9th March. Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

6^th June. Kintampo Waterfall Car Park. Central Ghana.

N08 05'17.4” W001 41'58.3”

The staff were kind enough to let us camp the night in the car park here. 200 metres off the road minimises traffic noise, the falls are a background murmur and we are alone with over 100 chooks and roosters from one day chicks to randy roosters who have spent the last couple of hours chasing the squawking chooks. You think with the myriad of chickens running around they could take a rest. They are at peace now, perched above and to two sides of us. Don't like to think of the noise we will be woken by in the morning. I found what appeared to be a newly hatched chicken but couldn't walk. I think it must have been rejected by the hen because of its disability.

A short drive today, we were both feeling pretty washed out, Joan especially. It seems when you relax a little like we have since arriving in Ghana it becomes difficult to get back in the swing of things. It was good getting the car serviced and at the cheapest price yet. Granted I did have the 2 diesel filters they used. The bakkie always seems to go better after a service. Problems have been minimal so far, hope it keeps up.

Back into rain forest type of country but with a lot of cropping such as bananas and yams. The road has been good but don't like to talk about such things as they change so quickly over here. One minute a beautiful 2 lane highway, the next a potholed dusty rock strewn track. We have learnt to appreciate it when it is good.

7^th June. Tongo Hills & Tenzung Shrine Reception

A pleasant shock while buying a few things in a shop in a small city in Northeren Ghana: Nobilo Marlborough Sav/Blanc for $7 and the Hardy range for the same price! And they weren't refills as can happen. Amazing.

The place where other overlanders stay at Bolga didn't sound the best, we had a bit of time to kill as we had to plan our time getting to Ouaguadouga, capital of Burkina Faso for the Monday or Tues to get visas, so headed off a few kms to the Tongo Hills. An unexpectedly lovely area of rocky outcrops leading up to a animist shrine on one of the higher levels. It was late when we arrived. A vicious storm had hit us on the road with galef orce winds and driving rain. Dangerous to drive in. We, and most others had to pull over and wait the worst of it out. We pitied the school girls walking home in it.

Before camping the night, Ernest, our guide for the next morning, had to take us over the the chief's palace to ask permission from him for us to stay the night. A lovely 73 year old, a few grey whiskers on his chin, living in this enormous palace with his 18 wives and countless children. The palace consisted of many rounded compounds the walls of some making the outer walls of the structure, not high, at most some 2 metres. I don't know much about the religion here but sacrifices play a big part. Around the back of the palace a group had just killed 2 dogs and were singeing them on a fire. Not sure whether they eat the flesh before the sacrifice. As well as dogs, chickens, goats, cows and even donkeys are sacrificed at certain times. The altar where they had been killed still had the blood dribbling down the side. A cave nearby had a row of donkey skulls arrayed. This was where people came who had problems with their business or marital affairs, if things improved they would kill a donkey. The caves we went to were more a rocky overhang. One of interest was the one that was the classroom before the school was built in the late 1980s. Then school was something new and the teacher used to climb onto the top of an outcrop and ring the bell to make the parents let their kids come to school.

The vegetation as we go north is changing. We see now shrt grasslands, cultivated fiels with single trees growing. The road often has beautiful old trees alongside giving shade and tranquility to the driver.

8^th June. Auberge Kakayon, Tiebele, South Burkina Faso.

Well, how many of you had heard of Burkina Faso before we mentioned it as part of our route? Used to be called Upper Volta and was a French colony in the old days. It's one of the poorest countries in Africa but has a reputation of the people having a very relaxed lifestyle, tidy and the cities nicely set out. Again we made a diversion some 30kms off the main road to Teibele. A small town renowned for the painted walls of its houses. This afternoon we visited another palace, (2 in one day? We must be in the Loire Valley!) This time the bloke was a king. We didn't meet him but Aziz the guide took us around. The painted walls were very impressive. I hope some of the patterns come out in the photos. Pierre, the Rastaferean managing the auberge is a really laid back character. We are the only ones staying here.

The border crossing today was one of the quickest we have experienced. When the customs bloke know what to do with the carnet it makes such a difference. Often it has been stamped incorrectly which caused problems.

The land is drying out now. They had rain a couple of weeks ago, planted the peanut crop, and are hoping for more followup to save it from shrivelling.

Some Photos at last

Finally got a few photos up on Flikr. Go to www.flikr.com/photos/jelga  
Leaving Kumasi today, heading north to Burkina Faso

5th June. Kumasi, Central Ghana

 At last, a fast connection. Getting the van serviced here so might be able to catch up with a few emails and get some photos on flikr. Three days at Green Turtle Lodge relaxing made it hard to get back on the road.

Regards

Gary & Joan

27^th May. New Estuary Camp, Volta River Estuary, at Ada Foah, Ghana.

