Location: Conakry, Guinea. We’re officially three weeks in. To date, I’ve had more scams and cons tried in West Africa than I have in my entire life; corrupt police, hustlers and thieves. Some of their sinister attempts have been very elaborate indeed. Here are my top three… 3. You broke my phone! Walking down the […]
Archive | Bribery & Corruption

The Journey from Hell
I’ve done a fair amount of hardcore travel in my time, but nothing could have prepared me for the journey for Bissau (Guinea Bissau) to Labe (Guinea). Firstly, there was the simple journey from Bissau to Gabu in the north, a smooth four hour journey. There we waited for our transport to fill up for […]

The Last 10 Great Adventures
Ever wanted a real adventure? A journey that tested you to the limit, got your heart racing, made you feel alive? A great adventure is all about risk, danger and excitement. Alas, in a world where “off the beaten track” is somewhere with two hotels and guided tours, where is the action really at? I’m not talking […]

How to Escape Sudan
EVERY VISITOR TO SUDAN MUST REGISTER WITH AN OFFICIAL ALIEN REGISTRATION OFFICE WITHIN 3 DAYS. Most people register upon entry. We didn’t. Making our way from Cairo to Cape Town, Danny and I refused to pay an inflated premium to entertain the bureaucrats at the border of Wadi Halfa. We insisted we would make arrangements […]