"Who could believe an ant in theory? A giraffe in blueprint? Ten thousand doctors of what's possible Could reason half the jungle out of being" John Ciardi Well Africa has exploded into forests of dense, lush, green vegetation over the past fortnight and suddenly I feel like I've walked straight out of the desert and into a David Attenborough documentary. Ghana is such a contrast to the past two months. Not just the jungle of banana trees and coconut palms, or the humidity. The most noticeable change is the langauge, it's so strange to hear people speaking English again after all the Francophone countries we've passed through. It makes meeting people and buying things easier, but 'Give me money' doesn't sound quite as romantic as 'donnez moi un cadeaux'! Wild Africa has emerged from the undergrowth ... read more

Well I'm guessing this will be the last update before Christmas. I can't belive it's less than a week away. Here I am in the heat and the sun, with the bustling market stalls piled high with watermelons, and suddenly we see a man selling inflatable santas! It's the first festive sign I've seen in Africa, a far cry from Southampton shops playing jingle bells and the lights going up in October! I guess it's just another indication that we've moved south, crossed the border into Mali and left the influence of the Arab north increasingly behind us. The change is unbelievable, and I'm already loving the look of Mali. Everyone is unbelievably friendly, waving and calling out bonjour as we pass through scattered villages of round mud huts. All the stereotyped images of Africa are ... read more

Well it's the last day before we disappear into the deserts of Western Sahara so everyone is busy making the most of internet and showers as there won't be any for over a week now. The things you end up considering as luxuries! You should have seen our campsite the other day, 26 people's laundry strung up to dry is quite a sight. And typically we had the first rain in weeks the afternoon we hung it all out! I've had a fantastic few days, some of the best yet. We spent three days in Marrakech, exploring the souks (markets) and eating so much food (no surprise there!). There are so many fabulous things to buy here (if only I had the money and space): gorgeous, brightly coloured, soft leather slippers; intricately inlaid wooden boxes; beautiful ... read more

Hi everyone Well I've made it to Fez and the good news is the sun has come out! I'm really enjoying Morocco so far, especially wandering around the old towns and getting lost in the network of alleyways. We spent a couple of nights in Chefchuaon, which is a picturesque little town up in the Rif mountains. I spent hours exploring all the bright blue streets there and staring in wonder at all the food in the markets! Everyone on the truck has started fantasising about our favourite foods already and conversation always turns to food talk quickly, no surprise for anyone who knowsme! It's not that we don't get fed well, in fact we get more food than back home, it'sjust always a variation on one pot stew, with a different name each night! I've ... read more

One job quit, one to go! As of Thursday I am free of the desk and the office and the routine, free of the terrible train service and the cold faces of British commuters. And in two weeks time I will escape the long, dark nights and drizzle of England completely. African sunshine here I come! Warm faces, bright colours, bustling markets, exotic smells, wildlife, weird diseases, vivid larium dreams…!! Not that I want to make you all jealous of course! Internet connections permitting, (and anyone actually caring about my exploits), I will be keeping you all updated on my adventures through Africa…yes it’s a big place, and I plan to see as much of it as possible. I am travelling in a big yellow truck, from the UK to Cape Town, via lots of places ... read more