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Updated Information
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Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
196km |
Meals
Eggplant Parmesean |
Weather |
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Near Latoursville,
Gabon |
09 April
2004 |
Bush Camp |
0°41.052’S
12°31.324’E |
Odometer: 17233km |
Hot, Sunny Humid 101(F) degrees
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We set off this morning at around 8:30, trying
to escape a swarm of bees and flies that descended on our camp this
morning. Graham discovered that his right shock tower has broken loose
again, and at the same time Slade found a loose hub on his Land Rover. We
stopped for an early lunch and set about making repairs. Graham removed
the shock completely and tied the axle up with a piece of strap to prevent
it from dropping too far and the spring falling out. Shortly after we got
moving again, we encountered a log bridge with a makeshift barricade
across it. Two guys came out and demanded money let us cross. We ended out
giving them 2000 CFA for our four vehicles, which in retrospect was
probably a mistake, but we did get across. The road improved in the
afternoon and we enjoyed a beautiful drive along the river through lush,
green forest until we found a place to camp about 40 km from Lastoursville.
Graham and Connie borrowed Slade’s shower, which is a pressurized lawn
fertilizer (the kind you fill with fertilizer, then pump up by hand and
spray. It makes a great shower) We cooked dinner and sat around the camp
fire chatting and looking at the stars. Graham and Connie have decided to
name their car “Thokalossi” after a sort of gremlin reputed to exist in
South Africa. The story is that some people believe that these creatures
(small, like gremlins) exist and bring bad luck. If someone is
experiencing a bout of bad luck, they will start stacking their bed on top
of bricks, because if your bed is high enough, the Thokalossi can’t get
you. So Thokalossi means “The gremlin under your bed.” |
What's left of Thakalossi's shock tower More cool bugs visit us in camp Witt shows off the red marks left by the invisible (or nearly so) biting insects.
What's left of Thakalossi's shock tower
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Updated Information
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Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
204km |
Meals
Spaghetti Bolognaise |
Weather |
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Near Moanda, Gabon |
10 April
2004 |
Bush Camp |
1°42.477’S
13°05.221’E |
Odometer: 17437km |
Cloudy, cooler, 93(F)
degrees |
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This morning was very foggy and quite
beautiful, but once again the bees drove us from our camp in a rush. We
enjoyed more of the same good track we had yesterday and after stopping
for lunch to fix a tire and tighten a hub on Rafiki, we made it to Moanda
by about 2pm. We filled up with fuel and water, and after a quick shampoo
at the gas station water tap we were on our way south toward the Congo
border. We stopped for the evening in a level spot created during
excavations from the road. Our new friends cooked a wonderful meal and we
spent a nice bug-free evening chatting. |
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The wonderful
feeling of clean hair! From left to right: Krissy, Connie, Vicky, Jen |
The locals
get baths, too. |
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Updated Information
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Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
70.8km |
Meals
Chicken Tikka Masala and crepes with crème
anglaise |
Weather |
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Bakoumba, Gabon |
11 April
2004 |
Camped at the Lekedi Park
entrance |
1°49.508’S
13°01.069’E |
Odometer: 17508km |
Hot, Clear, Humid, 95
degrees(F) |
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Had a leisurely start to the day. Urs redid
the timing on the Pinzgauer and then discovered a fuel leak in the top of
one of the carburetors. Luckily he had a spare carburetor, so a quick
change was made. We hit the road and made it to Bakoumba, the last major
town in Gabon, by about 10. Of course it is Sunday so no one was at
immigration control. We walked around to find customs and were told that
the customs officer had ‘gone traveling’ so we should get the carnet stamp
from the gendarmerie across the road. The guys found a shop selling beer
and decided to stock up. Eventually the immigration officer showed up and
dutifully noted exit details in all passports since he didn’t have an exit
stamp. Then it was off to the gendarmerie. The officer there was most
contrary. He didn’t like the lack of an exit stamp in the passports and
told us it would cause trouble later. He then told us the border was
closed, but he could let us through for a fee. Elsa argued for a long time
with him about visas and open borders, and eventually he agreed to call
the Secretariat who could authorize him to open the border for us. So we
packed the man and Elsa and Graham into Toki and went to find the
Secretariat. Unfortunately he was not at home, so we went back to the
gendarmerie brigade. We settled in for a long stay, with Witt trying to
fix a rattle in Rafiki’s bonnet and Urs swapping tires around on the Pinzi.
Soon enough the officer got bored and told us we could go through. The
border had magically opened! We drove out to the last gendarmerie
checkpoint where we were told that the border was closed, but that the
officer had a key to open the gate. They searched our vehicles, and then
we packed two guys with AK-47’s into our convoy and one guy who wanted a
lift onto Rafiki’s roof rack. Then off to the real border. The road out
there was quite good, but was going through some pretty thick jungle. The
border itself was marked by two locked gates and a distinct lack of road
on the Congo side. The officer at the border reaffirmed that the border
was closed and told us we could only get through with a letter from the
regional governor. So after much debating we decided to try a different
border after going back to the immigration officer to check us back into
the country. So back to town and another stop at the immigration office.
The officer told us again that the border is open and that we should have
been let through. He got on the phone and called the govenor. While he was
on the phone the Secretariat showed up. He took over the phone call and
got authorization from the govenor that we could cross. Of course, no one
had told us until now that the Congo side is closed every Sunday, and that
it would be closed Easter Monday as well. So Elsa and Vicky went with the
Secretariat to get a letter and the rest of us had lunch and made plans
for the two days we were stuck in Bakoumba. At this point the chief of the
border control showed up and told us that we should stay Monday night at
the border so we could cross first thing on Tuesday (and also so that we
could give him a ride to the border post). So, with plans made for onward
travel, we decided to spend the intervening time at Lekedi Park, the hotel
and camping for which is in Bakoumba. Off to the hotel and a swim for
most. Lots of washing was done, followed by a meal of chicken tikka masala
and crepes. |
Camping in a road building mistake Killer African bees love Tevas The new convoy parked outside the immigration office in Bakoumba: Sid, Rafiki, Toki, and Pinzi
Camping in a road building mistake
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Updated Information
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Date |
Camp Site or Accommodations |
GPS |
Distance Today:
0km |
Meals
Chicken Potjie |
Weather |
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Bakoumba, Gabon |
12 April
2004 |
Lekedi Lodge |
1°49.505’S
13°01.068’E |
Odometer: 17508km |
Rainy, Cooler, 85 degrees(F) |
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Since the Congo side of the border is closed
on the Monday after Easter, we decided to spend the day in Lekedi National
Park which happens to be nearby. We all piled into a couple of Toyota
pickups and spent the morning driving around the park. We saw some buffalo
and impala as well as a family of chimpanzees that live on an island in a
lake in a park. These chimps used to be kept as pets or tourist
attractions, but now lead lives of leisure in the park, being fed bread
and bananas every day to amuse the tourists. We also saw some wild pigs,
Mandril monkeys, and an ostrich. The afternoon was spent at the lodge
relaxing, swimming in the pool, and reading. Slade and Graham made a
wonderful chicken Potjie and Urs created a gigantic fruit salad which we
drowned in custard for desert. We got our first good rain storm this
afternoon, which left the evening nice and cool.
Be sure to click on
the right arrow...there are more pictures! |
Human observing ape (or the other way around?) We crossed a long footbridge over the forest Our official letter from the governor giving us permission to leave Gabon
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Crossing the Border into Congo |
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