Both maps displayed a camping sign on this area, at the mouth of the Volta, one of the major African rivers. Yet when we reached the town after crossing over from Togo, camping grounds seemed few and far between. In fact zilch. Outside the Maritime Board building on the estuary we asked two men who seemed to be waiting for a lift, I jokingly asked them if we could maybe camp in the grounds of the Maritime board, they were giving it serious consideration when I informed them it was a joke. But they did ring up Daniel who had a house on an arm of the river who was happy for us to camp in his back yard. On arriving we couldn't help thinking we would be intruding on their privacy and suggested perhaps we would prefer somewhere near the beach. He rang up Bibu who lived near the spit that divides the estuary from the Atlantic. Yes, we could stay there but we might prefer the picnic areas further along the spit, we had 4 wheel drive didn't we? Yes, but I am a little averse driving on sand after our experiences leaving Congo/Brazzaville. We took the plunge, put it into 4wd and took off for over 2kms of soft sand. Most people come to these picnic areas by hired boat but we made it. So here we are, the Atlantic crashing behind us, the still waters of the estuary lapping a few metres away. The picnickers have all gone home, leaving the place to the manager and ourselves plus a few dogs.

A couple of one of the groups were very intrigued with our camper and came over to introduce themselves and have a closer look. One was an American, Guy Chambers, who has been in Ghana 8 months now setting up a business. He feels Ghana is the place that will go ahead in leaps and bounds especially with the discovery of massive oil deposits off the coast. Signs of preparatory work to tap in to those fields are already evident out where we are. He had never met an Australian before. They were all very interesting to talk to.

The border crossing went off with few hitches. These hangers-on can be annoying but in this case there were quite a few offices to go to and the $4 I paid him was worth it.

The two nights in Chez Alice in Lome were great. A place that caters for Overlanders. We also met a young Dutch couple there, Maartin and Vincent. They are heading south, it is their first time travelling overland and were very apprehensive about Nigeria. We were able to calm their and their parents fears about travelling through that country.

28^th May. New Estuary Camp. Ghana.

The girl has gone home leaving the New Estuary Camp to Joan and myself as well as a couple of dogs. It has been a relaxing day; a little swimming, walking and reading. Just what we needed. Tomorrow we head up to Lake Volta, I believe the biggest man made lake in Africa. There are some pleasant camps up there.

Settlement of our Nambucca apartment happens at 2am (our time) tomorrow. I wonder if there has ever been a sale of a property quite so interesting as this has been. The day after arriving in Pretoria we received an offer, the first we knew there was an interested party. A price was settled 2 days later. In Luanda, Angola we heard the purchasers had reservations and needed more details. In the DRC we heard they were going ahead with the purchase. A settlement date was received while in Congo/Brazzaville. Discharge of Mortgage papers were emailed to the NAB from Libreville, correspondence with solicitors and agent continued through Gabon and Cameroon and here we are in Ghana with settlement occurring tomorrow morning. It has been difficult selling from a distance especially when the internet is not good in many of these countries but we appreciate the effort put in by Jane & Gerry, Pam, Paul and Tipper Associates staff and Taj at the NAB. They all accommodated our situation very well.

And thank you Annee and Jane for both your comments on the blog, I'm sorry we haven't had the time to reply up till now, hope things will slow down giving us time to catch up. Bird watching has had to take a back seat the last few weeks, getting through in one piece has been the important thing. Hope we can get some photos etc on Flikr shortly as well. Also the emails we have received, they have all been appreciated and if we haven't replied, will do so shortly.

29^th May. Abylos Hotel, on Edge of Volta River near Akosombo, Ghana.

Mango season is in full swing at the moment. The roads are lined with stalls selling them, both the old stringy type that you only eat in the bath, and the newer, larger stringless variety. We have been feasting on both. The downside though is where we are camped, metres from the Volta River there are two large trees, both laden with ripe fruit. A corrugated shed sits below one of them and when a mango drops there is an almighty 'Bang!' Might be a night for ear plugs. Last trip we didn't bring a couple of sets and suffered on many a night with the surrounding noise. This time we have 5 pairs between us. Just in case.

Upstream from where we are is the dam holding back Lake Volta. The guide book tells us it is the largest man made lake in Africa I always thought Lake Nasser in Egypt was that. You live and learn. We took a drive to look at the dam wall and part of the lake. When we head north to Burkina Faso I think we might even travel over part of the headwaters.

The drive from Ada Foah was uneventful, partly on highway then hitting the outskirts of Accra was a mess before turning off and heading north. We had hoped to bypass Accra proper but there is a possibillity we may have to get our Burkina Faso visa there. It was our belief we could get it at the border.

Tonight we had a delicious meal of Tilapia and pap on a pontoon set out into the river. Tilapia is an introduced fish that has proven popular in many African countries. Very fleshy and flavoursome it must be able to co-exist with local species without too much disturbance. We have eaten it before in at least Ethiopia and Tanzania. Can't think of where else.

31^st May Anomabo Resort, West of Accra

N05 10'17.7” W001 07'47.1”

Note, we have passed the Greenwich meridian and are now in the western hemisphere.

