Hotel Ureca Malabo

... I annouced to the others "I'm thinking of abandoning my attempt to the summit", by now Charles was carrying my bag since my imodium didn't seem to work long....its going to be a really tough climb for me. Tamlyn is also unwell with a cold/flu also not ideal for climbing.<br><br>The push for the summit would be without the porters as they would be meeting us on the Mann Spring Track for our lunch stop. Luckily for me the strong breeze on the way up was mainly on my ...

... once again, and I was sure it was lunches that were causing the problems. The ladies do their best, I don't fault them at all, but there seems to be something around here that is causing internal discomfort more frequently than it used to. It happens to the local people too; they just have to live with it. It's not often that we would pray for someone with Typhoid Fever in the West, but I've had to do it here ...

... Mabout and Mrs. Bikoé were also a little late; they were already cooking lunch for us. The morning was spent continuing to go through our fundamental beliefs. This is different from Togo. Some points we go through much more quickly than there, and others we take much longer to cover, depending on local situations and experiences. We stopped for a lunch break and ate in the main meeting room: chicken, fried plantain, French-fried potatoes ...

... scheduled to begin. I chatted with several members and got my laptop and projector set up and ready. Moïse gave a sermonette and trusting God: "Seek the Lord While He May be Found", and then I gave some announcements. There was to have been special music but the singer had fallen ill. We moved right into the sermon. I again spoke on the chronology of the crucifixion week and used the PowerPoint presentation ...

... he waited to see if the porter would get any more. I finally told the driver to move on, and he did. The frame of the taxi warped when we went around corners so that door and window seals opened and closed, and various other car parts came apart and back together. This didn't seem auspicious. Then the taxi driver took the wrong direction when we arrived at the main road. This was too much. I protested: -The Ibis is the other direction! -Yes, but ...

... there 3 days in a row I finally caved and bought a gorgeous bracelet watch. So pretty and super easy to make so I'll be hoping to churn out a few when I return to London. The day the trekkers left we were reunited with the other truck. They hadn't been so fortunate in their trip through the jungle roads - basically having to walk the entire way digging as they went. They've also been struck down by illness - 2 with malaria, 1 ...

... l arret. Le chauffeur me rassure on est pas charge, la 505 supporte 3 tonnes de marchandises meme sur ces routes...Hallucinant mais on est passe et cela me donne le gout de faire plsu de route de jungle que prevue pour voir des parcs nationaux tres recule et voir les primates : gorilles, chimpanzees, mandrills, elephants , mais d abord le repos pres de la plage et puis la case visa et bien etudier les guides de voayges et cartes.

... of carrying 19 people in the usual very cramped African conditions. And when we arrived at the van, we saw that virtually the entire camp was in it: campers, adult staff, kitchen crew and a few extra people as well. There were already 20 people in the van, and we three (supposed to be four) were expected to squeeze in over and above that number. Since riding in our van would be free, my instructions had been misunderstood in the most economically advantageous ...

... drill monkeys and digging Daphne out of the mud had no appeal. We stayed at Semey New Beach resort, a fairly posh beachside hotel compound about ten miles west of town wh**e the expensive hotel rooms w**e not in my budget range. So I and my impov**ished or fellow skinflint travel**s camped around the truck in the grassy parking lot, only to have to move our tents into a close huddle in one corn** so affluent weekend day tripp**s from Yaounde and Douala to park ...

... streets - think Camden market only 10 times the size - never take their first price, barter hard. They always come down (a lot). There was also a great food market where Jo and I mixed it with the locals, eating side by side with them at the food stalls. No upset stomachs yet but no doubt they will follow! Yesterday (Saturday 8th) was quite exciting as we watched Ecuador vs Uragyay in a world cup qualifier. The whole country is totally football mad and ...