November 11th came and went. I am here in the UK islanded by a global standstill imposed by the wild inexhaustive pandemic. In March, the world was still a bit free with little wonder where the frenzy was heading. I sat in a small room on the third floor of Hotel Central in Sao Tome and pressed go on an Air France booking to Nation 43 Gabon. The plan come November, I’d fly to Libreville and road trip to Malabo in Equatorial Guinea and if perchance, fortune favours the brave, head on to Banjul in Central African Republic; Nations 44 & 45 done. Man proposes, God disposes.
It all feels rather fortuitous yesterday, day of the proposed albeit now aborted trip, Boris confirms a vaccine ‘breakthrough’. The world’s leading pharmaceutical company Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine apparently means “life will return to normal by spring 2021”.
