first experience on the highway. Yes, they have at least one and it has a toll booth too. However, we had to share the road with semi's, donkey carts, bicycles, mopeds, walkers and all were loaded up huge. You drive on the right side of the road like the US, but in Burkina if no one is oncoming the preferred way is to drive in the middle. Then when you see someone oncoming you hit the horn and play chicken. The little guy usually moves over. I know, not exactly safe. I was missing my nonexistent seat belts right about now. I settled on making a sign of the cross. Not all my drivers were this reckless, but these guys were insistent on doing about 90 kilometers per hour. Yes, it was as terrifying as it sounds.
Anyway, we arrived at the zoo. We spent quite a while at the gate. This zoo did not seem to be open to the general public. I think you had to be invited. After quite a lengthy dialog it was determined that we were to wait at the gate for the bus. I think Rakieta may have not understood her French as well as one would hoped during this conversation. Either way, we sat down to eat our picnic. We were just getting comfortable when up drove the bus. We had to scramble to get in the bus. Alas the bus was not going back into the zoo. It was heading back to Ouagadougou.
Now Rakieta was grumbling that she missed the zoo. My stomach was talking again and I could not figure out how I was going to handle the upcoming bathroom dilemma. I, in a not so diplomatic motherly tone just had to bring her back to reality. "Rakieta, you could have never walked around the zoo. It is for the best. " Rakieta: "But Mom I wanted to try." I just sighed. Kassoum who had been up since about 4:00 am and who had been such a trooper for our day so far really had my respect.
The pictures do the best job of explaining the bus.
Just when you thought the day couldn't get any more adventurous-Oh but wait there is more. Stay tuned.