http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from Africa , Congo en-us Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:06:19 +0000 Tue, 05 Jan 2010 09:06:19 +0000 The plunge into Central Africa brought us to a string of exoticsounding places Irsquod never heard of in my life places like Oyem Ndjole Lambarene Nrsquodende Milamila Mrsquobanza KongoBenguela and Lubango. The few that I had heard of Brazzaville Kinshasa Luanda did not fill my heart with delight though there was a little buzz a small flush of excitement connected with eac http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/blog-431666.html I'm introducing our company NTWO Electronics a Dubai based company an authorise dealerdistributor of leading brands of metalgold detectors here in Middle East and parts of Africa since 2001. We are offering good prices as low as manufacturers price and there is a possibility of negotiation for discounts base on the quantity of sales order. To name a few we have Minelab GPX 4500 Lorenz Dee http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/blog-403811.html Hey all so I have an hour break right here between classes and am in no mood to write my paper so I thought why not post something here Not that I feel anyone really reads this too often... anyways so this week here at school is called RAG week... stands for something along the lines of raise and give. But yeah besides the point prettymuch what it means is that everyone is just drunk all day long http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Mossendjo/blog-372297.html Point Noire Congo to Lilongwe Malawi.... 4 days and lots of patienceA laughable attempt to get homeSo this was it the day finally arrived after 6 weeks my flight home was approaching and I made the biggest mistake of all looking forward to it.All was set having managed to walk into Point Noire and find an internet cafe that worked after the internet on the boat died again.... all was arran http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-368445.html Dry land for the first time in a monthWell if you can really call it that not much of the experience I would normally look for but the chance came up to head into town via the FRC Fast Rescue craft so I took it to go and have a pizza in Pointe Noire.Having been on something that moves constantly with the motion of the ocean since 26th November I ended up on a boat anchored in Pointe Noire http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-359337.html Still trying to learn to type in HTML thing so apologise for any mistakesI'm just going to add in here some photos of the rig the GSF 135 on the Moho Bilondo field off the Congo coast. Before anyone gets to up in arms about it just consider for me it's a job and someone would do it anyway and the computer you're using to read this with is probably using fuel from a fossil fuel powered station.. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-359006.html Congo and Pointe Noire a deep green sea holding the future of a countryArriving off the Air Gabon flight from Paris CDG I am joining the many oil workers that have descended upon the West coast of Africa in recent years. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised that the airport worked well and efficiently passport control took less than 5 minutes there was the usual gaggle of give me lugga http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-356735.html I need to stay for one day in Point Noir. ANy recomendation for security . What about food is it risky http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-330217.html Life without running water involves containers basins and buckets. In general water is transported in 25 litre containers in carts wheelbarrows on heads or in taxis from communal pumps. This single water supply is used for drinking preparing food washing oneself the house children and laundry. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-312410.html There has been no electricity for two days now. Supply from Kinshasa to the whole of Brazzaville has been cut. Itrsquos such a frequent occurrence that no one bothers to moan everyday life continues in the darkness. Street vendors remain by the roadside friends congregate at bars yet settle for lukewarm beer and taxis continue to shift the masses from one side of town to another. Complete neig http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-312409.html Breakfast in Brazzaville can be a surreal experience. The lsquoExotic Palacersquo seemed quite a formal affair with tablecloths while lsquoporcelainrsquo and fully togged waiters. Initially I had the impression of stepping into a 1930s tea room yet the contest between France24 broadcast in one corner and Celion Dion at the patisserie counter gave this place the truly African touch. Brazz http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-312408.html There is no culture of outsourcing. Every business is selfreliant own electricity supply security guards couriers cleaners. Supermarkets import all their own stock i.e. no wholesalers patisseries bake everything inhouse hotels have their own laundry service. The notion of economies of scale is absent only self reliance ensures survival. http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-312407.html Initial reaction of intense disappointment. Where has the city so revered by Europeans and Congolese alike been hidden True the coast with its Atlantic waves and golden sand just like light brown demerera sugar is stunning. Yet the oil rigs and Disney style resorts invade the beauty. There is an air of something perverse although that could just be the presence en masse of macho chain smokin http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-312387.html On the first of March left Pointe Noire truck got stuck in the sand trying to get out of the camp so sand mats out right away then off again to logging roads scenery is beautiful dense forests a few savannahs logging trucks driving as fast as they could as if always in a hurry it rained in the afternoon and made the roads tricky we got stuck briefly as we try to get up the hill another tru http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-253670.html After the Ngongo border post we stopped at another checkpoint and got another stamp then had lunch literally on the road and the kids start pouring in after lunch Kirsten gave them the left overs and total chaos as everyone tried to grab some and even went in to our trash to salvage some cans and jars etc. sad thing to see we told them to stop scavenging but wouldnt so we have to take the trash http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-250636.html In the South West part of the Republic of Congo lies the city of PointeNoire in the Kouilou Region. In 1883 it was under French Control until 1960 hence French is the official language. In the working sector French Language is the medium use for communication although their are several dialects spoken across the region.The capital is Brazzaville which is connected to Pointe Noire by railroad si http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-142733.html There he stood. Half a head taller than me with skin of a beautiful mahogany colour that was almost radiant. His dress was immaculate the dust filling the air didnrsquot seem to stick on his newly ironed shirt nor his black trousers. He had a short and sharp haircut that looked as if hersquod just stepped out of the barberrsquos and his cheek was freshly shaved revealing his strong cheekbo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-101849.html Back once again to Pointe Noire in the Congo staying at exactly the same safehousehotel as I was the last time I ventured here. Not much has changed in a few months besides the food which seems to have gotten much better. Maybe all the meat I was eating was tasty because it was freshly killed Or maybe it was because it wasn't loaded with chemicals. Bah either way the grub was good and the frui http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-98619.html This will be my last entry in my little West Africa journey. The city I've been at for just under a week is Point Noire in the Republic of Congo or CongoBrazzaville.To sum things up in a sentence I've had one hell of a fantastic time here and I already miss it. I've spent my nights drinking with many new friends and dancing till my feet are sore all throughout the night. The local beers Mutzi http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/West/Point-Noire/blog-71233.html So there we have it. Unbeknownst to some of you though certainly beknownst to others we have returned from our 8 month tour of duty and are now domiciled back in the UK. Just in time for both Easter and the Queenrsquos birthday events which are always marked joyously in our household. Before extrapolating on what the trip did for us and what we gained and perhaps lost from it it is impo http://www.travelblog.org/Africa/Congo/South/Brazzaville/blog-54812.html