I slept well in the Chiefs house in Danballa Village and woke before sunrise, Mr Bassi the headteacher was going to meet me at 6.00am so I got out of bed and readied myself for the day.

Mr Bassi didn’t arrive at the arranged time so I just sat around watching the people in the Chiefs compound wake and start their daily tasks. I wasn’t feeling too well, I think I have a cold developing so I made sure that I stayed hydrated.

Some villagers came over and introduced themselves and I passed the time of day with them, they are very accommodating and although I’m described by the kids as Pima, or ‘white man’ I accept this label, am am pretty different and have caused quite a stir in the village.

Eventually, an hour and a half late Mr Bassi and five other village leaders arrive, they ask what I am going to do today?

The main issue I see in the village at this point in time is the nurses accommodation and the village elders agree with that. So I ask them how much will it cost to finish the job?

No one has any idea so I hatch a plan, we will go to the unfinished building and take some measurements. This has not been done and there is absolutely no plan, it’s time to get organised.

Last evening I had made some notes based on what had been discussed so I started with that as a baseline.

I asked for a tape measure, this was rather troublesome as no one seemed to have one! Finally the elders called upon the local builder who had constructed the shell. We talked and worked around the many people who had come to see what was going on.

The nurses arrived from the hospital and were actually choosing their rooms, they have to lodge with villagers at the moment and none of them find this agreeable! They have a real problem here recruiting and holding onto nurses, they arrive and stay a few days then leave as they just have nowhere to stay. It would make such a difference to sort this project out and the look of anticipation on the nurses faces alone make it a worthwhile project.

The whole building was measured and recorded and we moved back to a table at the hospital. I started to catalogue the measurements and detail the requirements to finish the building. This was met with great pleasure from the village elders. I worked primarily with the builder and after much deliberation we had everything written down and an agreement on what was required. This was then costed based upon everyone’s experience of the price of materials, unsurprisingly the builder was the main contributor as this is his regular work.

Finally we had a value, the cost to finish the building is going to be about 20 Million Laks, or in our money about £2,500.

There were gasps across the group but these are the facts, at least we know where we are now I explained.

I’m going to try and find the money to complete this for the village. The hospital is a vaccination centre for the district and minor operations are also conducted here for the surrounding villages too, it’s such and important facility out here in the jungle.

So with my planning work done and the village elders all in agreement I decide that it’s time for me to move on. Back at the chiefs compound I recover my bike from the secure parking with the help of some young men and pack my things.

One of the three ladies who have been stuffing me with food comes over with breakfast, another makes a point of trying to feed me again but I politely refuse, the confusion last night over food is explained and all is good.

I say my goodbyes and ride off, pretty much everyone in the village waves as I ride out and then I’m met at the junction by the second chief, he has bought oranges for me but I don’t have space for them so he just pops the bag on top of my handlebars, I thank him and ride off.

I have about 20km riding off road to get to the town, three kms down the road I hit a huge hole and the oranges disembark!

I stopped and picked them up and stash them in various places to keep them safe.

Back in town the place is buzzing and I’m riding along with an entourage around me, everyone wants to talk as I ride along, it’s a bit like that here in Sierra Leone, everybody is so friendly. So after several on the road conversations I ride out of town and settle into the days ride.

I’m on a ‘steady’ again today and enjoy the ride passing through many villages on the way.

I was stopped at a police checkpoint and the policewoman said she loved me! I said I thought that it was a bit previous and rode on with a smile.

My destination today is a Catholic Mission that has some facility for travellers, it’s in a town called Keneema and is well placed for my onward journey into Liberia, I arrive there and I’m welcomed and showed my accommodation. It’s simple, quiet and clean and had everything I need.

First on the list is cleaning my bike gear so I get a bucket and rinse some of the jungle from my clothes. The water is terribly dirty and the bike gear outside in the sun drying, I was everything else again and finally jump in the shower myself.

I’m still not feeling too great so I have an afternoon nap, I haven’t done that for a while!

Later I decide I need to eat and head into town, I’m directed to a nice restaurant with an impressive menu and beer. Looking at the menu I ask if the steak is available, despite several pages of choice the only thing they have is fried chicken and chips! So my meal tonight is chicken and chips then, with a healthy portion of raw garlic! (And a beer)

I attract attention here too and I’m joined by one of the workers who is lovely we talk about family, travel, work and his country. He’s a biker too and shows me his damaged ankle, the result of an accident in flip flops!

I was about to leave when we are hit by a tropical rainstorm, boy was that heavy rain! I’m delayed by an hour waiting for the storm to pass and when it does it’s pitch black. I know the way back but it’s a long way and the drivers here don’t always use their headlights. Walking in the roadside is not going well so when a Moto taxi pulls up I accept and he rides me back to the Catholic Mission. He’s actually very skilled and negotiates the road conditions and the traffic without event, he gets me back safe just as the rain starts again, I pay him well and he says he hopes to see me again.

I heard that the road to the border from here is really bad, with this rain it’s going to be worse. The chap at the restaurant said only take that road if you want adventure!!

I’m for a penny, in for a pound!

Sounds like fun.

The unfinished nurses accommodation block in Danballa..

The roads here can be really appalling, I’m loving it!

I found a side road to have a rest and get some peace but it never last for long!!

The Pastoral Centre in Keneema has lovely, clean and peaceful places to stay.

Danballa to Keneema. SL

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