Photo: An old mosque in Bobo

As we traveled to the southern city of Bobo-Dioulasso (a five-hour bus ride from the capital) last month, we heard the passengers at the front of the bus gasp.

We then heard a thud, thud, thud... as something, or someone, went under the bus.

We feared we'd just witnessed another useless death on the roads of West Africa, caused by a bus driver going way too fast, swerving around people on bicycles and motos who disobey road rules and don't wear helmets.

Thankfully, somehow, the moto rider survived. After a brief interlude, the bus driver started up the engine again, and hurtled towards Bobo.

On a lighter note, we visited some waterfalls and accompanying forest near Bobo, which are quite remarkable as they are surrounded by hot, dry, dusty sub-Saharan terrain. (Click on the photo below to see some more pics.)

Bobo