Nice place to spend your birthday and hope the meal tonight is better than my birthday last year in Mozambique when, although in a fishing village, the seafood platter we both had was all from frozen ingredients, the worst meal on the whole trip.

Yesterday was pretty full on. We travelled down from the dam in rain which continued all morning. There is a Shoprite in Accra, a good place to stock up in essentials and some shops for Joan to get some therapy. Shoprite is big in SA & Namibia and you get the odd one in the major cities north of there. Checked emails while there, there was one from Georges, a bloke working in one of the embassies in Burkina Faso who informed me visas at the border were $180 per person. Wow. Decided to find the BF embassy in Accra which we did fairly easily, usually you drop your passport in in the morning and pickup the visa in the afternoon. It was the afternoon when we arrived but the lovely receptionist, Fatima, talked the official into giving it to us there and then. For a cost of $37 each. We are so lucky with visas, maybe age does count?? I think I've said that before.

Were dreading the traffic in Accra but, compared to Nigeria, were very well behaved. Had an incident with a young police officer while there: wanted to go in the opposite direction so did a U turn at traffic lights. I had seen another bloke do it and, although saw the cop standing there, thought it must be ok. A km further on this taxi pulled alongside with the cop in it waving me to stop. He must have commandeered the taxi to chase me. He went off his head about me doing a U turn, I pointed out there was no sign like the one over there.... showing U turns were not permitted and I had seen someone else do it. He countered saying he had yelled after us to stop, we answered that we had heard no such sound which was true. He said we must go back to the station, we said we were only tourists passing through, were very apologetic and would not do it again. He kept on and on, I said right! Let's go back to the police station but you're not coming with us! I started the car up and said 'Let's go!' Suddenly he changed, I think realizing we had called his bluff, I think he wanted Dash (bribe) but we were damn sure he wouldn't get it. After both parties cooling down, we shook hands, gave him a smile & wave, and took off. 5 minutes later I had cause to do the same manouvre again, but luckily no cops were there to see.

2^nd June. Green Turtle Lodge, Dixcove, Ghana.

There are two places on the West Africa route that are renowned as places where Overlanders take a break, learn about routes further on, places that have good food and cold beer. GTL is one of them, The Zebra Bar in Senegal is the other. This place was some 120kms off our route but thought it best to visit just to say we had been there. The last 10kms of road was bad due to the rains but the lodge itself has a relaxed atmosphere and friendly people in attendance. There is no phone reception and no WiFi. The uploading of photos I was intending doing here will have to wait for another day. No electricity, small solar panels seem to provide light in the chalets. A few guests, mainly a group of English girls that look like they are having a break from volunteering, and one Overlander, Ronald and his dog Puli. Ronald is filling in time until his girlfriend flies to Accra next month to join him. On talking to him we discovered that we had met 4 years ago at Jungle Junction in Nairobi. He remembered us from the blue VW parked in the yard. He is heading south on this trip then up the east coast once again back to Holland. Meeting people from 4 years ago, perhaps we have been in Africa too long.

Got caught for speeding yesterday. Cars had been flashing their lights at us but that happens a lot so didn't give it much thought until rounding a corner in the smallest of small villages face to face with a radar gun. The chief came over, leant on the window and commented how much I would have to pay and how long a court case would take and we wouldn't be able to leave the country till it had been settled. But,,,,, we could settle it now with say..... 100cedi ($52). Oh no! What about 20cedi. He laughed came down to 50, I stuck on 20, he laughed again then we settled on 30. Might have been able to get it lower but I was doing 82 in a 50kph area. I find it hard to argue with a radar gun.

25th Ma. Chez Alice, Lome, Togo

Hi, Long post after problems getting on line in Nigeria. 18th May makes interesting reading. All well, enjoying a few days break and hope to get more of them in the next few weeks. Gary & Joan

 13^th May. Presbyterian Maternity Hospital & University.  Baminda, Cameroon

N05 58'02.4” E010 09'10.0”

We seemed to have travelled quite some distance since the last words I wrote. Last night we spent at the capital, Yaounde at the Presbyterian Eglise. Tonight we are some 360kms further on at Baminda in the Cameroon Highlands. The road reached 1900 rain drenched metres today before dropping down to 1400 at this town. A good road though, apart from the last 70kms which required concentration esp with all the unannounced bloody speed humps that could break a spring if not seen.

Tomorrow we travel around the Ring Road. A very scenic 350km drive through many traditional villages. The area was made famous by some of Gerald Durrell's books such as 'The Bafut Beagles' He spent some time in this area. It is also where that lake, a few years ago, belched poisonous gas one night killing all the villages living around the lake. These daily notes have to be short as the battery in the computer is giving up the ghost and only has 22 minutes of life from a full charge.

Joan had porridge in bed for Mother's Day. And a wine with her spinach omelette tonight.

15^th May. Ekok Border Post. Cameroon.

