Greetings



http://bit.ly/2jAUdE6


Hope this helps
John

Dakar to home

24th: Caught the Dakar to Madrid flight at 23.55

25th: Caught the Madrid to London flight at 9am. Back in the UK at 11.00 and home via coach and bus at 3pm.

It's over!

To Dakar

Sms We have tickets...! Arrived at Dakar after 13hrs in a taxi at 3am, found hotel, up at 7am and found a ticket office (shut). Waited till open at 9am and then booked. Swindon 12-14 on 25th

From Stella's to Dakar

Sms Paul, Chuck, Elaine and I are trying to get to Dakar now. This because the Thomas Cook rep at Banjul let us down with flights. Now at Kuntaur via Stellas boat and awaiting Musa Bah - Taxi driver.

Fixing bikes at Stella's

We work very hard on the bikes old bikes with their owners. These bikes were either ridden down 2 year ago on the first trip or sent in a shipping container last year.

The chief nurse is delighted when I fix a low power problem with his bike. Now the maintainance guy is trained up to set tappets by ear (since I did not have any feeler gauges).

New tyres, wheel bearings, oil, chain, sprockets, plug, clean filters (air and fuel). Other adjustments as necessary. Bikes all running very well afterwards!

In the evening we take a tour by boat around the Chimp santuary islands and have a few beers with Michelle Connolly (the Irish vet) and Declan. Michelle is running the place whilst Stella is away in the UK.

Leaving Bansang

We left the Hospital with a great send off on the 21st. Had a rough drive in the 2 cars to Stella's along the very poor south road. Can't imagine what this road must be like in the rainy season. It's almost impossible to drive along it in a 4x4 and so we spend most of the time driving along an unpaved track next to the road.

Fixing bikes at Bansang

Sms Spent yest fixing bikes (with 2 locals). We will have 6 runners from this trip all of which have been allocated by the hospital to staff. Tomorrow looking at bikes from last trip - all of which are being used.