26/8/05. Nairobi.

13,000 miles from Islington. Time to strap a dead animal on.
There's an undercurrent of Satanic beastiality about climbing aboard now. I like that. There is a slight wet-arse problem when it's been raining, but after 10 months in Africa, a wet arse is nowhere near as urgent a warning sign as it would be in Europe.
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My bike has developed a fear of water. Perhaps it has rabies. There are two issues; a leaky petrol cap (cured), and an immediate aversion to rain and puddles - maybe cured. We'll see. Moisture-free, it continues to run like a bastid.
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27/8/05. Hunter's Lodge, halfway to Mombasa, Kenya.

The waitress is lobbing stones at the monkeys in the beer garden to scare them away. I give her a look that means "Hey man - monkeys are cool. Live and let live, yeah?". She replies with a look that says "You won't be saying that when one of the little bastards shits in your lager".

My Heavens! it's tranquil here. The moto - whom I am inches away from christening "Fluffy" - ran like a mucky porno dream (with dwarves and that) all the way here. Furthermore, the EU have spent YOUR tax euros on a spanking new road which, you'll be glad to hear, feels very expensive indeed.
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It occurs to me that I've only got 4 months left *sulk*. The further I go, the more I want to carry on. Whatever happens, I'm going back to the UK in January. I really want to see my lovely family and gluttonous - no wait - glamourous friends, but I think I need to find a way to get me and Fluffy to South America next year.

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I tried not to anthropomorphize my vehicle - REALLY I did - *sob* - but, y'know, it's been a long time, and I can't go on calling her NX650 *blub*, not after we've been through so much *wheeze*. I LOVE YOU FLUFFY! *weep* (That's enough Tusker - Ed.)
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28/8/05. Tiwi Beach, Kenya.

OK - It's raining. Gunmetal skies and heavy drizzle when I arrive. But it's still paradise. And they have "Best Of Dolly" on the CD player. (Actually that's the only CD).
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