N05 48'32.6 E008 51'01.0”

Well we did it. It was always going to be a race to get to Ekok on the Nigerian border before the rains set in and stuffed up the 80kms from Mamfe. Well, the rains started two weeks ago but the road had dried up enough for us to do the distance in under 4 hours. There were sticky places where 4wd was necessary but we got through without too many hassles. As we pulled up to the Immigration/Customs post here in Ekok, the heavens opened. For 2 hours torrential rain scored the earth. I was stuck in the customs building while Joan sat in the car a few metres away. Lightning and thunder were simultaneous. It  was very scary. We intended staying the night at the border post to make sure we can use the full 7 days of our Nigerian visa.  The natives are restless tonight, the drums are sounding to the beat of some popular Cameroonian artist.

An American we met had taken 10 days to get across these 80kms and he was in a convoy of 4 vehicles while the Swiss couple we met in Angola had to spend 6 months in Cameroon due to the damage done to their vehicle from this stretch of road. When dry it looks quite harmless. But when the rains hit it turns to mud. The Chinese have turned the road to Mamfe from the east into a fast 2 lane highway. They have started the initial work on this last stretch but will be three years before this overlander challenge is a thing of the past.

Yesterday we started up the Ring Road that is a must-see for people visiting this area. The scenery was spectacular but the road pretty bad. It was going to take us too long to do the full circuit. We covered about a third of the circuit, happy to nurse the bakkie in anticipation of the road today.

16^th May. Le Chateau Hotel. Calabar, Nigeria.

The owner of this hotel used to permit overlanders to camp here, but not now. We decided to take a room to do some washing and dry the things that were saturated in the storm last night. Apart from a few sections of potholes, the road is good asphalt all the way to Calabar.

This city is said to be one of the more attractive ones of this country. The streets are tree lined and the traffic not too bad. We will take a drive around this morning after getting our Brown Card Insurance which covers most of the countries up to Morocco.

In Calabar a must see is the Drill Ranch. It is one part of efforts to save the Drill Monkey from extinction. The other section of Drill Ranch is in the Afi mountains to the north where they are released. Here in Calabar they foster the orphans that are brought in. There is also a tribe of the monkeys in a large enclosure to give visitors a taste of their living habits. The guide was very interesting, the hour we spent there well worth it. Though a pity we didn't go to Afi.

Still looking for a nice place to spend a few extra days to relax now we are through the Mamfe road.. Thought Calabar might be the place but unless we find somewhere better than this we will push on. Our 7 day visa gives us enough time to comfortably get through Nigeria.

18^th May. Tourist Garden Hotel. Asaba, Nigeria

I have spoken earlier about the smashed vehicles we see on the roads in some of these countries, Angola in particular. Here in Nigeria it's the trucks that seem to have a predilection to end up upside down on the side of the road, smashed into  power poles, one still burning, or upright in the side of the road with a car ploughed into the front. Unfortunately we were part of an accident scene that luckily left us and the bakkie untouched but two smashed trucks and perhaps a smashed Mercedes with at least 4 passengers sitting inside.

         Yesterday we travelled from Calabar on asphalt, some areas of potholes  but generally not bad. The last 70kms was on good 4 lane highway. Trucks tend to keep to the fast (left) lane when it's two lane each way meaning we pass on the right (wrong) side remember we are driving on the right. We were coming down a long quite steep hill  following this Merc in passing this fully laden truck on the right. He must have been doing a good 80-90KPH. At the bottom of the hill this big semi illegally turned onto our side of the dividing strip and headed towards us then began turning into a yard on his left. The Merc pulled up on the right hand lane, I could see the left hand lane would be cleared first so pulled into that. As the semi moved enough for me to almost squeeze past I noticed in my right rear vision mirror the truck we had passed travelling fast metres away from the other semi, I hit the gas just as the truck hit. The was an almighty crash slewing the slowly moving semi around. We pulled up very shaken  a few metres away. The truck driver didn't sound his horn to warn us but must have realized he couldn't stop and chose a path between the bakkie and the Merc. If he had've hit either vehicle he would have squashed it horribly. Local people were running over to help, we thought it wise not to get involved. Joan was unaware of what was happening until she heard the crash, it happened so quickly.

Travelling through these countries people expect kidnapping and bombings to be the danger but it's on the roads the danger is more so. I'm not sure if many of the trucks here have air brakes, I haven't heard any compressors operating when passing.

         At Onitsha, on the banks of the Niger River we ran into an almighty road block. A real shambles with  cars and trucks going the wrong way on either side of the road. A typical African scene. This hotel is on the other side of the river, a large complex that offers rooms at a good rate. The food is terrible but it's nice to unwind for a couple  of days.

