Hey folks - well, I've got to Nigeria, one of the bits of the trip I was most worried about (along with DRC and Angola) and I've only gone and barged into the middle of their general elections! There were 65 people (at least) killed in rioting last night as the usual evidence of election rigging became apparent, so I'm consulting anyone who'll listen to get the best route options from Abuja, where I presently am to Calabar on the Cameroon border.
One the upside, with the possible exception of Lagos, which still has it's old Mad Max charm, I'm finding the country and people surprisingly pleasant. So far, I've been waved through every AK47-fest of a police checkpoint with a smile, entertained at the house of a government vet (pic above) and escorted through the (beautiful) hinterlands of the country by a federal official on his way home for the election hols.
On the downside, I'm now stuck in Abuja waiting for things to reopen so I can apply for an Angola visa (a hard thing for us UK peeps to get, and only really an option from Nigeria). Having said that, the beer is cold and the taxi drivers are amusing. Nobody believes that I rode Naartjie down from the UK, so that's fun too.
Since the last post, Naartjie has had a good seeing-to (and a new tyre) at Toni-Togo, a KTM dealer in, erm, Togo (pic of Naartjie in the buff above) and I've caught fleas in some vile hotel in Benin. However, it's all good 'cos there is (strangely) an empty and working fridge/freezer in my hotel room, and I read somewhere that fleas are best frozen to death. As such, I've been putting all my clothes and my helmet in the freezer and nothing itches any more!
On a personal note, I'm both delighted and sad that it's my daughter Lauren's birthday tomorrow (16th). She'll be 3 and I'm sad that I won't be there. So, Happy Birthday Pop! Daddy Loves You.
As for the rest of you, well I at least like you. Next stage is hopefully Cameroon and then Gabon. After that, time for some Congo action - but there are many miles between here and there.
All the best - A
6 comments:
Hail from Sunny Wooler.
Comms probs now resolved. Rock on and keep enjoying it. Am so confident now I've e-bayed all the back-up spares!!! Particular care during next couple of weeks.
Could you not ask that Nigerian vet to give you some flea treatment? There's this really good stuff you rub into the back of the neck and it lasts for 6 months...although your approach is more economical, the mrs might complain if she finds the cat in with the pizzas peas...
Hi Andy,
We ('The Dockyard Mob') have all been following your exploits with keen interest since you left these shores.
Glad to see the bikes holding up to the demands you're putting it through........obviously not fitted with any home-made Dockyard bits!!!
We all felt particularly sorry for you having to spend a night in a brothel - yeah right!!!
Barry needs confirmation that you really are the one with the braces in your latest pic!
Seriously you're doing great, just try to keep clear of getting kidnapped in Angola and Congo......you know how miserable we Dockie's are when it comes to a whipround!!!
Good Luck
Neil & Barry
Ps. Keep the travelogue going....it keeps us entertained!
Hi Andy
Johandej here. First time I've been able to get into your blog.
I'm thrilled to see you've progressed so far already. Carry on with the good work and good luck with the Angolan visa.
Johan
Firstly, Andy, inspirational stuff mate, keep riding and keep blogging. To the rest of you, please disregard as here comes some of that Carousel nonsense that JB, himself a carouseller, complained of.
Alien Fauna, nice poetic response, glad to see you there.
Big Al, I am getting rich now, but, you'll be aghast to hear, not via the gee-gees...always said it was a mug's game. Instead have joined the ranks of the self employed and am doing quite nicely ..I've got a product as well as my time to sell and I've actually sold it.How's you?
Hey - If your still hanging out in Abuja, send me and email at steveiska at hotmail.com. My sister and her husband are in Jos, from Canada working.
Warren
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