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 
Sorry Thaum I get you now. Why is the lockdown from Thursday and not sooner?
LikeLike
Because Parliament votes on it on Weds.
LikeLike
Not that that really answers the question.
LikeLike
My favourite part of that presentation was when Patrick Vallance showed a graph showing that R is falling and then proceeded to explain why action needed to be taken to reduce R.
LikeLike
Not falling enough, OT?
Think this is a political decision to protect ‘Christmas’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Here we go….
LikeLike
Watching my first game of the day.
About 20 seconds into Ireland’s Call, my missus asked me, ‘What the hell is that?’
LikeLike
Ah, Wayne Barnes’s GCSE French.
LikeLike
Will be astonished if Murray makes this kick.
LikeLike
Holy fuck, that’s a bad start.
LikeLike
Goodness, he can kick it further than I thought.
LikeLike
Lovely try from France!
LikeLike
Gorgeous by Fickou. Good by Rattez. Lovely score.
LikeLike
Oooh, getting interesting now!
TomP – Murray usually takes the really long-range ones.
LikeLike
I think that’s a fair call.
LikeLike
That’s a result for Ireland. Keenan was a bit unlucky not catching it first time.
LikeLike
Clusterfuckwombleshambles.
LikeLike
Much more exciting game than earlier
LikeLike
Much more exciting than both early games – although the first one was tense!
LikeLike
thaum, he does but that was really really far out.
LikeLike
TomP – just a shame his aim was off!
LikeLike
James Ryan’s playing angry and quite well.
LikeLike
RealEddie: Now Ireland have scored a try, they only need to win by 6 points.
That answers the try difference question I posed earlier!
LikeLike
Healy is boaking all over the pitch.
LikeLike
Slightly distasteful comment from Brian Moore.
LikeLike
What’d he say? I missed it.
LikeLike
Healy now taken a bang to the head, and going for an HIA.
LikeLike
Something about bulimia.
LikeLike
French discipline a weakness and the green horde beginning to show some more gumption.
LikeLike
Ta, Refit – yes, that sounds tasteless.
LikeLike
Uh-oh.
LikeLike
Doris in the bin for stopping a clear try. Not Doris’ day then.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Beautiful rugby.
LikeLike
What kind of a kick was that by Sexton? Okay, I know there was a penalty adv, but still….
LikeLike
Healy back! Needs to score another try to keep up with the other centenarian.
LikeLike
I thought he was looking for a drop goal at first. But they want the penalty kick as Brian Moore is saying on my feed right now.
LikeLike
Looks more like netball at the mo.
LikeLike
Doris back on for the line-out in the corner. Time to redeem himself.
LikeLike
Bah.
LikeLike
So far, much the best contest of the day…..
……………………………….still fuming
LikeLike
I’m not panicking (yet).
LikeLike
Can ‘France run rampage’?
LikeLike
Stockdale looks silly. Bring back the hair.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thaum, don’t think I missed your cheeky comment earlier. Ireland is the greatest country on earth and therefore should gallantly let France win tonight.
Good game this. Am enjoying it, even if both teams play in the hands of England.
Great contest. No niggles, no cheap shots, just different ways of skinning the same cat.
Have no idea who will win this at the end. Wonderful.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Fucking hell, Aki! (McCloskey would never have done that.)
LikeLike
Allez allez
LikeLike
Nice from France once again!
LikeLike
Mrs C is a great admirer of Ntamaxk’s hair especially as he squeezes over for an excellent try
LikeLike
Aki again with the fuck-up.
LikeLike
Right France, just wind the clock down. Keep it chilled out.
LikeLike