One of the many logger trucks. They speed along these bad roads as if it is possible to fly over massive potholes, so the damage is quite extensive and the casualties many. Bushcamping means getting up with the sun -- sometimes as difficult for us as for this sun stuck in the tall elephant grass
When you are bushcamping for two weeks or more, finding a cool, bubbling stream along the way is a godsend! Out comes the soap and shampoo and razors and all those things a girl can so absolutely NOT possibly live without!... Sheer bliss -- and positively a Red Button moment!
A speckled hen and chicks, a speckled back and itches! "Cover up!" is our sunset motto, but if you are not quick enough, the insects will eat you up before you can say '%@#/!'
Beautiful vegetables -- we don't always know what we are eating, but we are eating fresh and delicious and healty! A red button left on a leaf for the rain forests of Gabon. (in the foreground..)
Suzanne looking sharp digging a hole for our perishable rubbish and Mark, always on lookout for firewood for our cooking -- not daunted by the size of this mammoth log; in no time, with Ben's helpful commentary (the shirt was in honour of the 4th of July, in case you were wondering...), he had reduced the log to fire-size pieces of wood and our wood-locker was once again replenished!
Ali Bongo Ondimba -- the 'Hip' Ali'9, president of Gabon. A very mod approach for the election but unfortunately, as is the case everywhere, back to the usual business of corruption and self-enrichment once installed. Tsk Tsk, John -- a natural water fountain alongside the road may make a good place to have a quick shower, but -- ahumm -- in public??
Instead of the beautifully crafted mud houses of the previous countries, Gabon and Congo use timber for their houses -- once in a while painted and providing a splash of colour. Dried and smoked fish gleaming golden in the sun and waiting to be prepared for dinner.
An interesting decoration of a bar wall in Dolasie, Congo -- 78 LP's and mirrors. Washing in villages always a pleasure to the eye.
We all had some fun at the Equator in Gabon) -- a great place to be silly, for some reason...
From left to right: Tony, John, Andrew, Randy, Elisa, David, Tash, Graham, Emy, Orm, Suzanne, Ben, Wilna
Kubb: the fabulous Swedish game that David had made for the group back in Yaounde and which is now providing hours of competitive fun when we set up bushcamp every evening. The artwork on the 'king' block by Orm.
From being quite a frightening sight, my arm is finally looking 100% better and on the mend. Quite frightening to be bitten by an unknown insect that squirts flesh-eating toxins into your skin and then (we hope!) leaves. The skin was gradually eaten away - fortunately around only two of the fifteen bites. Not a pretty sight.
The fine talcum powder red dust covers everything and turns the verdant rainforest into a pinkish red phenomenon -- as well as eye lashes, hair, skin and clothes -- not to even mention laptops, cameras...
A bowl of freshly picked oranges on the boom that divides Cameroon and Gabon. There has to be some kind of symbolical significance to this, surely?
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