Written
on Monday 10th February 2014
We reached Beni which is 200 kilometres
south of Bunia after 5 hours driving, getting hotter as we went further south!
We travelled in one of the Water Company’s 4x4 pick-up trucks, which was quite
comfortable in its way, with air conditioning if the road was too dusty to have
the windows open! Rose has a high position in the Water Company and keeps this
vehicle at the house. We set off at 7.15am this morning, Monday. I have shown
some of the MANY hazards we met on the way.....you will see....we are PASSING a
truck taking up 'the entire dreadful road' [I nearly shut my eyes!]. And there
was a lorry overturned along the way! The
young driver, Mausa, is brilliant; and like many Congolese drivers his eyes are
trained on the dreadful crevasses and bumps about a 100 yards ahead, weaving in
and out like the other drivers choosing the 'best, [Ha! Ha!] bit of road....and
at 40-60kms an hour! 
The cows are beautiful, but appear suddenly! Then we had
half an hour hold up where a bridge had partially collapsed [wooden planks] and
over deep ravines & rivers.....after negotiating with police and soldiers,
and money changed hands [how dare they!] we got out, and Mausa drove, weaving
over, no problem for him!! See the completely broken plank as he's just driven
over it!!!
So now I am this other house in
Beni, the home of Mele's brother [usual extended family of umpteen relatives!].
It is an amazing old style Colonial house, recently being renovated, and another
floor added. In beautiful country set high above a little river [but the
road it's in is AWFUL, like a horrendous cart track with rocks
everywhere!!!]. Rose and I are the first visitors to occupy the 2 bedrooms
reached by outside tiled stairways of 21 steps with a veranda [looking
like a Spanish Villa!]....Between the 2 rooms is a bathroom etc, but
unfortunately not finished.....the 3 loos and showers are DOWN the stairs,
through part of the paved garden, and round the side of the house!!...beautifully
tiled, but the' hole in the floor loos'...NOT easy for aged European joints!!
And the floor is so slippery, with nothing to hold onto....I held the washbasin
and it pulled away from the wall!!!!....but I got it back on!!!! I am
literally living out of a suitcase and bag, because the room is bare except for
bed/mosquito net and window curtains!
I am feeling very disorientated at
the moment, but I hope to improve.....and it is good to meet Mele and Rose's
daughter Ruth again, and her 15 month old Nehemiah this morning. It was a
wearying journey here, though the last 2 hours were on decent roads. It is much
hotter here than Bunia.
I will close now, Thank you again to
those who have emailed me.....some more might hopefully pop up when I get
Internet connection maybe tomorrow, we shall see! Oh...while I am
sweltering here in this heat and brilliant sunshine, I am so sorry to hear
about UK's awful rain, flooding and gales...when will it improve in UK?
Janice
No comments:
Post a Comment