Out of the Office…
I start the adventure to the Congo – Republic of Congo and Central Africa Republic tomorrow. I have been in Namibia this past week. It started very poorly including being quite sick, but it has ended very nicely. A bunch of elephants, lions and giraffes will do it every time. And lest I forget the anti-biotics. I think I had been ill since I left Uganda a month ago. I just had little stuff that didn’t impede my Zanzibar, gorilla or Cape Town adventures, but they didn’t go away. And then they grew into bigger problems. On Wednesday, I actually thought I might have to call it quits and get to a real doctor and I thought the Congo looked like an impossibility. But after twelve hours, the anti-biotics turned me halfway into a new man. Just a bad memory now. I had asked doctors about when I should know to take them, but no one ever described the crap that just doesn’t go away. Now I know! Low-level stuff for a couple of weeks and I am blasting it with Cipro. I’ll talk more about Namibia later.
Right now I am nervous and excited about the Congo adventure. I’m not too excited about my British Airways flight tomorrow since they want all of my luggage checked including cameras and photo copies. They took the British government’s commands and delivered them to Winhoek, Namibia. I guess those terrorists might have a new front here? Whatever. Glad my return flight is not British and not going through Britain. Can’t wait to see what is going on in American airports… NOT! I’m sure Jo’Burg will be sane. So each place I fear the most in Africa turns out to be great so let’s hope the same continues in teh Congo.
In May, I was with my brother, Bill, kayaking at Sunset Lake near my Mom’s home. There was a very stiff wind. I went into a little bay at one end of the lake and saw a canoe. I thought it must have blown across the lake from the two or three homes on it and I figured I would go get it and tow it back for them. Things were a little strange is all I can say as I paddled closer. Then I realized I was looking at a dugout canoe or a pirogue as they call them in French Africa. It was carved out of a single log just as they do in the Congo. It had a face carved into the front. Very odd, I thought. I got closer and I was disturbed by the fact that it was full of water and half sunk. I don’t believe in omens, but it did disturb me a lot. Hope my pirogue isn’t half full of water in the Congo. There were two turtles on a log next to it. We paddled right up to them and they did not move. That’s so odd that I eventually touched them before they did anything. I think I should find a witch doctor or whatever in the Congo and see what they have to say about this waking dream. In Vermont going to Africa and the Congo and I find a half-sunk pirogue with two immobile turtles. Read The Congo Journey by Redmond O’Hanlon and you’ll get what I am talking about. I guarantee I am coming back with stories that will make the rest of this trip seem tame. I’m headed to the Heart of Darkness…
On tap… lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, fourteen other kinds of primates, small Forest Elephants, small Forest Buffalos, other weird mammals, more birds than I will ever learn and, of course, the Pygmy and Bantu tribes. This is going to be a tough safari with many days travel over the next eighteen. Maybe one of the remotest places on Earth. It’s going to be good. Hope I come back with my head still attached…
Tags: Travel
vagabondrick
Leave a Reply