21^st May. In Disused Quarry. Over Benin Border

N09 51'20.1” Eoo3 21' 03.3”

The break at Asaba was a boost for both of us. Then it was on the road to Oshogbo where there is a sacred forest with statues to their god Osun. It is World Heritage Listed so thought it would be worth the excursion. The hype was bigger than the happening even if it was a World Heritage Site. We stayed the night there then travelled on towards the Benin border at a place called Nikki. Another Overlander had said the road to the border was slow but interesting. It was an apt description, for 140kms the road was a shocker not made easier by the rain we had during the night. Places to camp were impossible to find until finally coming upon a track with what seemed to have little use and drove 100metres up that for the night. In these countries all tracks lead somewhere and before turning in for the night we had a young Fulani bloke on his motorbike coming along to see what we were doing. He couldn't speak English and we weren't sure what he was saying. In the end he left us, it was one of the few nights bush camping I felt a little unsure of the situation.

The next morning we hadn't been driving that long on the bad road when we started to come upon the Fulani's herds of cattle being led along the road to pasture. Some of the herds would number over 100, large serene animals with massive horns, They are beautiful. The Fulani are very different to other tribes in the area. Tall, with more finer features, they are quite aloof and may manage a slight nod of the head if you wave to them. Very similar to the Tutsis in Rwanda I think they also are reputed to have emigrated from The Ethiopian area.

It was our intention to camp near the border and cross in the morning as the Benin police only issue a 2 day visa that can be extended at the capital, Cotonou. The customs crowd refused so we headed a short distance till we came upon this quarry.

22^nd May.  Cat Has Hotel, Djougou, West Benin.

Well it didn't take us long to get across this country. Benin is a long narrow country, about 250kms wide at this point. The 2 day visa meant a quick trip or going to Cotonou which, I believe, is not the nicest of cities. In fact, looking at what we have seen so far, there are not many pleasant African cities. Just mad traffic, rubbish, stalls, tooting horns, heat and frustration. The villages out in the country are different, like yesterday, when we were driving on the rough road on the way to the border, entering a village the first kids would call out in their dialect 'White Man'! It would gain momentum as we passed through both kids running and waving, and adults also calling out and giving us a wave. To stop is to be surrounded by a horde of people most of them just wanting to be close. Occasionally one would want something, we must seem to have so much, them so little, but usually not. And this would  happen in every village we passed through. Admittedly not that many foolhardy whites would have driven down that road I would say.

Joan & I were commenting on the country we had passed through since leaving Namibia; not what you would call inspiring apart from the rain forest in Gabon and Cameroon. Interesting sights were also few and far between. Drill monkeys were interesting and the gorillas were worth going to, the national parks are often difficult to get to with few animals to be seen. The colourful people are what makes a trip up West Africa worth while, and when we look back, it's they who we will remember.

Internet in Nigeria was bad, always not working and we have seen no cybernet signs here in Benin, so this post is getting longer and longer. Sorry about that.

23^rd May. Kande Central Togo

It's Wednesday so this must be Togo! Not quite as bad as that. At least we have a 6 day visa here meaning we can take our time. Kande is the stepping off point to the Tamberma Valley where, during the slavery period, the local inhabitants of the valley fortified their family compounds using only mud and timber, against the Dahomian slavers. The houses are still lived in and the plan of the houses are quite unique. Joel, our guide spoke good English, was very informative in describing their way of life. Afterwards we visited a nearby market that usually occurs every Wednesday. Full of life, colour and vibrancy. With a guide we were able to learn more abot the different happenings in the market such as the group of elders sitting in earnest discussion working out the areas problems. Or the cooking area where we sat down and ate freshly cooked gateau biscuits served with pepper.

Crossing into Togo this morning, the Beninese immigration blokes wanted to know where our Benin visa was. On entering the country the bloke who seemed slack to us, stamped the entry stamp on the passports but didn't place the transit visa in the passport as well. But they were nice blokes who took pity on a couple of oldies and said to make sure we get one when we come back to their country. On the Togolese side things were very relaxed. The im

12th May. Yaounde, Cameroon

10^th May. Church of St Joseph, Mitzic, Nth West Gabon.

N00 47' 31.3” E011 32' 56.6”

Ended up staying another night at the Tropicana: right on the beach, good food, a/c in room and hot shower. We needed to get some of our energy back. Yesterday we picked up our Nigerian visas after an interview with the consular head. Just wanted to clarify a few points on or route etc. We have decided to go through Nigeria as the route around the top through Chad and Niger is becoming quite unsafe with the muslin rebels in those countries and the north of Nigeria appear to have joined up. The instructions we were given to protect ourselves were quite dramatic. Nigeria's troubles are in the north mainly. We will be passing along the southern route and travelling as quickly as the road blocks etc allow. At the moment we are camped about 200kms from the Cameroon border and will pass over tomorrow.

Travelled over 420kms today, mainly on a good road apart from the pot holes coming out of Libreville. Were held up for half an hour while some earthmoving equipment did their job along the way. The address we had for staying was at Oyem, some 120kms further on we were getting weary and when this church appeared thought it worthwhile seeing if we could camp up for the night. They were happy to oblige. The shower is a mandi and 4 young kids spent half an hour lugging buckets of water to the 44 gal drum for us to dowse ourselves.

The drive today was through rain forest for almost the whole way. It is amazing how much of the country is untouched. We did pass a few logging trucks today with massive tree trunks on them, but it must be small operations.

