Parkour in Abidjan

Dusk at an intersection so congested I just edge my way through the cars.

To keep my sanity, I run in Abidjan a couple of times a week, usually just before dusk. It's warmer but less humid than the morning. But I always go during daylight – it's unsafe to run in the dark. Not because of the people but because of the risk of falling over or into something (or being hit by a car). A friend compared my style of running here to parkour because I have to jump over and around rocks, potholes, ditches, and chickens, not to mention keeping out of the way of cars and people walking on the sides of the street.

But I love it. I was in the U.S. for a few weeks in August and September and couldn't make myself run more than 10 minutes because I was so bored. The jumping, dodging, and bonsoir-ing at the strange looks keep me entertained when I'm bright red from the heat/humidity 2 minutes in.

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