Update.

Its not good. My passport is gone. The people at the Benin embassy think that someone has taken it whilst it was on the table... I went to the British embassy today which was also far from helpful. For some reason they've recently changed the regulations for British tourists applying for a new passport abroad and they say that it would be best if I fly home to sort it all out as it could take six weeks to get everything together. I'm not prepared to do this as

A, It would mean that I would have gone to the Benin embassy with the intention of getting a 10 pound bit of paper in my passport and then two hours later have to spend over one thousand pounds clearing up after someone else's mistake.

B, I can't afford to fly home.

C, I have my bike here which at the moment can only legally be in the country for another 10 days.

D, If I do go home my enthusiasm would be broken and I doubt I would bother coming back here. It just hasn't been worth it so far.

I'm going to apply for a temporary passport tomorrow, which only has five pages, but this should get me to Cameroon. The Benin embassy are actually been very helpful and say they will reimburse and renew the visas that were in there and also cover the costs of the passport. During this time I can try and sort out a new passport from England and have it couriered to Cameroon. The British embassy say this isn't possible but surely you can post a passport?

Things are wearing thin.