Through DRC...

Today was our last chance to get the Angola visa. We were summoned to the embassy, together with our group and the vice consul of Belgium to speak to the vice consul of Angola. Innitially the vice consul was very possitive and he realy wanted to help us get the transit visa, but after a few phonecalls it was apparent that he could do nothing. Because of the elections in august in Angola, all transit visa's were blocked, the only option for tourists is now to get the visa in the home country, and this was no option for our group, now 5 people from different countries, as it would take too long and cost too much. Most of us were allready more than 2 weeks in Matadi so we needed to make a decision. Luckily Anita got her visa sent by DHL today from Namibia, were she is resident, but the rest of us are condemmed to the long and hard Kinshasa - Lubumbashi road. Once in good condition under Belgian rule in the 50'ties, now only accessible during the dry season by some trucks and pushbikes. It is regarded as one of the most difficult roads in the world and our only advantage is that all of us researched this road for some time now. My friends (www.roamingafrica.be) did this road last year and their gps track will be our guiding line through the DRC, 2000 km towards Lubumbashi and then onto safe and modern Zambia.
Tomorrow morning we will leave, not stopping in Kinshasa, to make our way round Angola and it's retarded visa pollicy. This time, my fear outweights the excitement big time, it won't be easy. Expected next blog entry: in at least 3 weeks. Wish me luck!