On the Atlantic coast of Angola lies the decaying deserted port of Lobito, once the bustling centre for the African slave trade. Here lies the source of a railway which spans the continent. The railway is the only direct route - road, rail or air - that links the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, meandering through three civil wars, five countries, a couple of rain forests and the history of 20th-century Africa: on its rails it carries diamonds, cobalt, copper, refugees, food, mercenaries and weapons. From Lobito in Angola, through Zaire and Zimbabwe to Biera on the west coast of Mozambique, the author guides readers through some of the most corrupt and poorest countries in the world.