CENTRAL AFRICA
Cameroon - Gabon - Congo - Cabinda - Democratic Republic of Congo
Cameroon
The route from Gembu to Banyo proved to be too much for the new clutch and Guy ended up being towed across the border into Cameroon. Arriving in Banyo with a vehicle that couldn’t move was surprisingly unemotional and stress free. For once Guy was not chasing a deadline! And fortunately the way ahead was easy to determine. In the end, Guy loaded his vehicle onto the back of a cattle truck which, over three days, covered the distance to Yaounde. Initially the roads were very poor but, as the capital drew nearer, so they improved.
Yaounde is a small capital where everything is manageable. Guy was met by staff from the British High Commission who could not have been more helpful, going out of their way to support him. Prepared to spend as long as it took to repair his vehicle, with the help of The High Commission and the local Parkinson’s group, he appeared on more media outlets than in any other country.
While Cameroon has some security issues along its border with Nigeria, most of the country is safe and friendly and Guy enjoyed his time there. Once the wagon was back on the road, the journey down to the Gabonese border was enjoyable, uneventful and even quite relaxing. For Guy it felt good to have ‘turned the corner’ and be making progress in a southerly direction.
Gabon
Gabon has a rich, generally French, character and, with its eco safaris, lodges and wildlife, it has a good reputation as a tourist destination. Guy was looking forward to his visit.
Crossing over the border into Gabon was straightforward and Guy found himself being welcomed by immigration staff who clearly had not seen many European travellers. The roads were very good as they carved their way through the forest. Although there were very few pot-holes, unfortunately, Guy managed to hit a single but massive crater at speed. His suspension was severely damaged and he could not move. However, with local help, he managed to get the vehicle going, slowly making his way to the junction of Lalara - little more than a logging truck stop, where he then had to wait for five days. He eventually took a taxi down to Libreville to meet up with Rob Howard. Libreville is a vibrant city and under normal circumstances would be a pleasure to visit. But waiting on parts for his wagon and with the clock ticking, Guy was restless to move on. A bonus for Guy was that his son, Wilfred, flew out to join him and then accompanied him across the Equator to the Congo border. Unfortunately Wilfred did not have the necessary paperwork to continue, so Guy drove on alone from Endende, the last settlement in Gabon. From here, the RN1, a barely passable road, took him towards the border with Congo.
Congo
Full of apprehension at what he thought would be a difficult section to negotiate, in the event, Guy was completely surprised by what he found. He had a choice to go West to Pointe Noire or East to Brazzaville before reaching the Democratic Republic of Congo. On reaching Dolise, there was a dramatic improvement in the roads and Guy decided to go via Pointe Noire. A number of questions were circulating in his mind – not least, ‘from where do I get my Angola visa?’ And ‘do I go through Cabinda or directly through the Congo to DRC?’ After several days contemplating these dilemmas, Guy found himself heading towards Cabinda in the hope that he had sufficient paperwork to allow him passage through. Congo had proved to be an altogether better place than Guy had ever imagined. The people, infrastructure, services and atmosphere had been altogether much more welcoming.
Cabinda
Cabinda, a small exclave of Angola, has a dreadful reputation as a lawless country and few people in their right minds would choose to drive through it. But when I did, it proved to be a friendly place and there were no calamities. Within five hours, Guy had reached the southern border of Cabinda and the DRC. The crossing was straight forward and again rarely used by foreign travellers.
Democratic Republic of Congo
Although this is the largest country in Africa, Guy spent less than 18 hours here. Taking the road from Cabinda to Boma and then to Matadi, heading for the only bridge crossing of the River Congo. Initially the road was non-existent, merely sand trails with no signs. But beyond Boma the road was brand new and excellent. Crossing the River Congo was one of the key landmarks of the trip, signposting to Guy that he was leaving Central Africa and entering Southern Africa. Matadi is a bustling town just one kilometre from the river and the border with Angola. Before he knew it, Guy was leaving Congo through the relatively well organised Congolese/Angolan Customs and Immigrations posts, finding himself in Angola with no questions asked.
