25 May Adventure Buggy Update – Congo
This update actually came in several weeks ago so should have been posted before TOGO.
Hi All
Yes we are here at the hippocampe Congo, but we were not able to
use their net work until today so sorry for the wait it has been a tough
drive indeed, we are stuffed and Victor is covered in thick red mud.
Chris and I had a pretty rough trip from Northern Angola into DRC after
Chris was bitten several times 30 in fact from Tetse flies his knees were
dripping with blood after two blood sucking flies flew up his
trouser’s…no joke really but he is still awake so no sleeping
sickness yet ( from the tetse flys ) we hope our DEMAL 200 will do the
trick with our mozzie bites too.
If that was not enough we had one of the worst
roads possible from Luozi to Boko some 170 klm after we managed to
cross the Congo river on a small beaten up boat. It was a track to
Boko not even on our GPS tracks for Africa …even Satan could not
have made a track so bad, Victor was pretty amazing even I was
impressed at the end Victor made it, as breaking down here would be
impossible to get Victor out.The mud so thick and red we were
plastered from head to toe Elayne does not do mud that well and even I
was getting sick of the stuff… you could not see Victors engine at
all make a repair here would be a nightmare the mud so thick.
We were exhausted after trying to pick our way through Mud a meter
deep which covered Victors bonnet …everything was covered in red mud
and stagnate water.
The humidity was so bad you drip from the smallest effort we both
smell bad everything is rotten our tent also taking a beating from the
heat and sweat.
The officials at the border from DRC to Congo at Boko (congo entry
point) were drunk so we
could not find the immigration post to have our passports stamped in
and they still are not stamped.
WE eventually found the Hippocampe and sanity slowly returns as we
camp outside a small hotel next to a busy Congo road with Rats
crawling over Victor every night and they have eaten there way into
our plastic boxes they wake us squeaking away as they munch on our
food. There is also no power at most times of the day and we are close
to a huge diesel generator which asphyxiates us most nights, the
burning plastic rubbish gives us a head ache but we are safe and well
and at least clean even if it is only for 10 minutes until the heat
makes you drip and smell once again UGH.
The good news d
It was fantastic to get our Nigerian visa in 4 hours as we meet the
Minister of the Nigerian Embassy it has taken most overlanders 3 days,
so this make’s possible to get our Cameroon Visa
and Gabon within the week.
Fingers crossed this will happen and then we head to Franceville to
Gabon some 200 klm of sand we are a little hesitant as we have read
some reports of travelers heading south/north getting stuck in the sand with
their Land rovers so fingers crossed the weather hold and we do not
get too much rain, so until we can email again take care
God bless you all, drop us an email when you can.
Love and Hugs from
Chris Elayne and poor Old Victor.xxxxxxxxxx
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Hi All,
thanks for your emails please keep them coming as it is always good to
here from you all and also know you are all well your end.
Just a few pictures from Angola, DRC, Congo River, and some tracks.
Hopefully leaving Brazziville in the Congo to-morrow 10/2/2012 heading
to Franceville Gabon, then Cameroon,Nigeria
Love and Hugs to you all God bless,
Chris Elayne and poor old Victor. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
