We're off!  After several weeks of messing about (in the rain) in England - meeting up with friends and family, getting vaccinations, filling out visa paperwork, being scared witless by first-aid instructors - it's time to get moving again.  This time the general direction is south: we'll be going through France and Spain before crossing to Morocco, then through Mauritania (well, we hope so - there is the small matter of this month's coup d'état), Senegal, Mali and Burkina Faso before meeting our friends Tom and Jo for Christmas dinner on the beach in Ghana.  There's a (rough) map of the planned route here.  We'll let you know how we get on.  (We also realise we're very behind with writing up details from the last part - particularly Italy and Croatia - so we'll try to update you about those too).

In the mean time we've spent our first day on the road in more familiar surroundings: enjoying Canterbury with Kika and Charlie, and feasting on Kentish apples and English cheese.  Thanks guys, and we'll see you in January!