We bushcamped in an old Quarry near Wa and Annie almost stepped on a snake! No harm done. Continuing along the western border and terrible roads we made it to Mole National park where we camped.Where we entered the world's cheapest National park...only $3 guided tour of Ghana's largest wildlife park (4660 sqkm) having some 90 species of mammals, elephants,baboons, warthogs, waterbucks and antelopes.....We hired a guide to do an afternoon walk....You literally walk with the elephants....not too close but watching them bath in the water from the edge....So many baby elephants,who are really cut [View Full Entry]

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Ouagadougou is crazy. we spent 3 nights here enjoying ourselves in the campsite behind a truck park. There were beers and a swimming pool,greatly appreciated after the desert. But the best part was going for a beer after dinner, in one of the local bars......most amazing places, not a formal bar,more just oddly built tables and chairs,on the side of roads. With the best african music being played.While you are there sipping your beer, you can buy anything....and I mean anything, from underwear,dinner,veggies, fruit (sliced and cut-up)toilet-paper to shoes.Everything and in all sizes....loads [View Full Entry]

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We left by Pinesse(oversized canoe) on April 21 down the Niger river(but northerly direction) and spent 3 days getting to Timbuktu. A wonderful if uncomfortable journey,we saw Hippos,birds, fish and fishermen and stopped at villages to buy food. This large waterway is in the middle of desert and sustains tens of thousands of people and animals. We had to get out and push many times and camped on islands and banks each night. Timbukto was dirty dusty and hot but its allure lived up to its name.Mosques,islamic universities and remarkable squallor a wonderful history and sand were mixed together [View Full Entry]

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After 3 days of pleasant sightseeing in Bamako-all the old sights but many new,we moved on. We were luck as well with visas. After 4 hours of searching Annie and I found the Niger Consulate and obtained a visa in less than a day. We followed with a Nigerian visa in 2 days. All in all a successful time. After 1 night bush camping we reached Djenne with its world famous mud mosque. Most towns in Mali have mud mosques but this is the largest mud structure in the worls. I had wanted to see this for 25 years.We now are [View Full Entry]

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Finally our Visa came through and we were off towards the desert. We entered southern Morocco and to Marakesch where we saw the most amazing spectacle of the night market. Thousands of people gathered to eat at stalls selling goats brains,snails and almost every part of camels etc etc. Juice stalls ,magicians,street performers ,snake charmers and any other street activities were present. Many other sights such as the old palace mosques etc were in every corner.Further south we entered Western Sahara and our first taste of land mines,desert and UN peace keeping soldiers a common sight.After a c [View Full Entry]

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We got sick of waiting for the visas- Mauritania was most difficult and we left the passports in Rabat while we headed on to Volubilis which is a Roman city inhabited for several hundred years and almost the furtherest from Rome. Some of us went to Casablanca for the day from Rabat and its magnificant King Hassas 11 MosqueThings were getting bloody freezing and only got worse bush camping in the desert and then on to Fez another big city. It was time for the High Atlas and going through the highest pass of 2241 metres it was very very cold [View Full Entry]

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March 13 and the Rock of Gibraltar came into view after travelling non stop from Melilla-Malaga- La Linea. We found the truck as arranged , quick introductions and we were off in the direction of Africa ..... for the 3rd time this week- by fast ferry. After stocking up on diesel, alcohol and groceries in Ceuta we attacked our 1st border crossing in Africa-into Morocco. This will be our easiest by far- only 2 hours to get across. As aging hippies do we camped in Tetouan and Chefchaouen . It was very cold high up in the Rif Mountains but the [View Full Entry]

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Fulfilling a long term ambition and dragging Annie along, We travelled to Melilla , a tiny castle enclave of Spain (still) from the 1500,s in the far East of Morocco. To get to this rarely visited city state we had to fly from Tunis to Barcelona where we slept in the airport with about 100 others and caught the early flight to Malaga and then an 8 hour ferry back to Melilla on the North African coast. It was worth it however because not only is it very interesting and historic, with a beautiful castle , it is very different from [View Full Entry]

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Our 10th and final day in Tunisia. What a great place and one which is full of contrasts. Time stopped here in the 19th century yet internet and mobile phones are everywhere. The people are very friendly and often there is a bit of English here and there. The country has a long Islamic heritage yet all is very relaxed. It is possible to even find a little alcohol. On arrival in Tunis it seemed we were in Paris with cafe lined Habib Bourguiba Av and carefully pruned trees. We enjoyed our time with visits to the Roman city of Catharge, [View Full Entry]

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We departed Brisbane just before midnight on 26th February and after 2 pleasant flights arrived in Doha. We were 2 of only a handful to stop here and stood out amongst the arabs in their flowing robes and the women with only their eyes visible. Doha is a relaxed introduction to our travels and we have spent 2 lazy days wandering the Corniche ,souk and visiting the excellent museum of Islamic art. This place is much more Islamic than UAE but I think much nicer. On to Tunisia tomorrow. [View Full Entry]

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