Off to explore more of West Africa
Hope you’ll forgive my intermittent absences over the next eight weeks. Poor John and I are off on another adventure. I’m writing from Singapore on the way to Accra, Ghana.
A map of the basic overland itinerary is above, although Burkino Faso has recently been omitted because of escalating unrest there.
Here’s a link to the initial trip. This is the second time we’ve travelled in West Africa on the back of a truck. In case, you’re wondering, we’ll be camping again. My backpack, including roll mat and sleeping bag, weighs 12 kilos. Poor John’s weighs 14, but he’s carrying the laundry and coffee supplies.
The second leg of the trip—Freetown to Dakar—was full, so we’ll cover some of that distance by taxi and a flight.
No idea how much internet I’ll have, so I apologise in advance for all the posts I won’t have a chance to like or comment on. I’ll try to post as often as possible. Life will be back to ‘normal’ toward the end of April.
The map below gives you an idea of just how huge Africa is compared to the rest of the world. We’ll be travelling along the part overlaid by some of the map of the United States.
Size of Africa compared to the rest of the world
Where to next? 
I’ll be following you on the blog and through the camera lens
Should be a good trip, but careful though, it where I got cerebral malaria (big Millie’s campsite) trust me you don’t want to get it, it’s a killer, as I found out
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Thanks Derrick. We’ve already started taking Doxy.
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It never worked for me😐
But the DEET helped (but melted anything plastic)😐
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We use Rid, an efficient Australian brand. Hope it works.
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Happy and safe travels – I’ll be eager to follow along with your always-interesting posts 🙂
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Thanks so much.
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Wow, exciting! Have a safe and wonderful trip, we’ll look forward to your reports! ¡Que tengas buen viaje!
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Thanks, I just hope there’s the occasional internet.
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Safe travels! Can’t wait to read all about your adventures!
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Thanks, I’ll try to keep up.
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Looking forward to reading about it; wishing you a safe and fun trip.
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Thanks so much. We’ve made it as far as Addis Ababa. Ethiopian Air has been excellent.
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Yes hope it all goes without a hitch, stay safe and have a grand time.
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Yes, yes, yes! We’ll hope for no hitches.
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Bon voyage, my dear friend. I aspire to have your really adventurous spirit.
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Thanks Kerry. You’re very adventurous yourself.
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Good luck, and stay safe! I will look forward to hearing about your travels, but not envying the back of a truck too much. 🙂
Best wishes to you, and Poor John too.
Pete.
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Travelling on the back of a truck presents its own challenges. We’re doing it while we still can.
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And well done to you, for having that adventurous spirit, dear Peggy. 🙂
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Wow. Excited for you. Wish I was there too. Love
S
Sent from my iPhone
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We’ll give Africa your love.
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I’m looking forward to the adventure. Had no idea the Africa is this big!
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Africa is huge. Last time we travelled here, we covered 30 countries and 43,000 kilometres in 11 months.
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Bon voyage! What a great adventure!
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Thanks so much. Not quite as tame as our last adventure.
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Stay safe and have a great time!
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Thanks. We plan to do both.
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Wow what an offbeat area to explore. Wishing you a fabulous adventure and I look forward to reading all about it.
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We’ve been to West Africa before, but not to all of these. We’re excited about the journey, the people we’ll meet and the sights we’ll see.
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Sounds like a REAL adventure, but then you and Poor John always have been adventurous. Hope you have a safe trip. No doubt you’re both already inoculated ‘up to the eyeballs’ and carry a good first aid kit. Sometimes I wonder if you also both have cast irons stomachs, but I daresay hygiene is high on the agenda when you’re going by truck and camping.
(I’d be laid out flat more than upright at my age and with my chronic digestive issues, although I don’t ever remember having a problem in my o/seas travels in my twenties).
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Washing hands thoroughly and regularly is one of the health measures we can do. Oh and the inoculations up to the eyeballs and the first aid kit. Oh, and we do have cast iron stomachs.
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I will be wating to read about your trip and see the photos.
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With the exception of Ghana, it’s a part of West Africa we haven’t been too before.
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Sounds awesome – enjoy!
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Thanks so much. We hope all goes smoothly.
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Have a wonderful time Peggy! You and John are so brave. I always love your blog and photos so looking forward to them already. Have fun and stay safe.
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Thanks Louise. You should go get some more figs. Call ahead so Mariah can corral Indi. I’ll send you one another’s numbers.
