It's chilly up north (of Sierra Leone)

I'm now waiting in a first class lounge at Euston. The ticket was pretty cheap, so I decided to upgrade. I've never been in first class before so I thought what the heck. I'm waiting for Myroslava to come for a coffee. She's a friend from Canada, met her in Uganda, who's here studying for a Masters in Public Health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine - lucky! 

Yesterday's ferry experience certainly wasn't as bad as I'd been preparing for. The usual guys running around you, trying to get commission and tips. The truck that I was getting a lift from only just squeezed onto the ferry deck! The vehicles were packed so close, that two trucks were leaning against each other. I ditched the truck, fearing I wouldn't get to the airport in time as they had a big load of cassava flour to drop off on the way.

I had a barrage of phone calls from friends in Sierra Leone, wishing me farewell which was really nice. I expect them to be 'flashing' (giving missed calls) me on my UK number soon enough. 

Airport faff went mostly very smoothly, even when it transpired that I had overstayed in the country! Oops... my fault really. I was meant to get my passport re-stamped after a month. I'd overstayed by a month! Kinda lucky that I'd learned a bit of Krio, to the surprise of many, and had that meant I'd been put in their good books. They let me off. The lady who was going through my passport recognised me apparently. I just pretended to know her too! She asked for 'a little something' for letting me off, but I said I had nothing but 500 Leones (about 10p). 

The cold cabin on the plane helped to prepare me for the chilliness that refreshed me when I stepped off the plane this morning. Sort of welcome, but at the same time, reminding me of all the layers that I'll have to wear from now.