Hemisphere Frieght very kindly donated some pens which we handed out at this Catholic Mision at morning prayers and assembly.
George and Martins joined up with the German and Dutch Family and headed for the Congo DRC and Angolan Border.
We left at 10am having refuelled and caught up our biker friends at the border. Geoff was having difficulty having lost his yellow fever certificate.
The borders must have taken us 2 hrs at the Congo DRC side and 1 hour at the Angolan side, but no real problems. Now with our 5 day transit visa the task of getting through Angola in the limited time. Most people physically cant achieve this goal, although it doesn’t usually present a problem at the other side.
After a pleasant day following the German and Dutch overland trucks we stopped at the pleasant village of NSANZE, they have a football pitch. A really pleasant group of people and we give them the MSC sponsored shirts that Lawford Football Club had given us to take with us for such an occasion. The locals were absolutely thrilled and demonstrated their skills and passion for the sport. If any body reading this wants to send them some soccer boots, I am sure they would appreciate them.
The roads had been among the most difficult and challenging since Manffe. We bush camped just after the village and were invited to take supper with our overland friends. Marga and Britta and put a great meal together, which made a pleasant change to pasta and onions.
[ add comment ] ( 3 views ) | permalink |
( 2.9 / 118 )
After a great bush camp somewhere between Kinshasa and Matadi we find our way to the Angolan High Commission. There we meet The over Landers that we last saw in Brazzaville in the Congo.
We met up with three bikers, Geoff from the UK, Mego from Germany and Mark from the States, also waiting to collect their visas. We lodged our application with our European colleagues and started to enjoy the beautifully flowered garden. The temperature was the usual 30 +. We had arrived at 10am and by 5.30pm we were called in for our interview and not long after that our passports were stamped.
When we left the garden I noticed that during the day the children had enjoyed the flower picking and that It may be sometime before the garden is as colourful again.
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink |
( 2.9 / 116 )Ferry crossing over the River Congo into Democratic Republic of Congo's capital Kinshasa.
This wasn’t the best of days, up early and off to the Russian embassy where the money changers accumulate outside. Then to the Port at eight thirty, after going through Customs and immigration we waited for the ferry to arrive sometime after 12 am the ferry boat arrived. The chaos that consumed the surrounding area was amazing. Blind people being herded like animals off the boat, screaming, pushing and fighting as the police authorities tried to control the herds of people pouring through the entrance gates. I’ve never seen so many one legged and blind people in my life. The blind were all attached to one another and walked in following lines. The police regularly had to use the force of whips to try and bring order to the fighting and pushing. As goods etc were being forced by the customs areas. When we loaded Martins was asked to leave the vehicle and walked behind with the crowds. As I approached the police they asked for my papers, as I passed them loading authorities were banging hard on the side of the vehicle trying to force me into boarding. I wasn’t going anywhere without passport and carnet .At one point I thought my windows were going to shatter as the constant banging on them was so forceful.
I had heard that the real problems would begin on the DRC side of the Congo river. There was a Congolese lorry driver that I had befriended in the hope that, he might be heading out of Kinshasa on the Matadi road, and also another local that had engine problem. I offered him a tow up the loading ramp on the other side. Once on board, a mixture of vehicles and hundreds of people. Chaos assumed prime position again.
On the other side we were told and were expecting the disinfectant scam. $60 us dollars for tourists and your vehicle must be disinfected. We were told the police were in on it. As soon as they approached us, I said no way. I spoke to one of the officials in the office and said that no way were we having this spray scam. He said in no uncertain terms that we would be put on the boat and returned, to Congo, Brazzaville. I said ‘ok help yourself’ so strong my resolve. The thought of returning, a true horror. We escaped the immigration fee that was asked for and the carnet stamp fee, we just didn’t put the money on the table. After they were stamped just walked out. Another scam. We had no us dollars and £40.00 seemed agreeable to the officials in white coats from the department of scams, sorry health.
Whilst we were in immigration we were interviewed as intensely as we were in the Congo DRC embassy. They wont issue a transit visa unless you have an Angola visa. You can only get the 5 day Angolan visa in Matadi so the only way in to DRC is to go in as a tourist on a 30 day tourist visa. Where are you staying, what sights will you visit, what’s your main purpose here. So much investigative work was required to be certain in obtaining the visa. Luckily the Congo Basin DRC has many interesting sights. The Bonobos reserve (gorillas), Botanical gardens, the various water falls etc.
