Bissau R&R and heading to border

Hi BoBers,

Bissau was a great place to finally relax and rest. I mostly retreated into a western bubble. Watching movies. Preparing the bike a little. Reading. Also drinking too many Caipirinhas at night and coming home in the early hours. I was happiest drinking tea and sorting out my photos, but I fell into empty procrastination without the clear path forward of riding. Suddenly a thousand things to do without order or precedence. So after two weeks in Bissau and more than 3 weeks off the bike, I was glad to get back on the road.

Travis and I left the city by a small path that turned into a muddy river bank. We had to hail some young boys over with a tiny dugout canoe over a small but rapid river. We crossed one at a time, with 4 or 5 men standing in the boat with us and waded through mud to escape the other side. Mud will be a constant companion from now on, I think.Later, we stopped for dinner at a restaurant with a guy who was grilling meat A drunk “shaman” was there, who could make love potions and was sure the best path for us was back north through Senegal (it wasn’t.)

The first big storm of the season arrived and there was a bunch of celebrations with dancing and singing. We camped inside the restaurant that night and, next to our tents, the shaman performed a ritual on a drunk woman with a candle and some water.The riding has been tough. It’s hot, humid and the roads are not in good shape. I’ve also clearly lost some fitness. But we’re making tracks and will likely cross the border to Guinea tomorrow.

Rustily & dustily, J&BoB

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