I must tell you this was one of the most arduous days I can remember where I almost bit the dust many times!  With that, I arrived to N’djamena at about 2 am…that means morning.  We woke up the receptionist sleeping on one of the lobby couches.  Yes, he was a bit groggy.  So was I after a detour through Ghana that I didn’t know about beforehand.  I found my room in the semi-dark to fall asleep almost immediately. 

I left the hotel at noon ready to explore N’djamena.  I headed for the roundabout with a boy riding a horse statue.  Suddenly a convoy of about 19 vehicles filled troops and police sped by.  The vehicles were trucks filled to the hilt with boys/men.  They sat on the driver’s roof.  They sat wherever they found a place amazingly not falling.  Not me! 

I continued into the heat.  Talk about hot!  I saw a cool statue so decided to take a picture.  I knew it was restrictive to take photos in the past but I thought I would try it here.  Luckily, the security guards thought I wasn’t a threat so instead said hello and let me continue to take pictures.  The next day I found out I shouldn’t have taken photos there since it was close to the presidential palace.  Sometimes it is better to be naïve than anything else. 

I wanted to go to the Central Market with the help of the map the hotel gave me.  The staff told me the map wasn’t reliable.  I learned later it was WAY UNRELIABLE.  I walked through neighborhoods filled with people resting under the shade in the 100+ degree weather.  Me…the silly foreigner was walking while they rested.  I kept walking determined to find the market.  

Boys in a furniture market told me where to go.  I sort of followed them but turned into a street sooner than that.  Talk about wholesale after wholesale after wholesale stalls.  I have no idea how they make money because so many people sold the same items.  Then I found the main street.  I am sure the produce was fresh at sometime but mostly not in the market!  Old tomatoes…old okra…old.  I saw the rice.  

What I mostly saw were the covered women.  Sometimes I felt out of place with my t-shirt and long capri pants.  Some women were totally covered…some covering everything except their face.  Almost no women were wearing pants.  With it being near Muslim prayer time, many people prayed and then washed their feet.  Well, that meant the dirt streets had puddles of mud here and there which I didn’t mind but had to keep a look out for.  Every once in a while a man would cat call towards me…call out to me…anything to get my attention.  They don’t see lighter skinned women often.  There is also a negative perception about foreign women sometimes.  I kept to myself, didn’t respond, and tried to enjoy the experience.  I turned around after soaking in the flavors, sounds, and experiences.  

However, I think in my haze of possibly being overheated I took a wrong turn.  I walked away from my hotel instead of returning to it.  I couldn’t eat anything because the food was not safe.  I had a bottle of water to help but the heat was SO debilitating.  I sat on one bench to rest to find another bench to rest to find a step to sit.  Finally, I saw a Total gas station.  Maybe they would help me figure out where I was going.  I brought a bottle of water to the counter to pay.  I had no bills lower than a 5,000 where the charge was 250.  She gave it to me for free.  I sat on the floor needing rest and help.  Where was I?  Where did I need to go to my hotel?  They pointed to the map were we “were”.  Not so far away from my hotel.  I slowly left the wonderful air conditioned room to the scorching heat outside.  I walked some more…I rested some more.  I passed a church service filled with loud music and women wearing the same clothes.  I passed strong, yet poor, women sifting gravel into dirt.  They amazed me with their strength!  I see that knowing I take life for granted! 

I made it to the roundabout I thought was close to my hotel while still being confused.  Maybe the boutique could help me find my last steps to the hotel.  I needed it because my energy was depleted.  I couldn’t walk much further.  The shopkeeper didn’t know the name of my hotel even when I showed him on the map.  He didn’t know how to read a map.  NOONE KNEW HOW TO READ A MAP!  I sat down in sheer exhaustion.  I needed to make it to my hotel or else. 

Lo and behold someone entered his store.  Maybe she could help.  She knew where the hotel was offering to take me there.  I shyly backed away but then realized I really needed her help so accepted her offer.  We entered her car with me almost collapsing into her seat.  I saw the car temperature read 107 degrees!  I had been walking for 3 HOURS in 100+ degrees.  I couldn’t believe my luck in still being away.  She helped me when I needed it.  I could read she was kind.  She was.  Along the drive she pointed to well-known places.  I half listened to her longing for my air conditioned hotel room. 

She dropped me off, I ran to my room, and willed my body to cool down.  It did…taking time.  I found out later that I walked in an area that was off-limits while riding in a car with a stranger which was also off limits.  I was also told to be aware of the heat.  I pretty much broke at least several rules on my first day in Chad.