Day 68 - Monday 7 December - 7232km  - camping wild 45km short of Bamako

Last night was another restless one, not only because of the hard ground - my thermarest has long since lost it's ability to hold air - but also because I had a late night visitor ... part of my aray of cycling gear must have been visible from the road (or smell) because I woke under the spotlight of a revving motorbike engine. After exchanging pleasantries in my most manly macho voice, which I can assure those of you who have not been on the receiving end of it, is very intimidating, he not surprisingly disappeared, only to reappear half an hour later to explore some bush nearby! Maybe he lost a contact lens!! Anyway swinging south the wind was less of an issue today and I should be in Bamako first thing tomorrow to apply for my visa.