For a while now, West Africa has been calling me. Like a drumbeat rising in tempo, it's been getting louder and louder. I am itching to go there. I lived in Kenya for a long time and I've always known that the other side of this great continent had a different vibe, a different beat. More raucous, more colourful, more maddening. It's Africa all right, but with the volume turned up.

It's time I explored it a little and I don't mean the beach resorts of the Gambia. West Africa might contain some of the poorest countries on the planet, but it pulsates with an energy and vitality that I just have to experience. I want to feel the rhythm of Dakar and the madness of Lagos, and I want to journey down the great River Niger and see what all the fuss is about over Timbuktu.

My journey will take in about a dozen countries, red-tape and security concerns permitting. In Senegal, I'll check out Dakar's reputation as the clubbing capital of Africa and perhaps catch Youssou N'Dour if he's in town. Heading south, I plan on wandering around the Fouta Djalon highlands, doing some trekking.

From one of the least visited countries, my route takes me east to Mali - probably the most visited country in the region. Travelling on the Niger should be a highlight of the trip, taking in the slow pace of river life with stops in ancient towns like Djenne with its famous mud mosque. Following the river downstream and some rough travelling later, I'll arrive in Niamey, in Niger. Keeping my ear to the ground, I'll try to head north to Agadez, an ancient trading town on the edge of the Sahara.

By the time I get to Burkina Faso, I think I'll be quite relieved. One of the more laid-back countries, I have a feeling I might end up spending more time here than I'd anticipated ... But Côte d'Ivoire beckons and I'll be sure to stop and stare at the incredible basilica in the capital. After checking out Abidjan, I head into Ghana - fantastic beaches, Ashanti culture and Accra will easily take up a few weeks.

I don't know quite what to expect in Togo and Benin, but I'll be travelling through them to get to Nigeria, the one country on this trip I'm wary about. My challenge is to survive it in one piece! I'll finally end my trip in Cameroon, the most diverse country in West Africa from a cultural and scenic perspective.

I'm not kidding myself that this is going to be an easy trip, but send me there and I hope I can show you just what a fantastic part of the world this is.