11^th May. Le Ranch, Ebolawa. Cameroon.

N02 54'54.8” E011 08' 24.0”

Crossed into Cameroon at lunch time. Paperwork quite quick on both sides. Amazing how so many of the customs officials don't know what to do with the Carnet de Passage. It's important they get it correct because if not,there is a possibility our deposit with the AA of South Africa won't be returned to us. It's in 3 parts, when entering a country, they fill in the bottom part, stamp it then tear it off which they keep. They also fill half of the top section. When leaving a country, they fill in the middle section, stamp, then keep. And also fill in the 2^nd half of the top section. This shows the vehicle was imported then exported from the country.

Often it's little happenings that make this trip so interesting. Things that at the time seem run of the mill because of the situation, but afterwards are quite amusing. The other day at Lamberene we went to the nearby supermarket to buy a few things. These supermarkets are small, and really have little on the shelves. It's just the things they do have are spread over a metre of the shelving. There is always an arab-looking person in charge,not sure what country they come from but seems like they have a monopoly on min marts in this part of the world. There is never any fresh meat, only frozen. A bloke was at the chopping block cutting up frozen chicken for a lady standing by. One of the pieces, when chopped, when flying onto the dirty floor. He said 'Pardon', she murmured something in reply, he picked the piece up off the floor, and added it to her pile on the scales. Anybody for chicken?

Rained for most of the morning. Cooled the place down, as long as we don't get too much as it may affect us crossing into Nigeria. There is an 80km stretch of road between Mamfe in Cameroon and Ekok in Nigeria. Once the rains hit this stretch turns into a quagmire than can take days to get through. Get an idea of the conditions by hitting Mamfe Ekok road on Youtube. You will be amazed.

8th May. Libreville, Gabon

6^th May, AM. Old Quarry, Lope National Park. Gabon

This trip sometimes feel like we are doing the challenges Jeremy Clarkson and crew have to do in Top Gear. Yesterday's envelope read:

'You will travel 360 kms. The first half on good asphalt roads, the last 176kms will be on all weather but badly corrugated, potholed gravel. The scenery in this second half will be of magnificent dense tropical rainforest but you will not have time to view such scenery as taking your eyes off the road will result in damage to your vehicle. You will come upon a broken down truck in the middle of nowhere, the driver has a fog of flies around his body. You will stop and offer food and water and soon you will have a fog of flies around your body. You have been silly and park in such a way that a semi trailer, empty thankfully, that suddenly appears around a bend has to brake hard to stop ploughing into van. He stops 2 metres away, the driver laughs. You travel on through deserted villages apart from the occasional inhabitant until, as the sun sets, you almost reach your destination. The last 200 metres will be in low range 4WD up a steep incline to an old quarry where you will be rewarded by a 180 degree view of the national park, a full moon rising in the east as the sun sets in the west.'

Yes, it was another hard day but this place is out of this world. The flies have eased off a little as well. They are smaller than the bush flies in AU but just as annoying.

Hope to visit the park today.

6^th May PM.

We hung around for most of the day in sweltering heat, it is the 4^th day since we had rain usually it rains after a couple of days. At 4pm we hit the national park with Jean Pierre as our guide. The scenery was impressive with more rolling hills and valleys covered in dense rainforest. Unfortunately animals were a bit skint with us seeing a bush pig, something we hadn't seen before, and 4 elephants including a baby. Eddy the guy at the employees camp told us to camp next to his home. It was dark by the time we had returned from the park, and although we did know of a bush camp some 40kms on, we took the easy choice. Quite nice hearing the murmurs and the odd laugh of other people around us.

7^th May. Church of the Immaculate Conception School. Lamberene, Gabon.

Should be safe tonight with a statue of the virgin Mary in a rocky alcove a metre from the van. When we arrived here there were over 200 children letting out steam as children can be expected to do. Come 5.30 and the place is silent. The nuns and some staff live at the school, but it is safe and they do have a clean shower with hot water. If we're not careful we will become used to the treat.

Our detour to Lamberene was to visit the hospital and museum of Albert Schweitzer. An amazing person who spent his life helping to fight leprosy and other tropical illnesses for most of his life. He won the Nobel Prize in the '50s. I read his autobiography at high school and was always interested in him and his work. He was also a gifted organist giving concerts in many countries. He died in 1965 but his work continues in the more modern hospital than the one that is now a museum. There is a school and church here as well as the medical centre, the place is alive with kids and visitors.

The 270km drive today continued much of the way through rain forest. Gabon's president decided against the usual destruction of the rain forest that is happening in so many African countries and decreed many years ago that most of it must not be touched. The result is a naturalist's paradise. It is a beautiful country with plateaus of rolling hills and rain forest.

It was a pleasant surprise to run into a group of 6 Spanish Overlanders yesterday. They were heading south, their 3 vehicles hardly had a panel that wasn't covered in sponsor's names. We felt a little 'Plain Jane' with our AU flag on the back. We also came upon another Spanish couple in this massive van, also heading south. We were able to get further info from them as well. Hope they get across the Congo River without too many problems.

