Take On Africa

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A month’s break from the bike seems to have been the perfect medicine for re-igniting my interest in my travels in West Africa and Mali specifically.
It’s been a fascinating month and I’ve seen so much. I hope to get chance to write an update about the last few weeks (it’s been a [...]

Mali is famous for it’s music but I haven’t heard much and haven’t tried to find it.  I’ve been singing my own song and I’d have to say it’not very soulful.
Having had a bout of literary diarrhoea after two weeks of paddling a pirogue down rapids and through shallow waters, I am now suffering, in [...]

Leaving Freetown
We had arrived in Freetown on the bustling streets of Kissy Road in the East End lined with stalls selling everything from second-hand shoes to fake Sony radios; and had navigated our way through the commercial district centred around the towering cotton tree, down along Congo Road and across the poor shanty district of [...]

And finally….the final part of the journey, from No Man’s Land to Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown.
Noises in the Night
Camped in No Man’s Land, I woke numerous times in the night to a rattling sound coming from underneath the tent, which seemed to come from the left of my head one moment and then further to [...]

I’m hoping to do a podcast interview with Brian in the coming months, but for now the internet connections in this part of West Africa are too slow.
So, for now, I’ve answered a few of his questions here over at his Korean World blog.
Below is a copy of the interview….
1. What is principle reason you [...]

This second part of the journey from Labe to Freetown, takes me from Kindia to the border with Sierra Leone, where I camped the night in No Man’s Land.
The final part of the journey, from the border to Freetown, I’ll post in a third update.
Sorry it’s taking so long – there are too many distractions [...]

This is the first of two updates about the journey from Labe in Guinea to Freetown in Sierra Leone. This part takes me as far as Kindia, where I had a short rest before continuing across the border.
Leaving Labe
We left Labe late in the afternoon having gorged on a cheap lunch of rice and a [...]

I’ve been on the road now for 6 months (I can hardly believe it!), so I thought it was time for a little update in numbers.
Total distance cycled: 9219 km
Days since leaving UK: 178
Countries visited: 10
Longest distance cycled in a day: 178 km (in Western Sahara)
Average daily distance: 52 km (incl. rest days)
Average daily distance: [...]

3 weeks, 4 countries, 7 boat rides, 1200km cycled.
There have been good days and bad days, the best days and worst ones. At times it’s been tough and tiring, and yes there have even been tears. At times it’s been thrilling and exciting, and I’ve thought I must be the luckiest person alive. All times [...]

A lot has been and gone since the last update…
3 weeks, 4 countries, 7 boat rides, 1200km cycled.
There have been good days and bad days, the best days and worst ones. At times it’s been tough and tiring, and yes there have even been tears. At times it’s been thrilling and exciting, and I’ve thought [...]