Benin Transportation or lack thereof.

The transport in Benin, and I am equally applying this to Togo is a nightmare. The system mostly used in these countries is called bush taxis. These are either small vans which seat about 10 people or simply ordinary cars that ply the main routes and will only leave when full.

I got my first taste of a bus taxi when I left Cotonou for Abomey. Thankfully I was escorted on the back of a motor bike from my hotel and luckily I didn’t have the nightmare of having to find the correct taxi to my destination. They do however leave from set destinations although this in itself is usually somewhere on a busy street and can be a challenge to figure out.

Generally there is a very cheap, at least by our standards set price but don’t get too upset if they charge you a little extra. Frankly a dollar here and there was no issue for me. I just wanted to get to where I needed to go. If you are lucky like I was going to Abomey the taxi may take you directly to your hotel. Some routes will require two or more transfers.It can and was sometimes very distressing.

I found it mentally exhausting from both the language aspect and I was never sure where I was being taken. Luckily it was always to the right place. Still one must say something positive about the experience so on the whole most of the cars were in good working order and the scenery on route was always stimulating in its sheer simplicity. Check out the flood.