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Cameroon’s Highlands
Time to hit the hills. Time to take on Cameroon’s Highlands. Top Speed I cycle out of Bamenda, refreshed after the rest. The road sweeps around the green hillsides and I look out down the valleys into the distance. I am reminded of an English summer on a crisp, clear morning before the sun warms [...]
The Longest Day
Uphill to Bamenda End of the road I decided to take the high road, up to the hills surrounding Bamenda. Told that the tarmac road would end at a bridge after 10km and from then on it is ‘a road is under construction’, I was unsure how hard it would be. The last ‘road under [...]
Finding Helen – White! White! White!
Scene 1 The dirt road from Ekok wound its way round and up and down through the thick, overgrown forest. Everything was big. Trees competing to grow the tallest, to reach out above the canopy and feel the sunlight on their leaves. Hillsides vanished into a mass of green where fast-flowing waters rushed loudly, out-of-sight, [...]
Nigeria – It’s Been Wet
Out of Abuja From leaving the Abuja, it was nearly 600km and five full days of cycling to reach the Cameroon border. But first, back to Nigeria. I had entered Nigeria with some trepidation. I knew little about the country, but two words above all others I associated with it. Corruption and Kidnapping. If I [...]
Nigeria – The Way To Abuja
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 [...]
Nigeria – First Impressions – Against All Expectations
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 [...]
Benin – Rain, Slaves and Religion
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 [...]
Togo – A Mix of Religion
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 [...]
Ghana – The Bike Strikes Back
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 [...]
Tears and Loathing in Ghana – Bike or Bus, Not Both
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 [...]
