Travelling to Tai National Park!

Tomorrow early in the morning I will be leaving to Tai National Park, the cameras are finally here :)

Today I met Karim again to prepare some more things. First he introduced me to some more people working here at the CSRS. (making a little bit fun of me because I cant speak french :P) Then I had to fill in some more papers for the permit to go in the Tai NP and pay for my stay here at the CSRS. After that we went into the city of Abidjan to do some shopping. We bought a lot of rice, pasta, canned tomatoes, sardines, and a lot of other food.
It was not easy to go to the city because there was no car available and we had to go by taxi and bus. The first part went well but later we had to change a taxi and we were standing in the middle of a very busy street. Some guy came to me and wanted clearly some money, Karim said dont say anything to him, so I didnt but still he followed us. But eventually we got another taxi to the shopping mall.

For the cameras we also need something to attach it with a lock to a tree. It is very hard to arrange something like that here. Karim is still busy searching for that. At the shopping mall we met by accident the driver who is going to drive us to Tai tomorrow. So I went together with the driver back to CSRS and Karim is still searching for the iron to be able to lock the cameras.

Yesterday evening I went with some students to a hotel/restaurant down the road for dinner. There we had chicken, rabbit, french fries and some kind of couscous. It tasted very goad but they also prepare the head of the animals here, not so attractive to eat :P I tried a chicken head in Indonesia but I skipped this one.

Tomorrow morning I will leave at 6 in the morning (7 in NL). From then on until the end of July, when I hope to finish my work in the forest I wont be able to go on the internet. Only way to communicate is by phone, 1 km outside the camp there is reception.
So there wont be many new stories here coming 4 months but maybe I can leave a message by phone. Also keep an eye on Marks blog: http://ivorymark.wordpress.com

Already here nearby Abidjan it is amazing to see and hear all the plants and animals. At night there is even more noise than during the day. I cant wait to go to the real jungle in Tai NP! :)

Today I made some more photos out of the car, I didn't want to make pictures in a crowded market street :)
http://picasaweb.google.com/eshuishenk/Ivoorkust#

So from here in Ivory Coast I wish everyone good luck with whatever you are doing and maybe some of you will receive my phone number where I can be reached (when I have reception :P)

I just received an email that the BBC is going to have a camera trap photo competition, http://www.bbcwildlifemagazine.com/nextIssue.asp (issue of April). Hopefully I will be on time sending in my photos :)