DRC 10-16 July From bad to worse

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Leaving the haven of the Catholic mission in Brazzaville ,we set out to the port to enter DRC. The chaos that ensued could only be seen to be believed. There are no photos because to take one is to risk death(literally). After waiting for a couple of hours while loading proceedures continued, we obtained some Congolese Francs to buy snacks and just watched while the ferry was filled and filled and filled until it was so overloaded that no one could move. This ferry is a city- anything could be obtained or sold and all types of humanity was aboard-money changers, sandwich makers,beggars,officials,families and US,a small group of white people. The scene was both exhilarating and terrifing.
After 30 minutes the whole process started in reverse at the Kinshasa port and again about 2 hours passed as we argued with officials,paid bribes and finally escaped to the city. Kinshasa is 6 million in size and a sinister place-the most expensive city in Africa and with a crime rate also unmatched. We carefully made our way,stocked up on goodies from a Belgian shop with razor wire and armed guards and escaped to the country side and safety at last. We made our way south towards Matardi port in the south bushcamping on the way. We stopped for a day at Zongo Chutes ,90 kms of disaster road off the highway to a small camp on the Congo river -another haven. After several tense days we made it to Matardi and another Catholic mission. Despite to chaos here,we liked it and rested for 2 days. All in all we liked DRC but there few countries so unsafe ,sinister and downright anarchistic.
Next for Angola.

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