A list turned up at dinner two nights back – the names of 26 journalists who had to leave by the next morning. No explanation was given, other than a few mumblings that their visas had expired. But it can't be true because some of the teams had arrived only three days earlier, and it was perhaps just 'bad luck' that all the French were on the list, CNN wasn't, and neither was Russia Today. It was quite comical actually – journalists were slapping each other on the back as a sign of congratulations if you'd made the "blacklist". My poor Italian friend – he and I do lives at the same time every morning at 7am – if it wasn't for us the AP live position guys would actually be able to sleep in a little later – he was on the list twice (!!) and he was frantically running around trying to convince the powers-that-be that he had to stay. He got a reprieve until Saturday as he argued he had a live show on Saturday. I'm wondering what his next excuse will be. In the end everyone got to stay and we're all leaving tomorrow. I think the hotel is going to look a little empty after some 30 of us bail out of here tomorrow.

But it's proving problematic trying to pay the bill. None of my credit cards work, and I've phoned my bank in South Africa and they've promised me everything is in order. I am in shock! Not at the Libyan visa system – but that my bank answered the phone!

There was a scramble for a bus for a trip to Misrata today. Not all the journalists were able to get on and there are some pretty peeved faces walking around the hotel right now. I reckon one of the Chinese journalists who was forced to stay has the right attitude: "

" was his response! But then again he's one of the recent arrivals.

Been busy all day with a story that Russian journalists have gone missing in the east of the country. It's strange because I think it's the first time rebel fighters have taken journalists hostage. Normally it's Gadaffi's men who do it – and what's more the rebels have always been the ones to take the journalists to the frontline, to embed us, to want us to tell the world what's happening here. Am watching this story, and also the capture of four foreign journalists – one of whom is South African – by Gadaffi's forces in the west of the country. Maybe it is time to get out…

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