Hello! As you can see from the photo above, we have carried out our first pilot interview. I'm sure you can spot Mike amongst all the interviewees, but Sana (our guide/translator) is sitting in the front row, second from the right. The interview went well but we found that 10 people was too many. Also too time consuming if they all want me to be pen pals with their children!

Apart from preparing and doing interviews we have spent a lot of time preparing logisitics for our forthcoming travels. Someone told me before I left that you can only really get one thing done per day in West Africa. Although on some days we have maybe achieved 2 things in one day, this testament is proving pretty accurate. When we first arrived I couldn't bear the sitting around and waiting for hours on end. Now however, I find I can sit and wait for hours without any bother...and the time flies by!

Apart from such time-based acclimatisation, it has taken us (or at least me...I'll ask Mike) some time to adjust to life here. At first we struggled to find food because we couldn't tell which places were trying to sell food and which were not. Although I think my French has improved a bit, it is difficult to buy fried banana from someone when they don't speak French either and I have no clue how much it should be. We managed to work out it was 5 francs for one, but then I didn't know if that was one serving, or one banana chip. As a result, the old lady thought it a bit weird that I gave her 10 francs, hoping to buy one portion each for Mike and I.

I feel like I have far more to say but I can't remember it now and I doubt anyone has read this far down the page. One thing that has struck me so far though is that people are very keen to have their photo taken (and for you to send it to them) but they don't liketo smile for the photo. Very strange for me having been brought up to smile for endless photos for the last 24 years.