Looking at my first trip down there next week or very soon after depending on outcome of a meeting to help set up a temporary work shop for 6 weeks minimum.

Anything i should pack that i may not have ? Got anti malarials , and a medipack from our quack with needles and antibiotics and dioralyte …..camelback and nuun tabs – its 100 % humidity and 25-30 degrees

A fist full of dollars stashed away….

Aye amd a second wallet with some old cards in it and low denomination notes…..

I've not been there much, passed through a couple of times joining ships but it opened my eyes a bit and made me appreciate living where I do…

A H&H with the .600 Nitro Express was just the job for sorting out tiresome situations in my day 🙂

These days a gross of condoms in case you feel romantic while you're there 🙂

These days a gross of condoms in case you feel romantic while you're there

Remember to always wear two condoms, with a layer of tabasco sauce between the two – 'cos if either tear, one of you will know about it 😆

got teams working in guinea at the moment, Rabies vaccinations and yellow fever are a must. depending on the country you won't get in without your yellow fever papers.

be very careful in customs as corruption in rife and bribery is commonplace. A mate had to give the customs official 100 dollar as a "birthday present" to get his passport back that the official was trying to sell to passers by.

Spent quite some time in Nigeria (Lagos, Port Harcourt and Warri, we always said you need to worry in Wari) check there are no general strikes 'planned' otherwise you'll be stuck with absolutely nobody about. Gabon (Port Gentil) was nice but again not for the faint hearted. Just be sensible and do not travel by yourself after dark. I recommend taking Malarone anti malarial, I had the least side effected from these, take some food in the shape of biscuits, crisps, pot noodle (I know) and other things not too heavy as it may take a little time to acclimatise. Usually your company fixer will sort most of your stuff out so ask him. Be careful of immigration as the 'officials' there will expect some payment for letting you in, eventually we had armed guards meetings us off the flights who dealt with these types. Finally, take a rubber door wedge for your bedroom door, I know of 2 mates who were awoken with hookers in their room (so they say….) who had been let in/got access from reception. Any thing else you need to know?

Cheers for the door wedge tip .

Not interested in hookers one iota so not an issue – im fairly non alcoholic – dont enjoy it so cant even see that clouding my judgement. Will be working 7 days a week working lots of hours a day …….

Ive had all my jabs for all what i can and have enough malarone to sink a small ship..

quite looking forward to going oddly . Im sure that will all change when i get there but i do enjoy seeing new places !

So where is it your off to Trail?

Spent some time in sierra leone. Loved it but I was in a different line of work in those days. My best recommendation would be not to take lariam. Take some steri tabs for your camelbak if you want to avoid crippling stomach pains.

Heading for malabo in equitorial guinea….

Steri tabs and bottled water only…….is it worth taking my iodine tabs for insurance ? dont mind the taste of the iodine and if it saves me getting giardia AGAIN its worth it !

We always boiled our water for 3 minutes.

It was a bit of a production – every night boil up a large vat of water and in the morning when it had cooled decanted it into bottles.

My father was really strict about it, but it must have worked because none of us ever had a problem. Oh, and absolutely scrupulous about hand washing.

And mozzie nets – horrible when it's humid but that's exactly when you really need them.

tis a good un !

filling fell out on the third night – been in there for 6 months and out it came bah

staff house im in now is a bit rancid – was in a lovely one to start with doh !

worse places to be though im sure