We made it to the border with Congo Brazzaville !

We made it to the border with Congo Brazzaville !

(November, 21)

BORDERCROSSING CAMEROON - CONGO BRAZZAVILLE 

We finally made it to the border!  Ate two tins of Sardines a day. Were too tired to pinch up the tent last night. Just slept behind the wheel. Shattered, can you imagine. It was a big surprise how friendly the customs were. We gave them two mosquitonets; their first. They were incredible happy with it. Fantastic.

Roads that can only be seen from above

Only on Google Earth

(November, 20)
DEEP IN THE JUNGLE
  
For us it is crucial perusing Africa's 'unwritten' roads, only visible from the air, using Google Earth. Roads that only revel themselves from a bird-eye-view. The roads (A) are not mentioned on any map. We can discover our track via satellite. Now it is clear there is actually a road we can take! Big relieve. We can also see, this road leads us across the border with Congo Brazzaville. Still don't know if there's a border-post. On this map we do spot a very small speck (B) of a wooden building. That could be it....

Trees were blown down by the storm

Trees were blown down by the storm

(November, 20)
DEEP IN THE JUNGLE
 
We were plunging the Land Rover through. The recent rains created holes and tick mud deeper than ever. The roads are extremely slippery, like ice. We ditched the Land Rover one time. Had to pass many overturned lorries. I wonder if we would reach the border. Honestly, I think we'll never get that far. Trees were blown down by the storm. In some places the track was entirely gone, covered with fallen branches. We just drove from one fallen tree to another. The forest people came with their machetes and turned a hopeless situation, into an open road again.

Heavy weight on the roofrack

Heavy weight on the roof-rack

(November, 20)
DEEP IN THE JUNGLE
   
With incredible heavy weight on the roof-rack, we can't even open the doors. And driving through deep holes, makes the load slide forward. On time, we almost tipped over! Scary stuff ! In one occasion we were so stuck, a truck came, rescued us and pulled us out, far enough so we were on dry ground again.

Bad road started, and this was only the beginning

Bad road started, and this was only the beginning
(November, 20)
DEEP IN THE JUNGLE 

SANGMELIMA - MBALAM   
NOMANS LAND  between  SOUTH CAMEROON – BORDER  TO CONGO  

We know, we cannot escape these roads.  Because there’s only one road across this –otherwise- inaccessible jungle. One road;  One choice!  The piste was so bad, it would take days to get out. The ruts were deep from the logging trucks, and the front diff dug into hard mid, but no damage like in 1988.
Although, it robbed me of sleep last night, because I knew this was only the beginning. The road’s had muddy sinkholes that were deeper than a four-wheel-drive Land Rover Defender. I could not open the doors. The mud came straight  through the windows. Things only worsened: a storm came. Like being in a nightmare that would not end.

 

Helping people is the right thing to do

Helping people is the right thing to do

(November, 20)
On the road between SANGMELIMA - MBALAM   
NOMANS LAND – SOUTH CAMEROON – BORDER  TO CONGO 

In almost all countries in Africa only a few roads exist close to borders with their neighboring countries, to keep enemy's out. These areas are deliberately underdeveloped. When it rains roads turn into mud. Well....in rainforests.... it rains a lot. Roads are scares and often in very poor condition. Making matters worse, hundreds of people are left alone, and are exposed to diseases. They live in the forest and face severe hardships and are among Africa’s hardest to reach people. People who live in these regions are ignored and left in the shadow of their own country. When they see us coming, they stop us, asking for help. We  listen to every cry for help, seek out remote people who are vulnerable ; helping people is the right thing to do. 

United Kingdom, Belgium, Ireland, Cameroon, Angola, The Netherlands, United States, Myanmar, Germany, France and Namibia, THANK YOU for tuning in !!

The border between Cameroon & Congo

 No road exit ?

(November, 20)

According to the maps, there are no roads across the border between Cameroon and the Congo exist. It's just a mere blank. A drive, into the unknown.

Sangmelima: Powercut, Rotten food & high risk Filariasis

Sangmelima: Power cut, Rotten food & high risk Filariasis

(November, 20: 06.38 Hrs)
SANGMELIMA - MBALAM


I was exhausted yesterday evening, after a long day’s driving and the annoying roadblock issues. We finally reached Sangmelima. Electricity is unknown in this area. We slowed down, to just have a look around the town, and came across a pleasant looking place ….. from the outside that is...  all said and done. A big disappointment awaited us inside.  The place was extremely dirty. No running water and loads of vomit everywhere. Trying our best to ignore it, we ordered some food, but it was truly rotten. As soon as I put it in mouth I had to spit out, hoping I wouldn’t catch typhoid. No other choice but to leave. Now with an empty stomach we opted to pitch our tent somewhere in the forest, in the middle of a very high risk Filariasis area. Last night, around 5 o’clock it became extremely cold; fog was rolling into the rainforest.  We now continue our journey at 06.48 hrs. I am heading for the border and on Monday will leave Cameroon and enter the Congo.