After Africa. Ben's return to Blighty.

Well here are the during and aftre pictures of Africa. Dont I look like the entrepid explorer. Back from the wilds with a facial expression that soemhow protrays pain rather than the intended debonair look which I was intending to create.

Today I have done nothing. I am so bloody bored. After all this travelling and the fun, excitment, thrills, laughs, near misses, dices with trouble, scraps and scallywag antics of travelling. Life back at home is so bloody boring. The normal routine which was once my life seems so mundane and lifeless now. I am trying to inject some life into it but alas I am failing.
I need some excitement. I am one of these people who cannot sit still and is always on the go, flitting from one thing to the other. I am very active and boredom and me just dont get along. I am waiting for my mp3 player to arrive so that I can put all my music onto it and therefore plug it in to the car stereo when I get the car next week. I cannot wait to drive and have my independance back. You really miss a car when you can drive and dont have any wheels to get you out and about, like the man about town that I try to be. I need to go out and start to drive again. It has been so sodding long since I last was behind a wheel with the window wide open, the wind tossing my fro and my music blearing out the rocking beats that warm the cockles of my heart.
I am sorry that when I write I use slang. Or rather as I would say using the old London lingo. I do like a bit of slang, but I regularly use my posh voice which I take out of the box and use for special occasions and the like.

Today the local newspaper came round to interview me as they wanted to write a piece about my trip to Africa for the local paper. Obviously I am the only person who does anything interesting around here. Normally the paper is full of crime stories and bad news. So for some local bloke to go to Africa and almost write a book and comeback with comical anecdotes and amazing tales it is their dream to write about it. So I had one phone interview with some woman. Then a photographer came round and made me pose with a mask and one of my scarves that we bought in the bloody Accra arts centre. She took loads of photos while I tried to smile. Then when she had left, another reporter came round. He came in and had a long chat and he was so interested about all my travels. He said that when I return from Indonesia I must contact him again and have another article published. So soon I will be the local star and celebrity, Ben the African explorer extraordinaire. That has a nice ring to it!

Life is so strange after travelling. Apart from the boredom and the patronising 'reverse culture shock' booklet which the volunteering organisation sent me, life is cold and wet.
Britain seems to not really have moved on too much. Except I went to a club and all the girls are waering these massive belts! Whats that all about eh! I can spending all my time catching up on music. That was the one thing I truly, madley, deeply missed in Africa. Oh how some times I longed for the sound of the electric guitar banging out some eventful tune.

When I got back after I had met all my mates, darnk a real pint of Guinness and then played lacrosse and football in the cold which almost killed me. I went to the doctors for my after Africa check up. The good news is that I am 100% fit and healthy and have none of these magical African diseases or illnesses that one can pick up. But I have lost a stone and a half and was suffereing from mal-nutrition! So I have been eating like a mad man. Cheese galore has past my mouth and I am now properly addicted to cups of tea and coffee.

Coming home is always an adventure for about a week when things like sitting on a settee and eating biscuits are a novelty. But as I have no transport, ergo I am as bored as a badger at the opera.
The good news is that I have got some great photos of my trip and many more to still develop. Also I have been in regular contact with all whom I met on my adventures. These people will be friends for life and I plan on keeping in contact with the lot of them.
Well thats my views on life after travelling. Soon I am off again and I cant bloody wait. I am so excited to be going off again. This time Indonesia beckons.
Wish me luck and thanks for reading all my bollocks on this blog.
Take care all
Ben
x x x x