quite possibly weeks or longer.
Having left Matadi and a newly enriched Customs Officer, we drove back on the Kinshasa road to Lufu, or any of the other names that towns in this part of Africa get called, depending on your language and which side of the border you nominally originate from. Lufu gets its name from the Lufu River, which runs from northern Angola to the Congo River (presumably) traversing the sliver of land that King Leopold managed to get to ensure that his colony had access to the sea. It’s less a town on the Congolese side and more of a crazy, uncontrolled (to the unfamiliar eye) trading post, where commodities ranging from cement and rebar to beer, plastic products, clothes and bulk food items, are traded across borders depending on exchange rates, availability, who you’re paying off and whether you’ve fuel in your truck (or motorbike for the micro-traders) to make it to Kinshasa.
Mo spent a good deal of the journey speaking to his boss and explaining the loss of US$800 and whether it was worth approaching their friend, the head of police in Kinshasa, to try to get it back. It was decided that route would be more costly in the longer run. “You sleep in shitty hotel tonight!” roared Mo laughing away, because we had to overnight in the nearby town of Kimpese in order to finish our investigation after the delays.
Kimpese is more hamlet than town, more shithole (thanks Dumb Donald!) than hamlet, with a handful of streets of formal houses and potholed dirt roads hidden behind the chaos and colour of the roadside informal trade. It’s also the epicentre of the cement industry in this part of the DRC, with all of the plants within a few kilometres of each other, located on huge limestone reserves.
because they have no education of use to a modern industrial plant.
The grandly-named Hotel Espace Nzilco was our place for the evening, and it looked as inviting as Mo had described it as. We checked in, Mo slipping the receptionist a little something extra with a none too subtle wink and grin, and went to unpack. Basically, the rooms are bungalows and resembled old military quarters from Belgian days, which a number of places I’ve stayed in in the DRC were. No Wi-Fi, so the bar and dinner it would be. Mo was already in full flight buying beer and whisky and chatting to whoever was in the bar. “My expensive friend!” he shouted as I walked in, telling the story in French to those listening and laughing. “Come! Drink shit whisky from you British and good beer from us Congolese!” Right on both counts. I chatted to a couple of Pakistani guys I’d worked with a couple of years before on a project not too far away. They drank like fish in the solid knowledge that what the imam couldn’t see, he couldn’t tell Allah (their words, more or less, not mine). Mo’s roving eye after a very good dinner of peri-peri chicken, freshwater fish and vegetables was my cue to grab a couple of bottles of beer and head to bed.
The next morning, we drove back to Lufu to inspect the border and try to understand the volumes of product crossing it, but we couldn’t get too close to the police or customs officials on account of my dodgy passport. We did some sums in the drizzle, and spoke to traders bemoaning the broken bridge, which would only take small vehicles as some of the supports had collapsed, meaning the cement and steel trucks had to offload onto small trucks and cars, get the goods over and then load up on trucks again on the other side. The Angolans, supplying most of the goods, wanted to fix it but the Congolese, trying to protect their dire, expensive and corrupt local industries were happy enough to leave it be to increase the costs of getting stuff to their side.
After a while watching, and trying to take pictures without getting seen (“No fuckin’ click-click – these cops’ fuckin crazy!”), we headed back out with a rough idea of what was going on. On the muddy, slippery road you have to drive slowly, but not everyone does. We saw a small truck lose control and careen down a small embankment, spilling all the fresh produce and breaking most of the beer it was transporting. The owner of the stock, a young lady, was sobbing. As much as the fright she got, that was her income gone for a few weeks, maybe more. Life on the margins is tough. It’s shit. Mo accelerated past the gathering crowd, all of whom were offering opinions as to whose fault the accident was.
doesn’t really give a sense of how slippery and potholed the road is – and unstable
on the sides, with bits caving in if large trucks get too close to the edges).
We got to the second town of Kongo Central Province, Mbanza Ngungu, and got stuck in the ubiquitous funeral procession, apparently for a well-known local musician. Mo wasn’t in the mood for dishing out cash, and kept his window closed. Apparently his wife was waiting for him. We got back to Kin without any further delays, and I’ve never been so happy to see a proper bed, hot running water, a restaurant and, most of all, familiarity.
A last day in Kin and I had an excellent meeting with a young guy from the investment promotion agency. Chatting through what I needed in terms of project information and our trip to Lufu, he smiled and said, “but we collect that trade data – even the informal trade, so we can know if our traders are being honest with volumes and prices”, and proceeded to e-mail the spreadsheets on the spot. What a win!
With a spring in my step, I went into my final meeting, with the national power company, looking for an outline of current and upcoming projects. The cantankerous bastard wouldn’t have been out of place in a recreation of Heart of Darkness and openly asked for money. Two faces of the Congo in one day, one old, one new; one condemning 80 million to poverty, the other swimming upstream to create a better life. All with the memory of the broken woman fresh in my mind.
