Things I love about Liberia:

• Street food

Although nearly all food here is good (except Fufu, not a fan), the street food in particular is amazing! There's something about stopping a women, man or child with a bucket balanced on their head filled with various delights that's just so satisfying. If I see a bucket of pineapple slices on the other side of the street, all you do is suck your teeth (everyone's way of attracting someones attention here) and they'll womble over to you. The pineapple is so fresh and delicious but then so is the rice bread (banana bread). And the ginger doughnuts. Or the corn bread. You can even get little clusters of popcorn if that's your kind of thing.

We have also found the Liberian pasty. Jenkins has nothing on this little beauty, sorry Catrin. Behold the meat pie! Or as it basically is, a fish pasty. Its got a slightly less crumbly pastry and then a mixture of anonymous fish (and probably meat aswell, can't be too fussy) and some various herbs and vegetables.

Then there's the food you can get if you're feeling a little peckish after a few beers at the local Beams bar. No longer will I want a Turkish kebab or pizza in Carmarthen, I'll be pining for salad (the greatest coleslaw ever in my eyes) and grilled beef and fish.
Okay.
That's a lie.
I'd still choose a pizza over them, but whilst in Liberia where pizza is non-existent in Gbarnga and in Monrovia it costs nearly the same as a small house, it's a pretty satisfactory substitute.

• Gbarnga

Gbarnga itself is beautiful. Terracotta dusty roads bordered by lush green. Exactly how you picture Africa. And then the main high street is hectic rush of motorbikes, battered taxis and wheelbarrow wielding men. There are patches of paved road every now and then which gives you a glimpse of what it might have looked like before the civil crisis. Market stands, shops and little stalls line the road selling everything from chillies to sunglasses to phone top ups to fabrics to alchohol (very cheap alchohol I should add). The market that sits next to the street stretches back as far as I can tell for miles. It's just one massive maze of food - which I couldn't tell you what even half is - and random soaps and clothes and bits. And when the rain comes, the street just turns into a heaving river (slight exaggeration but who doesn't love a bit of that) and all the dirt roads just turn to slush and you can say goodbye to nice clean shoes, feet, legs and general self.