8^th May. Tropicana Hotel, Libreville.

N 00 26'57.8” E 009 24'43.5”

Note! We are in the Northern Hemisphere. Crossed the equator today.

Separate Overlanders had warned us not to go to Libreville if at all possible. It wasn't on our plans but we were one visa short for this part of the trip. It was possible to perhaps get it in Douala, Cameroon, but if we were knocked back there it would affect our planning for the next part of the trip. Best to have Douala as a fall back position. At the embassy the lady was at first hostile, we didn't have contacts in the country and we didn't have a confirmed hotel reservation. Then she relaxed and was all amenable for us getting the visa.

A good road from Labarene up until 100kms from the capital, then it fell to pieces. Potholes, road blocks, we arrived at the embassy 30 minutes after they were meant to close, as what happened once before, they let us in. We pick up the visas tomorrow.

It is hot and sticky. Saps all energy especially when the food being eaten is not what we are used to. The Hotel Tropicana allows overlanders to camp but we have taken a room with a sea view, A/C and hot water with a nice restaurant.

4th May. Masuku Hotel, Franceville, Gabon

Another post. Sorry about the lack of photos. The journey so far has been quite full on. Hope to get a bit of time shortly to catch up. Connections here aren't the best as well.

29^th April. Reserve de Lifini, Central ROC

S03 16'18.9” E015 28'28.6

After missing the gorillas in Rwanda 4 years ago this was an opportunity to see some lowland ones. Other overlanders had written how nice it was camping by Lac Bleu making us decide to spend a few nights here and unwind. Unfortunately the situation has changed since that report and and camping is not usually allowed and if so, the only place to stay is next to the ecoguardes lodging. Not quite what we expected. Somehow the pitch and the reality is somewhat different. Tomorrow we hope to see some young gorillas and in the afternoon will drive to the part of the park where the males are normally roaming. The park scenically is beautiful. So African we expect to see giraffe's heads gazing above the foliage. The land all the way from Brazzaville and around the park is almost devoid of trees, just rolling grassland.

30^th April. Reserve de Lifini

Looking back at the crossing of the Congo River, despite the frustration, bribes, heat and reliance on other people due to the language barrier, the positives outweighed the negatives substantially. Mary and her side kick Oscar were invaluable. What took 4 days could easily have taken weeks as has happened to other overlanders. You realize this could take a while when you walk into the offices of the port authority and there is not one computer in the building. Some paperwork has to have 6 carbon copies. People you need to sign papers have gone AWOL. Yet the actual loading of the van onto the barge Kinshasa side took 10 minutes. The word was things are easier on the Brazzaville side, with the low water level we had to scramble over rocks to get ashore then the officious immigration bloke hit us with “Where is your hotel immigration?” in French of course, we tried to explain our situation to no avail. The guide book's phone numbers were out of date and we dreaded the thought of having to return to DRC. Then he ordered a bloke to take us up to immigration headquarters where once again the language barrier was a major problem. Then it suddenly all changed: this lady came up and asked us in English what our problem was, we explained and once that was relayed to the OIC he stamped the passports, arranged for the lady's brother to take us to the nearest hotel. As luck would have it, the Commodore Hotel was a stones throw from the port which I discovered the next morning when I did a look around, and on the water, some 6 barges out into the river, sat the bakkie.

That morning, Joan stayed in the A/C cooled room while I once again went from office to office with the aid of a young bloke seconded to help me, and before lunch the paperwork was all finished. Then another problem arose: getting the vehicle off the barge. Being so far out and the cranes not seeming to be doing any work that was our next obstacle. Then Leon came to the rescue. A 3 stripe policeman who spoke pretty good English, he took it upon himself to try and persuade the head of logistics at the port to use a tug to get the barge closer to shore. Twenty minutes of discussions ended with the bloke agreeing, and by the time we had walked back down to the barge, the tug was already there manouvering into position so as to turn it around and push toward the wharf. Even this took quite a while as the flow of the river is strong, the barges are long and our car happened to be on the wrong end which meant a lot of manouvring before it was able to come close enough. Four blokes hooked the clamps over the wheels and before we knew, it was ashore. A few more 'transport fees' and we were off. Unbeknown to us at the time but the following Mon & Tues were public holidays and we would have been lucky to get it off until later in the week.

Then it was our turn to have a bit of luck. We happened to drive past the Gabon embassy where we needed to get visas, being after 3.30 the chance of them being open were slim. But they were, we thought at least if we would get them in we may have them back by the following Monday. The lady asked us to wait, and 30 minutes later we had our Gabon Visas!

The Hotel Hippocampe is the place where overlanders congregate in Brazzaville, Oliver, the owner, is a Frenchman who has been amazingly helpful to travellers over the years. The also have great Vietnamese buffets on Fri & Sat nights. After slim pickings the previous 5 days it was welcome.

