Blogs from Luanda, North, Angola, Africa

Sights, Smells and Tastes Sights Smells Bad most of the time... Tastes img=http://i445.photobucke... read more

I was born in Luanda, the capital city of Angola. 5 hours Sydney to Perth, 10 hours Sydney to Johannesburg, 3 hours Johannesburg to LuandaWe were greeted at the airport by my Aunty, Uncle and 2 cousins. It was beautiful as I'd not seen my one and only (blood) Aunty since I was 3yrs old. Thankfully though, it was nothing too dramatic and emotional.Both my cousins studiously grabbed our luggage and we headed off. The drive to our hotel was about 45mins from the airport and the entire time I didn’t want to blink.What I saw was completely overwhelming although I’d seen it countless times.It was the exact scene from the movies which depict Africa.A storm of dust in a chaotic fallen city, uneven rubbish laden roads, women carrying goods on their heads with babies securely ... read more

After a couple of days camping at a catholic mission school in Matardi,preparing and repairing for our race through Angola,we departed DRC via a remote border post to the north at Songololo. We camped the night in a quarry. The roads were terrible and we made slow progress until lunchtime on day 2 (of 5) the radiator was destroyed by the fan after a particularly deep hole. We limped into N'Zeto a small seaside town and spent the next 6 hours on the roadside getting the radiator repairs. When these proved to be ineffective we were allowed to stay in a construction compound 3 Kms out of town with fence and security. We ended up staying nights 2,3and 4 there before getting a proper repair done.Our unexpected stay in N'Zeto was interesting. It seems they backed ... read more

Just a typical Sunday bike ride....The rainy season has provided just enough moisture so far to firm up the sand (kind of) and make things look deliciously green making for some stunning photographs!... read more

Next chapter on community Community I have heard the claim that all of the six billion plus people on this planet are connected by a mere six degrees. Valid or not, I think it is fair to say that in the present age we are closer to people from all over the globe than ever before. This metaphorical shrinking of the world has now made the creation of a global community possible and has changed the way people think about community the world over. It used to be that the definition of community was easily agreed upon as ones family members, friends and neighbors. However, as time has gone by a new definition is needed. To me, community is ones feeling of connection to others. As I mentioned in the introduction, a girl helping a woman ... read more

Well things have slowly been improving as I got back my luggage! Well half of it as a good chunk was stolen. Clothes, my gameboy, shampoo and other various knickknacks were pillfered at I'm assuming. Oh well, life goes on and at least my camera wasn't taken! Note to self: take electronics with you on the plane next adventure. So the job is/was boring. Just watching giant oil companies mess up the surrounding waters with pollution and trying my best to stay out of the lumbering machines way. The one good thing about being out about 10km offshore while working is I seem to attract a lot of dolphins and other cute critters of the sea. Almost everyday I would spot a bunch of dolphins playing about, or some whales slowly plodding along besides the boats. ... read more

A huge amount has happened since I left my little slice of paradise in Nova Scotia. Yup, one big giant wad of crap to be precise. Where to start, where to start…. Ok, first off some airport or airliner lost my luggage. Could be in Paris, or maybe it is somewhere in New York, but knowing my shitty luck it is probably on its way to Japan or something. So I arrive in the Congo again only this time I got nothing. Well, a couple of books, one change of clothes, and some gum. No toothpaste, clothes, gameboy, magazines, shampoo, and all the other important junk I need. So yup, there you go. First things first I guess. At first I spent a day in Paris trying to figure out if my bags are around, which ... read more

Eight things that I didn’t know about the capital of Angola a week ago: (1) It is one of the most expensive cities in the world; I assume, the most expensive in Africa. US$10 for an iceberg lettuce, for example. And I’m assured that eating out in London seems modestly priced by comparison. (2) The US dollar is, effectively, a second currency, thanks, in no small part, to the booming oil industry here. (3) Along the coast, the most oft-sighted bird is the common egret; a curiously spectacular bird to be apparent in such numbers. Not a seagull in sight. (4) There is, effectively, no tourist industry; not even a scruffy photocopied handout at the Luanda Fort where nothing is labelled, and street-sellers simply sell goods targeted at the general population rather than hassling the (non-existent) ... read more