Update.

So today I'm setting back on the road again after three months of being out of the travelling routine and just living in Will's house here in Accra. I'm going to say that I've officially lived in Accra from now on! I got all my visas wrapped up on Wednesday, despite a blazing argument with the Benin embassy, (details in my next journal) so in the meantime I've just been wrapping things up here. It's been a week of mixed emotions. On some days I've been scared, really fucking scared of getting back on the road again. These three months in this house have softened me up a bit. I'm almost as white as I was when I left England and I've been sleeping in a room with air conditioning - not once did I take this for granted though! Leaving a place where I've been able to have constant contact with my family, friends and girlfriend is quite difficult too, and also cohabiting. These things I have gotten used to and it is going to feel very strange to leave them behind. But it has to be done. Despite everything I feel pretty much okay this morning, and I'm really looking forward to my 'first' night sleeping wild again.

I can't express how much gratitude I have for Will. For letting me stay in his home for three months and for everything he's done for me has been extremely kind. With all the people I've met on the road who have shown me hospitality it would be unfair to place peoples kindness higher than others, but in this case it definitely makes this statement true; this trip just would not be possible if it wasn't for the hospitality, trust and

generosity of people who you first meet as strangers, and then depart as good friends. I will miss him. Hopefully we will meet up in Benin for a couple of days at the beginning of July.

Here he is. It's been hard to take a photo of him without his eyes been half closed of having a mid-word facial expression, but I managed to get one in the end.

I am really ready to leave West Africa behind me now though and I'm going to really try and get my skates on. I have a few visas and things to pick up in Togo, see Will in Benin and then race through Nigeria... then I'll be in Cameroon and this part of the World will be behind me. I am really ready for that! Below is a picture of my original back tyre that I left England with. It got me this far so it has served me well, but it's now worn to the point it's getting holes. I have one of my fat tyres on the back now... along with a modified set up and a lovely worn in new engine - I'm ready to go!