October 21, 1980

NIAMEY, NIGER
Spent another day at the pool, what with most of the town still closed and too hot to see anyway. At night, Jean-Michel and I took a walk through the "European store" section of town. Tripped over two French guys we'd met at the Nigerien border whose car presently has a flat. It had been broken into and they've lost passports, money, registration papers, etc. They brought the car down to Elizabeth's and slept there with us.

I've seen so many travelers with car troubles, I'd never bring one here. One German had to send his engine to Berlin for repairs; another had to fly there himself to get parts; in the desert I met friends with non-working cars and saw a hundred auto skeletons. I've had a few problems, but luckily nothing like that.