From Maluku to Hua Hin...one week-end after another...

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Over the last ten days, I've spent nights in Kinshasa, Maluku... nplanes as well as in Bangkok and Hua Hin. Should I say it's business as usual... or rather...this is a pretty small world.



As you can guess, I'm not in Congo for tourism purposes. This year, I will spend over 2 months in the DRC, all this over two weeks at a time spent between Lubumbashi and Kinshasa. It has been over 4 years since I first come to DRC on a regular basis, making this place some kind of a second home for me. I won't move full time to Congo anytime soon, but it's good to have so many friends in such a place.



My first week-end in Lubumbashi was spent playing golf with friends. But for my second week-end in Kinshasa, it was another program on the plans. A good friend of mine asked me to join him for a cool week-end in Maluku. You have never heard of this place...that's normal, don't think the place even shows up on google map!



Maluku is a small village up 100km from Kinshasa right on the Fleuve Congo, one of the main river in Africa. One which damned properly would provide enough energy for the all of Africa, but we are clearly not there...and not even tomorrow or after-tomorrow!



There is not a lot in Maluku, beside a gorgeous location...There is a group of simple houses...and even containers turned into basic accommodation. These twenty something basic houses belong to long-term expats based in Kinshasa. What do you do in Maluku....first you go for drinks and food, from friends houses to other friends houses...yes...there is some drinking going on at night. Next, you can either spend time on the river....huge brown river, with just across, the other Congo, also call Congo Brazaville for the name of the capital.



Than you could go riding a quad or a motocross on the serious field just above the road. This being Congo...with the close to non-existent medical facilities...I wouldn't put my kids on a motorbike here...neither would I myself. The main draw to me is still the view, and the Fleuve right below where we slept. Friends took me on a speed boat nice ride between the two Congos just before the storm hit. At the end of the day, this is indeed the rainy season. On the River, you can fish...huge tiger fishes with amazing teeth, as well as waterski or even riding a jetski....yes, this is an expat playground. Simple accommodation, truly nice people, nice drinks...and a lot to do on the river! Thanks a lot for this great week-end in Maluku, I really had a great time!



I left Kinshasa on Wednesday...for the 24 hours door to door back home in Bangkok on Ethiopian Airlines...trust me, never the most enjoyable experience. It's time to get back to Tiffany and Leslie! And a lot of running for me on Thursday and Friday morning, as we were to leave for a fun week-end to Hua Hin.



All of these business trips would not be possible without some great help. Ines was with us for 3 months in Buenos Aires at the end of 2012. She is back to University, so not much free time on her hands, but she managed to visit us for just short of a month...and the opportunity too for her to discover Bangkok and the surroundings.



So on Friday, got a rented car and we move to Hua Hin for the week-end. You don't go to Hua Hin for the beaches, but some hotels are just nice enough to have a great relaxing time. Great last week-end with Ines. It's Sunday night, she will soon be on her way back to Europe...and bac to University on Tuesday morning. Thanks a lot Ines, and hopefully, we'll see you pretty soon...somewhere on earth.



From our side, not much of travel blogging the next few weeks...it's time for me to enjoy Bangkok...and if I do not blog about it, trust me, it can be pretty fun! We love it here!

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