Camping

I have been neglectful, and I apologize. My only excuse is that I've settled in so much now that everything seems normal and hardly newsworthy.

Who really wants to be bored with stories of my daily commute, procrastination stories that include my pick-up still being covered in tranportation stickers, or the walls in my apartment still lacking even one wall hanging or decoration.

I've been waiting for something exciting to happen or for an interesting excursion, and now I have one. I went camping!

Last weekend was a three-day weekend, and I took advantage by heading to Bombo Lumene for a camping trip with a group of co-workers.

Pros: Beautiful landscape, opportunity to drive my pick-up 80 miles/2.5 hours AND use my 4WD, saw every star in the sky at night including several falling stars, wide open spaces, authentic local living (as opposed to my pampered ex-pat world), sitting by a bonfire with friends

Cons: Dining after the sun goes down by the light of head lamps and flashlights invites every insect in the vicinity to join the meal. 

Getting in and out of the city was interesting. Once you get out of Gombé and get into the greater Kinshasa area, the number of people multiplies considerably as does the traffic.

Public Transportation
(If there's not room inside, there's always room on the back, out the doors, or on the roof.)

Public Transportation
(Locally known as an "esprit de mort" or "spirit of death.")

However, once out of the city, it was an incredible look into what rural and village life is like in this part of the country. 

Local Vegetation
(reminded me a little of home)

2 Mile Dirt/Sand Road to the Camp Site
(This also reminded me of home...pasture driving or going down to the irrigation pumps.)

Paved Highway Until the Last Two Miles

Welcome Wagon With Automatic Weapons
(They were actually very friendly.)

 Borrowed Palace
(Looks like I'll be needing to make a purchase of my own.)

Vine Bridge Over Lumene River
(Yes, I swam in it! It has a really fast current that carries you quickly down to the bridge which is the last stop before...I don't know what, but I was warned that you have to get out before the bridge!)

Another View From the River

Local Boys Heading Up to Take the Big Plunge

Showing Off for the Camera
(They loved seeing their pictures on the digital camera!)

Beautiful Landscape Along the Way

One of the Many Villages Along the Route

One of Multiple Broken Down Trucks Along the Way

Another Broke Down Truck

People Going About their Day in the Village

Brick Home Outside of a Village

I didn't expect to see satellites. 

Village between Bombo and Kinshasa

John Deere Brought a Smile to My Face!

Make Room Where You Can

Windshield View of Kinshasa

Saturday in Kinshasa

Kinshasa Traffic Robot

L'Esprit de Mort
Always Room for One More

Business is frequently done on the side of busy streets or in the streets.

Insect of Kinshasa Dead in My Apartment
(Beetle or Cockroach...I can't say.)

Wish I could tear down these skin lightening cream billboards. They're everywhere in Kinshasa.

I am doing well here in Kinshasa. I'm still amazed every day that I get to experience another continent/country/culture as part of my job.

For those of you wondering about Ebola, it is currently still contained in the Equateur region of the DRC, but as you all know that can quickly change. At this time, there are no reported cases here in Kinshasa. I hope that those with Ebola back in the U.S. will be quickly diagnosed, quarantined, and treated with successful results.

I hope this blog post reaches you all knowing that I think of you fondly and hope that life is treating you well.

Shout outs to my nephew Kade for becoming a teenager, my niece Eliana for turning 4, Brandon and Kate for bringing Carter into the world, Billee and Richard for an awesome care package, The United Methodist Women of Geddes, SD for sending me mail filled with good tidings and prayers, FUMC NoHo because I miss you guys, Sharon for always keeping me in touch with my hometown news, and Dad for successfully making your first international phone call to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

XXOOs