Take On Africa

Officials in Uniform
My first full day in Nigeria was a long one. All 161km of it. The day was broken up with checkpoints. 21 of them. But no-one wanted to see my passport. Customs men wore grey uniform. Police were in black from beret to boots with automatic rifle slung across the shoulder. Immigration had [...]

I arrived at the border to Nigeria, wondering just exactly what would be in store for me. I cautiously changed my remaining CFA into naira, the Nigerian currency, expecting to be fleeced on the exchange rate or conned with forgery’s. On the contrary, the rate was good and I have since spent all the naira [...]

A little less cycling, A little more sight-seeing
Firstly, apologies for lack of photos in these latest updates - internet is lethargic here and I need to get some km’s underway today. In the next week or two there should be another photo set on flickr so until then, you’ll have to imagine what you can [...]

Love lost in Kpalime
Over the border into Togo I flew down the hill into Kpalime. Another town in Africa. My introduction to Togo. Friendly people. French-speaking. I checked-in, showered and sat down in the hotel courtyard with a beer to celebrate a new country. Soon enough I had company. Yana spoke to me as if [...]

I have written another article for my sponsors Webtogs about some equipment I’ve found particularly useful for maintaining my bike… in particular,  a toothbrush!
You can read the article here: Togblog - Cycle Touring Maintenace Essentials
I am currently sat in a cafe in Cotonou, on the upper floor, watching the rain pour down on the streets [...]

The third update in the Ghana trilogy and we see the bike making a comeback. The long awaited reappearance!
No more excuses for staying in Accra. Time to put the panniers on the bike and wheel the bike out the door. Start pedalling. Direction north (yes I know I eventually need to start heading south if [...]

Here’s a selection of photos from my journey by bike (yes, I’m finally cycling again!) from Accra up into the Volta region around Ho, across to Kpalime in Togo and then down to the coast at Lome, the capital. From Lome, it was east through Aneho with a detour to Togoville and into Benin, passing [...]

Sequels are often a let-down. The original is rarely surpassed. Ghana, the second time around however, was the exception. Not unexpectedly though. After some R&R, my energy levels and enthusiasm restored, I knew I would see the country in a different, brighter light.
This time, I wasn’t going to let things get the better of me. [...]

When slavery in Africa was still big business, Ghana didn’t exist. The region we now know as Ghana was called the Gold Coast then. Gold was big business until slaves made more money.
I visited a few of the old forts and castles, which are still standing. Thankfully, slavery was abolished in the 1800’s and since [...]

This is the long awaited update of my last days in Ghana before I returned to England for a holiday and to get a new passport.
Hopefully you won’t have to wait so long for my take on Ghana part 2.
Road to Larabanga
Yet more corrugated roads. It is impossible to describe the effect that trying to [...]