skating through the dust of Nikki, Benin
woke up this morning with my board stuck to the hostel floor from the overnight glue of sweat and dust. guess that’s what you get for sleeping in a converted storage unit near the market. the air’s thick with the scent of grilled fish and diesel fumes, which is kinda my jam when i’m craving that authentic travel grind.
i just checked and it’s *26.53 degrees of pure, unfiltered sunblast out there, humidity so low it’s practically a desert. if you’re into crispy skin and instant dehydration, this place is paradise. hope you packed extra chapstick. the locals told me this dry spell’s been going on since, like, forever, and the pressure’s dropping faster than my bank account after visa fees. speaking of neighbors, if you get tired of the same old skate spots, Parakou’s just a short jaunt over the cracked highways-though honestly, i wouldn’t recommend the bus ride unless you enjoy being a sardine with luggage.
someone warned me that the old colonial train tracks near the central mosque are haunted by the ghost of a french conductor who died trying to ollie a switch. drunk advice from a barkeep named Jean-Claude, so take it with a shot of palm wine. also heard the abandoned textile factory has killer half-pipes but locals say squatters will steal your wheels if you leave ‘em unattended. Tripsavvy’s Nikki guide says the same thing but way less fun. tried hitting up Yelp for skate parks and got three results-all bars called ‘Skateboard’ which is either hilarious or sad. probably both.
the ground here is basically one big skatepark if you’re into grinding dirt piles and dodging goats. tried teaching a kid named Kofi to kickflip yesterday-ended up with him accidentally ollieing into a chicken coop. we both laughed until the rooster chased us into a pile of mangoes. humidity’s so low my board’s grip tape isn’t even sticky anymore, but whatever, it’s all part of the vibe. Benin Adventures says this place is ‘undiscovered’-dude, it’s not undiscovered, it’s just... not on Instagram yet.
tonight’s gonna be another night of sketchy street food and questionable internet. heard the downtown cybercafe has faster wifi than the embassy, but also roaches that’ll steal your fries. West Africa Skate says the scene’s growing-slowly. like, ‘turtle with a broken skateboard’ slowly. but hey, at least the pressure’s dropping. maybe that’ll bring some clouds? nah, who am i kidding. this place is basically a giant concrete sandbox with vibes*. anyway, gotta go, my flip-flops are melting.
You might also be interested in:
- https://votoris.com/post/nneyiumuleri-a-city-that-refuses-to-be-predictable
- https://votoris.com/post/the-kind-of-place-where-the-sun-feels-like-a-warm-hug
- https://votoris.com/post/relocating-to-muscat-a-stepbystep-expat-checklist-from-a-disillusioned-consultant
- https://votoris.com/post/gilis-skateboard-secrets-and-why-you-shouldnt-trust-the-weather
- https://votoris.com/post/la-on-a-shoestring-my-budget-students-tale