Meanwhile back in Benin City Nigeria I had a choice of routes to Calabar which was my ambitious destination (this is the flashback bit where I bring you up to date on the period with no WiFi!).
The roads were nice and muddy after last night rainstorm so they added to the fun of leaving Benin City. But by 0930 I had crossed the Niger heading South, whilst I had last crossed it going north in a tiny ferry at Djenne in Mali, at its inland delta... Amazing river and huge now.
Another river picture as the massive Niger. bRidge was not for stopping on!
My helpful Nigerian contact (and I mean that genuinely) had suggested a route south.via Sapele and Warri and on to Port Harcourt through the river state.
However my reading generally had suggested this might not be optimal for a European who are reportedly called 'wjite gold' for their ransom potential. Now this may be aimed at oil workers but I wasn’t about to take that chance
.
So instead I went a more northern route which ended up being a lot more complicated than the Michelin map of West Africa would lead you to expect. But that's part of the charm of trips like this, I remind myself later in the day.
And at one point the big main road on the map turns I to a small sandy road and I am puzzled and hungry and anxious. So I stop and buy some grilled plantains which of course come with a spicy sauce.
The lass of 15 who sells me this tells me I am in the right road so to proceed'but you must ask directions at every junction!' she says bossily, 'or else you will end up back at Aba!'
And she was right. Fortunately some young guys in a car were passing and took it upon themselves to guide me for 50 kms (!) through weird country roads, which alternated between semi abandoned dual carriageway and sandtraps, until the day was clear. Then we shook hands and they wished me a safe journey.
When I finally made it Into Calabar it had been a 450km+ day which is tiring in Africa so I was glad to get a bed and a shower if not Wifi.
This sort of recaps my ride across Nigeria although my actual track was a lot more wiggly!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
The roads were nice and muddy after last night rainstorm so they added to the fun of leaving Benin City. But by 0930 I had crossed the Niger heading South, whilst I had last crossed it going north in a tiny ferry at Djenne in Mali, at its inland delta... Amazing river and huge now.
Another river picture as the massive Niger. bRidge was not for stopping on!
My helpful Nigerian contact (and I mean that genuinely) had suggested a route south.via Sapele and Warri and on to Port Harcourt through the river state.
However my reading generally had suggested this might not be optimal for a European who are reportedly called 'wjite gold' for their ransom potential. Now this may be aimed at oil workers but I wasn’t about to take that chance
.So instead I went a more northern route which ended up being a lot more complicated than the Michelin map of West Africa would lead you to expect. But that's part of the charm of trips like this, I remind myself later in the day.
And at one point the big main road on the map turns I to a small sandy road and I am puzzled and hungry and anxious. So I stop and buy some grilled plantains which of course come with a spicy sauce.
The lass of 15 who sells me this tells me I am in the right road so to proceed'but you must ask directions at every junction!' she says bossily, 'or else you will end up back at Aba!'
And she was right. Fortunately some young guys in a car were passing and took it upon themselves to guide me for 50 kms (!) through weird country roads, which alternated between semi abandoned dual carriageway and sandtraps, until the day was clear. Then we shook hands and they wished me a safe journey.
When I finally made it Into Calabar it had been a 450km+ day which is tiring in Africa so I was glad to get a bed and a shower if not Wifi.
This sort of recaps my ride across Nigeria although my actual track was a lot more wiggly!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
).
*
when, fortunately, the word came at about 1.30 that the border had reopened!
