Days 121 to 127 - Week 19 (5th March 2007 to 11th March 2007)
Our week in Libreville started with trepadation as we wanted to see if the Angolan Embassy would issue our visas. Leaving us with only the sun, sea and sand to occupy us - Jeff donned his best clothes (by overlanding standards) to try his luck on our behalf. Unfortunately our contact at the embassy who had faithfully promised to help us obtain a visa when we phoned him in Yaounde, didn't seem to be as much help as we had hoped. It was a fight to just be able to get into the gates and to put our claim forward. So much for the tourist dollar ?? Eventually sent back to camp (with tales in between legs) with the "promise" of being able to secure a visa if we had a letter of invitation from an organization in Angola. Only another hurdle in our quest for adventure.
While Jeff worked to try and rustle up an invitation to Angola, the rest of us went into town, swam, played cards etc. Some of us scoured Libreville to find merchandise celebrating the magnificent leader of Gabon - President Omar Bongo !!!!! Yes - That is his real name and he became an instant hit with members of the group who purchased or swapped personal belongings to get any memorabilia with his name on it.
The highlight of our stay in Libreville was a Banoffi Pie made by Audrey, our resident pudding chef and self appointed sweet chilli sauce maker. Its amazing how resourceful an overland trip can make you when you really want something !!
One of the biggest snippets of news we could have received was delivered by Holly and Rob - announcing to the group that a little bun in the oven had been slowly cooking away for the last 3 months. Excitement, confusion, stress etc was an expected reaction to this news - but it didn't take long to shuffle around plans and also to start thinking of baby names !!!! For the meantime we have all agreed on the name JB - short for Jelly Bean, adopting the name from the shadow and shape of the baby of first ultrasound photo. Djenne and Mali are also in the running in the name game - after guessing that it may be here that the little bundle was deposited.
With no invitation to Angola forthcoming very quickly - we decided to cut our losses and head to Pointe Noire in The Congo - where we would try our luck there. On the way we crossed the Equator and the antipodeans on the truck celebrated being back in the Southern Hemisphere. We also had a stop at Lambarene, made famous by Albert Sweitzer - where we visited the hospital and museum celebrating his life and achievements in the area.
From Lambarene, our road took us south to the Rep.Congo Border. Once we had crossed and were on our way to Pointe Noire (with no less than three entry stamps from three different police / immigration posts !!) we soon realized that the roads were going to be some of the most challenging we've been on so far.
Our second night saw us bogged just before nightfall. The entire contents of the cleaning locker were employed to bail out puddles of muddy water and dig the truck out of flip flop swallowing mud. At least we are old hands at this now... A makeshift dinner of tinned curry and crackers was devoured by all in the back of the truck- with not a word or complaint in earshot. Our truck park and bushcamp for the night was in between two big waterlogged potholes with many inquisitive locals milling around to check out the circus sideshow.
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