It’s the Congo. It’s tough. It hurts you in ways you don’t expect; it thrills you in ways you can’t explain. It hardens you and teaches you humility and kindness all in one. It leaves you exhausted and angry; it creates a kaleidoscope of memories, vivid, jarring and spectacular. It never disappoints.
As told by serial luncher Deebee7.
Super Saturday, only 7 months late!
Ireland, England and France all still have a chance of winning the Six Nations.
In the unlikely event that Ireland beat France with a bonus point, they will win regardless of the other results. If they beat France, but without a bonus point, they still win if England fail to get a bonus point against Italy. If England win with a bonus point – as you’d expect them to – then it will come down to points difference, with Ireland currently being 23 points ahead.
If Ireland lose or draw, and England win, then England get the title, unless France win and have a better result than England’s victory in terms of championship points or, if on the same points, the points difference in scores. If they end up with the same points and points difference, then it comes down to tries scored, where France are currently ahead by 13-9.
Clear? Let’s play!
Onna telly this week
Friday 30th October
| Lions v Griquas | 16:55 | Sky Sports Mix |
Saturday 31st October
| Australia v New Zealand | 08:45 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Wales v Scotland | 14:15 | BBC1 / S4C |
| Pumas v Sharks | 14:25 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Italy v England | 16:45 | ITV / STV |
| Bulls v Stormers | 16:55 | Sky Sports Arena |
| France v Ireland | 20:05 | BBC1 / BBC2 |
Sunday 1st November
| Dragons v Munster | 14:00 | S4C / TG4 / Premier Sports 2 |
| Connacht v Treviso | 16:30 | TG4 / Premier Sports 2 |
| Italy v England (women) | 17:00 | Sky Sports Arena |
| Scarlets v Edinburgh | 18:45 | Premier Sports 1 |
Monday 2nd November
| Cardiff v Ulster | 18:00 | Premier Sports 2 |
| Zebre v Ospreys | 19:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
| Glasgow v Leinster | 20:15 | Premier Sports 1 |
Ovally Balls 
I find a pasty is more likely to slow down the process.
LikeLike
Vote stuffing pasties up their holes.
LikeLike
Really want a beer, bbq, freedom t shirt now.
LikeLike
Yes!!!
https://www.redbubble.com/i/t-shirt/Funny-BBQ-Beer-Freedom-Patriotic-USA-Vintage-Retro-Party-by-flipfone/56876313.NL9AC
LikeLike
I am tenuously connected to the assasination of JFK.
– He was murdered by Lee Harvey Oswald
– LHO was murdered by Jack Ruby
– The last person to speak to Jack Ruby before the incident was Nofio Pecoraro Sr
– Nofio Pecoraro Jr was on the run from the US police, changed his name to John Stryker and opened a pub in Hampton Wick called The Railway. He pretended he was from Halifax, West Yorkshire
– I moved to Hampton Wick and would occasionally drink in his pub. I asked him what part of Halifax he was from, and he ignored the question. I assumed he was lying.
– He was then arrested, extradited and imprisoned for his offences.
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/southcentral/2004/04/26/41470.htm
LikeLike
…so…………………you were the 3rd shooter?????
LikeLike
You lucky Scots………………………
Cometh the hour cometh the man………………………Duncan Weir for the Autumn Internationals and the next 6 Nations.
LikeLiked by 1 person
OT – Hampton Wick? Posh bastard.
LikeLike
LikeLiked by 4 people
erm…………………penis town?
just asking for a friend………………….
LikeLike
Grassed him up for not being a Yorkshireman. Trans-Pennine solidarity, that is
LikeLike
I lived above a hifi shop. Next door to Nasty Nick from EastEnders. His flat appeared to have no windows.
LikeLike
OT – you must know The Anglers pub in Teddington then? If you went there around 1998 – 2001 then you may have noticed a bunch of underage twats drinking there. I was one of them.
LikeLike
I know the Anglers, didn’t go much. I moved there in 2002. My main pub was the Rose & Crown in Hampton Wick.
LikeLike
OT – The Anglers tolerance for clearly underage drinking was legendary. Hence we didn’t really go to the Rose and Crown.
LikeLike
Friends of mine lived on the same road in South Croydon as Dot Cotton. I used to see Nick Cotton a lot in Kingston when I lived there. Didn’t realise he lived over the river.
LikeLike
Only a short walk across the river to Kingston…..
LikeLike
Tomp – you lived in Kingston? Amazing. I expect you spent many a night in Oceana then ;-)
LikeLike
True, OT, but different worlds, different worlds.
LikeLike
Is that the club that was in the cinema or something?