The next day we were able to pick up the Carte Rose insurance for next 5 countries for CPT, get SIM card, book for the gorillas and do some shopping. Yesterday we visited the rapids downstream from Brazzaville, impressive, then headed north. Potholed road in places paid a toll on the bakie with our exhaust pipe coming adrift near the manifold. Might scare the gorillas.

7.30pm The young orphaned gorillas were quite amusing. So like human children with their antics. The visitors were on one side of a 15 metre stream the apes on the other. When they reach 6 yrs of age they are released in another section of the park. That section is where we are tonight. Tomorrow we hope to see Sid, the silverback.

One final aspect of the Kinshasa waterfront that I didn't mention. Amongst the maelstrom of humanity that was 'the Beach', when the ferry came in, we would see rows of people emerging from the boat, holding the shoulder of the person in front of them. The leader seemed to know the ropes. All had a sizeable load on their back covered in hessian. Joan had to ask Mary what it was all about. She said that handicapped people can get on to the ferry for free on either side of the river. They are used as mules to convey freight.

1^st May. Bush Camp west of Okoyo, ROC

S01 29'31.6” E015 02'34.9”

Sid didn't let us down. His home is an island in another part of the park. Until the orphans turn 6 he is on his own. There is a feeding platform where the warders supplement his diet and it is there we can get a good look at this massive creature. In fact a little too close for me as visitors are taken to within a couple of metres of him in a boat. It is common knowledge not to stare at the silverbacks but it is hard not to, he is such an beautiful animal. He showed his disgust of us staring by throwing a couple of oranges at us, one collecting Joan on her shoulder. The visit to the reserve cost $240 for the 2 of us,much cheaper than what you would pay to see the mountain gorillas in Ruwenzori, maybe not as authentic but we were more than happy.

Then it was back on the road heading for the Gabon border some 500kms away. Beautiful rolling country with many villages on either side of the highway. As we approached Oyo which was the most eastern place before heading northwards, we were amused to see, in the middle of nothing, a large air traffic control tower and alongside it a 3 storey high glass covered terminal with a fashionable wavy roof. The place was empty as was this new hotel complex nearby. Then it dawned on us: Oyo was the home town of the president. In the town itself have been and are being built these official buildings all built on the style of US Southern cotton estates with columns and the such. Incongruous. A pity they weren't at least build with an African touch.

3^rd May. Lekoni Hotel, Gabon.

A very testing day yesterday. It started well, clearing customs and police control with no hassles unlike the previous night when the immigration official in his little grass hut demanded $40 for him to stamp our passports. 'No' means no in French & English repeated many times, Joan lost her cool, it came down to $20, she stormed out scaring the wife & kids, then it became nothing except a plea for something, still 'No!' We drove on to our bush camp.

The Chinese are improving the road up until about 30kms from the border. Due to a mistranslation we headed off on the wrong rough track for about 10kms until a truck driver working on the road explained for us to go back. What we had interpreted as a long detour should have been a very short one of 200 metres or so. Then it was over the bridge into deep sand. Sand is no bother but the wheel tracks were so deep from passing trucks that it is very easy to become stuck high and dry. Often there was no alternative track to take. This happened 5 times, each time a group of children and youths would appear, grab the shovel from me, and take over. Perhaps age still does matter here. One group helped us three times and didn't demand anything. We gave them water, some biscuits and $10 or so to share between them. But even then they weren't going to leave us: an older man jumped in the cab with two others riding shotgun and we headed north with them pointing out the best route. They would have gone kilometres past their village but were quite happy to walk back. This happened once again when we were getting close to the Gabon border with a young bloke accompanying us for a long distance until he could show us a track we would have ignored but proved to be firm with no sand patches.

After that respite sand continued right to the border when with one last attempt to entrap us failing, the road became a two lane newly formed asphalt, markings, signposts, the lot as we entered Gabon.

Immigration was at nearby Lekoni. By the time all was completed it was dark, we were hot, dirty and weary. The Lekoni Hotel is not the Ritz but it has A/C, no mosquitoes in the room, cold beer and HOT WATER! For the 2^nd time since leaving Windhoek we relished the fact. All for $30.

3^rd May. Hotel Masuku, Franceville, Gabon.

Another hotel that welcomes the trickle of overlanders that head via West Africa. With Angola and now DRC making it very difficult for those heading down Africa to obtain visas, not many people are coming this way.

A very pleasant short drive from Lekoni to Franceville this morning through mist covered rolling green hills then at times dense tropical jungle. A taste of what is to come.

After sorting out Hotel Masuku, we needed to find a mechanic and welder to repair the exhaust. Hard to find mechanic shops as a lot of the work is done on the side of the road, we found one such bloke who did the work professionally but as can be expected with exhaust systems where the heat welds the nuts on to the bolts, a couple were sheared off which meant more extra work getting them extracted. The break incidentally was in an awkward position meaning the manifold as well had to be taken off. Five hours later we had a vehicle that it was possible to listen to audio books as we went along once more. Their effort was much appreciated.