Once out of the compound remarkably we managed to weave our way out of Kinshasa onto the Matadi road.
If it wasn’t for our deadline of meeting Charlie it would have been truly very interesting to have stayed in the DRC for much longer. Indeed the Congo’s had been given a very bad press by some peoples past experiences being exaggerated, and some recent real problems from police harassment, theft and bullying. But my experiences once out of the border posts were so very different to the scare stories told. The police were helpful and interested. The local people kind and generous, and the countryside stunning, albeit a whistle stop run through both countries.
For the countries to develop they need the help and investment from outside, and for that reason alone the police road blocks I’m sure have been told to behave.
As we made our way to Matadi on the road from Kinshasa there were constantly military vehicles, ammunition carriers, troop carriers etc heading in the Kinshasa direction. The ammunition lorries complete with armed gun operators’ sitting on top of the trucks, with bipod and machine guns.
At two junctions we had to stop as troops on foot passed. They obviously were responding to problems further north and were not interested in us.
We were approximately 60 miles from Kinshasa and having difficulty finding a Catholic Mission, where we hoped to camp for the night. After many dead ends in the dark, being followed by loads of locals on foot, all shouting Zongoo, whatever that means.
As we drive back on the highway, I see some headlights of another car, driving at us on the same side of the road. I pull over narrowly missing the head on. Its is then I realize that I was on the wrong side of the road. Driving at night is always a no no. For many reasons, locals often don’t have lights, can be drunk, animals, bandit activities can be confused as genuine police and military road blocks. Also tiredness and other basic visual difficulties. Here I was breaking one of the most important rules of Africa.
We leave the village of Kisantu, and one mile outside a field had been washed away by come heavy rain, we drive up the mountain in the direction the GPS tells us the Mission is. In total dark, we come to another dead end, this time no followers, this is the place we cook and make camp.
In the morning we had quite an audience of interested locals standing around the tent as we packed away and breakfasted. As we drove off they wandered back to their Cassava fields and in the distance you could here singing coming from the o so close missionary we failed to find last night.
[ add comment ] ( 2 views ) | permalink |
( 3 / 116 )We are early for our 10.00hrs appointment arriving at 9.30
The consulate calls us in for an interview just after one. With my limited french not helping very much, we do manage to convey where we will be staying an the reason for our visit to the Congo DRC.
His secretary reminds me that the British Embassy recently turned her application down, yes down. But luckily the consulate had dropped his stamp on the paper and with a signature we became work in progress, please return in one hour.
The morning had been interesting there had been an intense 2.5 hr storm, the thunder so loud it had set all the car alarms off. A motor cyclist swam past the embassy window as his bike was swept away.
We had an interesting conversation with a French Journalist setting up a new office on the other side of the Congo river in Kinshasa.
Jean Marc http://www.visafrica.org
update soon
[ add comment ] ( 7 views ) | permalink |
( 3 / 118 )George and Martins have now spent 3 nights in the Congo the people are great, friendly, the road and the weather are not nearly so good.
Tonight they hope to reach Brazzaville where they will try again to get there remaining visas.
Thank you Keith.
We spent another night up a logging track and after two dry nights the tent is begining to dry out.
Yesterday we enjoyed showing our passports etc to the Police, Immigration and Gendarme, although what the difference between them is im not sure. The following town also had all three posts to check our details again. Such a friendly nation and with so much time to spend with us. But this does delay progress on the road.
There isn’t always a bridge to hand.
We managed to pick up a hitchhiker on the roof for most of yesterday as well, and so that he didn’t get too bored we to joined him for various moments. Some of the best photo opportunities can be taken from the roof, but you do have to hold on.
These butterfly’s have been quite a sight on the side of the road.
We made it to Brazzaville with time for an embassy visit.
We were told at the Hippo Hotel (where they let over Landers camp for three, if they eat in), that you must dress up or the Congo DRC embassy staff will turn you away. A quick cold bucket wash and the cleanest shirt and jeans I could find and off to the Embassy.
Too late to submit an application but a young lady gave us our homework in forms to fill in and return tomorrow at 10.00
We learn that Jean and Hannely have been making good progress and should join us tomorrow night.
[ add comment ] ( 1 view ) | permalink |
( 3 / 101 )
Calendar
