the search continues...

Well well well. Things can be surprising here sometimes. Despite the renowned bureacratic tendencies here, Dave and I not only got our combined visas for Togo/Burkina/Niger/Cote D'Ivoire (defintely not going that last one though, don't worry mum) in record time - less than 24 hours - but we have also successfully applied for a one-month tourist visa for Ghana, also issued very quickly and with no fuss.

I haven't quite decided if we are going to go there yet - am slightly worried although technically it should all be cool. And it would be such a relief to speak to locals in English. There isn't much of a backpacker trail in this part of the world and most that are here speak French.

While waiting for our Ghana visas we had a couple of nights in Porto Novo, technically the capital of Benin but in reality, Benin's answer to Canberra - except that unlike Canberra, it doesn't even have much in the way of official buildings. It was just a small, quiet city and I didn't find it anywhere near as friendly as Grand Popo or even Cotonou. So it seems like small villages are the go here - I got to practice my French a lot more in that environment.

So now I'm briefly back in the big smoke to find that not only has Latham had a hissy fit and the ALP re-elected Beazley (I am kinda lost for words on this...) - but I forgot Australia Day! Oh dear...

So now we are heading to Abomey, formerly the residence of the most powerful kings from the Benin area. There are still quite a few kings in Benin - in fact we met one on the beach in Grand Popo. He had a special wooden staff with which people can touch rather than shaking his hand directly, although he shook hands with us in the normal way. He seemed quite chuffed with his status, afforded because of a patch of white skin on his arm (ie. that condition that Michael Jackson claims to have) which plucked him from obscurity as a newborn baby and into the royalty scene. He works as a photo journalist, and said there are about 152 kings in Benin today. So I guess we'll meet some more of them soon.

Thanks everyone for the comments and emails, I miss youse all lots! And shoutouts to Chris & Vicky on the arrival of Thandi, my mum for becoming a home-owner again, James for the splash and Michael - good luck with the wedding preps and the new blog :), I will find some voudou marriage tips for ya! xk.