Reaching the highest point of some countries can be a real expedition: 4808 meters in France, 6962 in Argentina or 3724 meters in New Zealand. In Togo, it's easier: Mount Agou is only 986 meters high. However, that doesn’t stop people from bragging about having the biggest one.

My mother and I decided to visit Mount Agou during our only day in the country. We got in touch with Gabriel, a local guide who promised us a visit of the summit as well as a botanical course. This is not a topic that I am particularly passionated about, but it was included in the package. I definitely had no idea what I was going to learn.

The appointment was given at the Agou station. When we arrived, we obviously didn't find a big hall or a railway. Just a gathering of all the local motorcycle cab drivers, obviously delighted to see tourists coming. After a few minutes spent politely refusing transports, fruits and sweets offered through the car windows, another hand knocked on the glass: it was Gabriel.

He introduced us to Solo Marc, a friend of his who was going to be with us during the day, as well as the drivers of the motorcycles that were going to help us climb the first part of the mountain. We then headed to a restaurant to have a snack and get some energy for the day. As I read the menu, I finally understood a term I have always used without understanding its origin. The most hearty and high calorie dishes were listed as "resistance" ones. Solo Marc explained to us that we had to choose these dishes in order to have the strength to handle the whole day.

We then set off for Mount Agou, with four wheels and six people. Sometimes I wondered how the bikes could carry all that weight up such a steep hill.

My mother, not used to riding two-wheelers, burned her leg on the exhaust when she got off the bike. Solo Marc immediately grabbed a plant that was growing beside and cut it in half. He then pulled out a viscous substance from it and spread it on my her wound: it was Aloe Vera. That's how we got our first botany lesson.

We then started to walk up the mountain. During the journey, Gabriel explained to us different things about the history of Mount Agou, the villages there and of course, its botany. Solo Marc regularly added anecdotes and additional details to Gabriel's speech. To this day, I still don't know if he was there simply to spend a day with a friend or if he was a kind of assistant guide.

After about an hour of walking, we reached the highest village in Togo. Gabriel went to greet the village chief at his home. We followed him and sat down in the living room. We listened to Gabriel and the chief tell stories in Togolese dialect, trying to make sense of the few French words that escaped from the discussion. The chief then brought out a plastic bottle, in which was macerating what seemed to be alcohol. We all took a shot, as we felt that it would have been rude to refuse it. It was a kind of palm wine, very strong.

It was already time to go back down. On the way back, Solo Marc pointed to a baobab tree. That's where we were given our ultimate botany lesson: the recipe for enlarging your penis thanks to its bark. 

My mother did not find it necessary to write it down. On my side, I took out my microphone so I didn’t forget the procedure. We never know.

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Solo Marc asked me to tell you that he is looking for a woman to share his life.