This is Africa
Just another African country. I have said this before and I will say it again a few more times in my life I assume.
Flying a SAX turboprop for three hours to Lumambashi in the DRC is not my idea of fun, especially if the lad next to you did not appear to have taken much care when it came to personal hygiene.
The four hour wait at the airport – albeit in a nice lounge – further added to my mood enhancement trip. The fact that I never saw my luggage picked up was a worry due to the fact I had showered at the Gym that morning – farking builders had not turned on the geyser when they left the night before – and was still dressed in my tracksuit pants and T shirt, which makes losing ones luggage a major train smash.
I had just decided to have a beer – as opposed to the bitter coffee I was supping the whole morning – when the small plane decided to leave. Simba Beer is a tad on the bitter side for me.
Kolwezi is a place that has all but collapsed. Roads are almost impassable, electricity is worse that Ghana in the dry season and cops abound everywhere.
The mine is an education and it was evident that when the civil war broke out they were in the middle of a major upgrade. They have 7 brand new mills as well as heaps of equipment that has been lying there for around 25 years.
The best part was a welded platform on the ground that a tree had grown through. Not a small tree. A bloody big tree some 3 meters high. The painters had done a good job as it appeared almost new after so long in the elements.
The “hotel” at $150 a night is reasonable enough. The fact that they are building new rooms and this is happening right outside my door could be an issue. The fact they do not have a genset is an issue as power goes off on a regular basis. No aircon’s, but the weather is benign currently so the ceiling fan suffices.
But the bed? The Bed is as hard as a rock. I battled to sleep – for more than one reason last night – and the bed did not help at all. Taking the problem in hand however did.
The DRC when I landed looked a hell of a lot dryer than I thought. However vegetation on the flight to Kolwezi looked more like I thought the country would be. It then dawned on me that the fact we land at cities means the local populace has denuded the surroundings of anything that you could burn. The place honestly looked like it was approaching a desert around the cities.
We looked at renting a motel and some houses. Wonderful places 25 years ago. Run down shells now. Rent a motel for $4500 a month and you in the hole for $50,000 to make it habitable. The current owner rents the place to locals for $10 a night. He is overcharging.
Tomorrow we finalise some of the deals we need to finalise and wing our way back to Lumambashi. A weekend in Lumambashi is ahead as we are unable to get a seat on any of the flights that head off to JHB on the weekend. I have $$$ - I understand there are places to party in town. I will see if I can take advantage of this.
Oh yes – and also have a meeting with the auditors and the local admin staff.
Am I having fun?
Not 100% sure. I seem to have a hole just below where my heart usually is.
Life is indeed complicated!!
Trust you have fun this weekend happy people. I know I will try!
Flying a SAX turboprop for three hours to Lumambashi in the DRC is not my idea of fun, especially if the lad next to you did not appear to have taken much care when it came to personal hygiene.
The four hour wait at the airport – albeit in a nice lounge – further added to my mood enhancement trip. The fact that I never saw my luggage picked up was a worry due to the fact I had showered at the Gym that morning – farking builders had not turned on the geyser when they left the night before – and was still dressed in my tracksuit pants and T shirt, which makes losing ones luggage a major train smash.
I had just decided to have a beer – as opposed to the bitter coffee I was supping the whole morning – when the small plane decided to leave. Simba Beer is a tad on the bitter side for me.
Kolwezi is a place that has all but collapsed. Roads are almost impassable, electricity is worse that Ghana in the dry season and cops abound everywhere.
The mine is an education and it was evident that when the civil war broke out they were in the middle of a major upgrade. They have 7 brand new mills as well as heaps of equipment that has been lying there for around 25 years.
The best part was a welded platform on the ground that a tree had grown through. Not a small tree. A bloody big tree some 3 meters high. The painters had done a good job as it appeared almost new after so long in the elements.
The “hotel” at $150 a night is reasonable enough. The fact that they are building new rooms and this is happening right outside my door could be an issue. The fact they do not have a genset is an issue as power goes off on a regular basis. No aircon’s, but the weather is benign currently so the ceiling fan suffices.
But the bed? The Bed is as hard as a rock. I battled to sleep – for more than one reason last night – and the bed did not help at all. Taking the problem in hand however did.
The DRC when I landed looked a hell of a lot dryer than I thought. However vegetation on the flight to Kolwezi looked more like I thought the country would be. It then dawned on me that the fact we land at cities means the local populace has denuded the surroundings of anything that you could burn. The place honestly looked like it was approaching a desert around the cities.
We looked at renting a motel and some houses. Wonderful places 25 years ago. Run down shells now. Rent a motel for $4500 a month and you in the hole for $50,000 to make it habitable. The current owner rents the place to locals for $10 a night. He is overcharging.
Tomorrow we finalise some of the deals we need to finalise and wing our way back to Lumambashi. A weekend in Lumambashi is ahead as we are unable to get a seat on any of the flights that head off to JHB on the weekend. I have $$$ - I understand there are places to party in town. I will see if I can take advantage of this.
Oh yes – and also have a meeting with the auditors and the local admin staff.
Am I having fun?
Not 100% sure. I seem to have a hole just below where my heart usually is.
Life is indeed complicated!!
Trust you have fun this weekend happy people. I know I will try!
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