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Awwwww what an excellent trip!!!! Have marvelous moments i will waiting for your posts! Be careful!!!
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Thanks, we will be careful.
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I hope you will both enjoy the trip
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Thanks Derrick. We’re looking forward to it.
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That map is incredible, the one we usually see give no sense of the scale of Africa at all! I hope you enjoy the trip.
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Most people don’t realise how big Africa is. We spent 11 months travelling overland here in 2009. Covered 43,000 kilometres and still have lots to see.
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I am sure you could spend your whole life travelling around Africa and still have lots to see!
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So true.
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Enjoy Peggy, sounds like an adventure. Safe travels 🙂
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Thanks, the main things are to stay safe and healthy.
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Absolutely 😊
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How exciting. Have fun and don’t forget your workshop manual ;)!
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Thanks so much. The trip officially starts on Monday morning.
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Pass through East Africa and visit us in Kenya
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Thanks for the suggestion. We’re only in the West this time, but maybe in the future.
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No problem, welcome anytime.
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We love East Africa. We were there in 2009 and in the 1970s.
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Great, Peggy. I’ll be excited to see your stories, given my own West Africa experiences. –Curt
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I’ll give your regards to Liberia.
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Thanks Peggy. I’ve been seeing photos of the roads upcountry. Good luck!
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Please, please be careful!
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We will. Fully aware of possible dangers.
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I was sure you would be. I just wanted to say ‘have a great time’ but put it in my inimical style.
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Have a wonderful, fantastic, new adventure 😀😎
Ciao
Sid
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Thanks Sid. Our adventure officially begins today.
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🤗😘
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What a wonderful adventure I also didn’t realise just how big Africa is…Above all be careful, enjoy and stay safe …Looking forward to your posts 🙂 x
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Thanks Carol. Yes, Africa is huge. We’ve been lucky enough to cover 43,000 kilometres of it by road, and more to come.
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Welcome to Africa. West Africa has a rich history just as Eastern Africa, the cradle of mankind; if you have read the works of Richard Leakey.
I hope you will come visit this cradle of mankind and the Great Nile River as well as its sources one of these fine days.
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Thanks Sande. I have read the works of Leakey. I have lived in Egypt and have visited much of the Nile. I swam across the river once at a narrow point. I have travelled overland from Alexandria to Juba, and been to the Blue Nile source in Ethiopia and near the White Nile source in the south. The Nile is truly magnificent. I’m glad you work to support it.
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That is awesome.
And thank you for the compliment.
We are giving the initiative a bigger boost this year.
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Hello LeggyPeggy,
The map of Africa and how huge of a continent it is, was interesting. I have never been to Africa (except for Morocco), so I look forward to your blogs and pictures. I am a little late in reading this post and read you have already started on your journey (it is Monday here in NYC).. So wishing you and Poor John a safe trip.. and take along two “whoopee cushions” traveling in a camping truck! And as Dave said (in another posted blog, Colorado), the strong sun also might be a problem in Africa… use full strength sunscreen.
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I have great supplies of sunscreen and bug repellent. Even brought a hat.
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Holy crap – Brave doesn’t even start to cover it.
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Foolhardy has its place.
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Have a wonderful Trip. I look forward to hearing more about it.
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Thanks Amanda. Off to Mole National Park today.
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enjoy your latest trip Peggy. continue…
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Thanks, we will.
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Hi Peggy, You two are amazing. Louise
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And a bit silly. For good measure, I have scabies. First time ever. Ugh!
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Oh no you poor thing.
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Have applied the cure cream.
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Safe travels Peggy and John
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Thanks so much.
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Wow, the overlay map gives astonishing perspective! I’ve been to Northern Africa (Egypt) and South Central (Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana), and that’s just a tiny fraction. Your travels are fascinating, Peggy.
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That overlay map is an incredible eye opener. We spent a year travelling by road in Africa and covered 43,000 kilometres. Only visited three-fifths of the countries (30 in all). Back to do seven more.
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Ooooh, huzzah to more adventures! Be safe, you two, and happy journeys!
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Don’t know how I missed this back in March. We’ve been all good.
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Hi there! Wanna come to Italy one day? We are an italian language school and offer different kind of courses. Take a look on our blog and don’t miss the chance for such an amazing time here in bella Firenze! 🙂
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We’ve been to Italy before, but are thinking about celebrating Christmas there this year. Stay tuned.
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