LikeLike
Craigs, Bacchus (?) was the one I used to go. It was horrible but I knew the guy who part-owned it so it was nice to see him. He’s a massive AFC Wimbledon fan who spun that into sports journalism for a while. Haven’t seen him in a long time.
LikeLike
Tomp – bacchus is amazing. I used to go to the New Noise night every other Wednesday.
LikeLike
I went to Oceana a few times. Mainly to appease my friends. My spiritual home is Bacchus.
LikeLike
It was an oasis away from the YSL-shirted wankers that were everywhere else late night in Kingston.
I’m still getting over the fact that OT moved to Hampton Wick to try and pick up some of the TFI Friday Kula Shaker vibe.
LikeLike
Not in the Rose and Crown there wasn’t. I calculated that my moving to Hampton Wick increased their turnover of Charles Wells Bombardier by 23%.
LikeLike
There were lots of YSL wankers it’s true. They tended to hang around the Bentals center by day and flood to Oceana at night.
LikeLike
Andy Bull making a very sensible case here for another four years of
Donald TrumpBen Youngs.Ben Youngs is England’s sage elder statesman with years left on the clock
The scrum-half showed poise and purpose on his 100th cap to score two tries against Italy and bend the game to his will, and was rewarded with the Six Nations title for the fourth time
Bull is a fine rugby writer and Eddie Jones could do worse than co-opt him into the strategy team.
LikeLike
Queue the gif of Youngs lobbing the ball directly into touch.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Not sure I fancy the ABs chances this weekend. Team looks a bit weak*.
*This may be sarcasm.
LikeLike
Game’s in Brisbane, though, where Aussie used to be competitive.
LikeLike
Aumua, Grace, D-Mac and Jordan is a high-jizz-quota bench.
LikeLike
The Grey Horse in Kingston had some good bands. The Southampton in Surbiton was good, as was the Cartoon in Croyden. The Underground was a decent club for a while, and if you wanted to live life on the edge, The Dog and Bull in Surrey Street was a proper Sarf Lunnon boozer. Beanos record store just up the road too. Never saw any Cottons, but there was a wee lass from Eastenders used to drink in the Leg of Mutton and Cauliflower in Ashtead.
LikeLike
Saw the Aussies get very competitive against England in Brisbane, Poacher Bill era. 1988 ?
LikeLike
My student just now:
“For me, Biden represents neo-Marxism or neo-Communism”
Me just now:
“Er, ye-es, maybe, but I wouldn’t worry too much as he won’t have control of the Senate so pushing things through will be difficult for him”
LikeLike
Not Poacher Bill as it turns out, and 22-16, so not a disaster. Jeez, my memory is bad. Got some quite clear memories of the day too, and the trip up to Towwoomba before hand for Queensland B.
and he was Burglar Bill, and wasn’t even on that tour.
LikeLike
Your student is American ??? Think sleepy Joe is slightly to the right of Boris.
LikeLike
Czech. He’s in PR. I think he might be a bit thick,
LikeLike
Burglar Bill is Harrison?
LikeLike
https://www.rugby-addict.com/en-za/video/home/i-was-working-in-a-bank-and-had-to-use-a-fortnight-of-my-holiday-to-go-on-tour-former-england-skipper-mike-harrison-turns-the-clock-back-to-england-s-only-ever-meeting-with-japan-at-the-1987-rugby-world-cup-in-sydney/5be9b1b9e6094067eb366517
LikeLike
I can’t help thinking that those saying Biden will likely win are being a bit….
LikeLiked by 3 people
One for BB. Ken Hensley gone. Best known for Uriah Heep, I guess, but I like this,from his first of two albums with Blackfoot.
LikeLike
SBT, is that a remake of the Enya song? No sound on my computer.
LikeLike
SBT – saw Heep (or ‘Eep) in the early 80s at the Legendary Glasgow Apollo! Suspect he was long gone by then. Every song seemed to have a guitar and keyboard solo in it, and every second song seemed to have a drum solo! Might be misremembering slightly.
Like Blackfoot though. Think they’re still going too – no original members, but they have the blessing of Ricky Medlocke.
LikeLike
Graun also ranking every Neil Young album – I’m surprised there’s only 45 (studio) albums. Suspect if they added the live albums, the total would get closer to 100.
After The Gold Rush or Harvest will be number 1.
LikeLike
Link for anyone interested….
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/nov/05/neil-young-every-album-ranked
LikeLike
You’ll be surprised!
LikeLike
Just listened to the Blackfoot on my phone. Love them! Need to dig deeper into their discography.
LikeLike
Nope, totally wrong, it was Rust Never Sleeps.
LikeLike
One to wake up to…..
LikeLike
….which reminds me of a contrived joke….
Enya claims to be a Munster fan – but we all know she’s only ever been to three games….
Sale away, Sale away, Sale away…..
(I’m sorry – really….. )
LikeLiked by 4 people