Blogs from Angola, Africa - page 3

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