Wed 7 Apr
I lie awake in the early light. I’m in N'Djaména, capital of Chad. More importantly I am in a bed and I don’t have to get up in a hurry although I might be more comfortable if I do, overnight temperatures only come down to mid thirties.

Yesterday was my birthday and those who knew were out of reach but life is kind and a number of nice things came my way for the first time in days, if not weeks: cold coke, tar road, beautiful sunset, cold beer, feet wash after four dusty days in sandals, seeing a fishing boat on Lake Chad, and after five weeks of Hamadhan haze, a blue sky with white fluffy clouds. Marvellous.