Change of plan in Bissau

Early the next morning in Bissau we headed to the port, a bustling frantic place, which also seems to double as the fresh fish market, and was chaotic to get through. We waited for the office to open, as they had said a boat for Bolama (closest island in the Bijagos archipelago) departs this morning. As we waited a lot of people came up and explained that there was no boat till Friday - three days away...

This was confirmed by the office staff, and so we needed to re-evaluate our whole Bissau plan. Originally, we had wanted to spend a week or so island hopping and relaxing on some beaches, before heading overland to Mali to meet up with Dree's girlfriend, Kerry. Now we had about ten days to kill in Guinea-Bissau, with no idea of what we could do! We pondered at the port for a while, drinking bags of bissap (cooled hibiscus tea, bright purple and addictively refreshing) before relocating to a restaurant for the ultimate in concentration narcotics - tea.

Sorting out where we were going to go was the easy part; now we had nowhere to stay because last night's accommodation was fully booked. We eventually found somewhere, but us three had to cram into a double bed, in a small room which had no fan, a shower and toilet, but no running water. Oh and blackouts. Ah living on a budget! Call it an 'experience'.

Bissau itself is a lovely African capital, worlds away from Dakar. There is one main road down to the port, and a really relaxed atmosphere, possibly due to the Portuguese influence. There is hardly any hassle from people wanting to sell things, bar the occasional mobile top-up lads that seem to be present all over West Africa. No whistles, no followers, no shouting - you are left to wander around in peace (almost).

We saw the old palace that was bombed during the civil war (still in that condition), the Old Town, that reminded me of St Louis in Senegal, and the impressive fort overlooking the port, that is now a military base. The industrial side of the port reminded me a lot of Felixstowe - huge containers lifting crates onto huge lorries. But there was a lot of poverty down there. Homeless people, beggars, children sleeping in the shade under parked lorries. Maybe not so much like Felixstowe. Another difference is the vultures that circle above, literally everywhere in Guinea- Bissau. Quite unnerving seeing them up there.

We were a bit annoyed at not being able to make the Bijagos, but these things happen when you're travelling, and you have to be free enough to adapt and change plans. In our case we couldn't afford to spend another few days in Bissau, and so chose to divert our route back overland, stopping off in Bafata, Gabu and Tambacounda (Senegal) before going into Mali - country number four.

On a final stinging note, the owner of the place we were staying said that we had to pay 25,000 CFA for the room - not the 12,000 or so we were told. The room was a real dive; dirty, small, hot. We argued for a while but in the end had to pay about 17,000 because it was late and we had tried all other places that we could stay in. Only for one night, but that's what happens when you book into a brothel!!!