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Ouagadougou - Former Doncaster Rovers captain Dean Furman had never heard of the city until he found himself in this part of the world.
He took his maiden trip in 2012 and, after a memorable four years for the 28-year-old midfielder, he is now a veteran of African travel.
And he recalls his first trip when he had his first taste of the continent in Kenya.
This served not only as an eye-opener for the player who had spent most of his life in England, but it also made him stronger.
Played on a pitch that had hosted a political rally the day before, during which horses participated in a parade, this game prepared Furman for what was in store for him on the continent.
He found himself in Ouagadougou the last few days.
With temperatures hovering at about 37°C, he and the other players often retreated to their air-conditioned rooms. But when it came to the business on the field, they dug in and ignored the sweltering heat.
Furman, who grew up in Europe and spent most of his time there until last year, believes players should be mentally strong and rise above challenges.
“I can’t say I knew too much about the country, but this is part and parcel of being a footballer and playing for the national team,” he said.
“For us, it is about making the most of the trips and enjoying them. It is also all about getting used to the different conditions, different environment and different surroundings.”
He singled out heat, pitch and travelling as his three challenges. He is used to them now and enjoys the experience.
“We know that the sooner we get over the obstacles, the better for us, and the results will come.
“The fact that we have been doing well away from home recently shows that we are mentally strong, and I hope we continue with the same attitude. The biggest challenge for us is to keep on doing well away from home.”
Being mentally strong is key to overcoming obstacles.
“As soon as you get away from home, you are mentally prepared for any challenge. You get that fighting side that wants you to overcome anything.
“There are games when we show character and determination because we know they are not going to roll out the red carpet for us, so we have to be strong. We are not here for fun, but to do a job.”
It was hard to say which was the worst place he had been to, but Mauritania was difficult for everyone.
They learnt their lesson. Bafana lost their game 3-1, their only loss in the 2017 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
“I have fond memories of the continent. We know we are here to do the job, not to be tourists. We don’t go and say how nice and good a country was.”
He said travelling on the continent made things hard for players, but should not be used as an excuse for losing.
