Nigeria, July 29 -- Today, I learned that speaking English doesn't always mean understanding English.

A friendly Glaswegian stopped to give me directions. He spoke with a smile and, after thanking him, I confidently set off. only to realise a few minutes later that I hadn't understood half of what he had said.

"No problem," I thought. "I'll just check Google Maps."

Alas! No internet on my phone. I had wandered out of the free Wi-Fi zone, and the delay in buying a local SIM card (which I later bought for £25) suddenly came back to haunt me. For a few minutes, I stood there, wondering whether to trust my memory or my instincts. Neither proved particularly reliable!

Thank God I had bought a day travel ticket for about £6.30. It...