Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
that the New Year rang in. The broadcast was interrupted to make the announcement.
Well… HAPPY NEW YEAR AFRICA, MOM and DAD!
During my first meeting with the ambassador, he told me that if I wanted to send
anything to Canada, I would just need to give it to the first secretary. So, the morning that
the embassy reopened, I dropped off a letter to my family and all my completed postcards.
MylastnightinKinshasapassedbyveryunceremoniously.Iwentforaswimatmy
building, prepared my last supper, and I slept in the living room watching TV. In all hon-
esty, I felt I wasted my time in Kinshasa. I didn't visit any schools, NGO projects or even
gotomassattheSalesians'ParishofSt.Anneinthecity.Mygutwastellingmethatitwas
time to go.
Iwokeupthenextmorningandwasreadytoleaveat7:30a.m.Forabriefmoment,
I considered staying another day but then I asked myself what for? I made sure everything
in the apartment was left clean and then cycled to the Canadian Embassy to ask the guard
for directions. By 8:00 a.m., I crossed the city and gradually made it onto the road which
would take me to the expressway. The road was beautiful and not really busy especially
after passing the international airport.
From that point onward, the road almost became void of traffic and the views be-
came increasingly prettier. After 54 kilometres of cycling on a dual carriageway, I turned
right and began to climb the escarpment. I needed to take frequent breaks on the ascent for
the tailwind wasn't cooling me off fast enough and I was overheating.
When I arrived at the top of the escarpment to an elevation of 650 metres, I looked
forashadedplacetotakeabreak.Inoticedasmallparishandwalkedovertomakeaquick
visit. At the entrance of the parish, I met a very cordial Father Jean who ran this Belgian
mission. Since it was my first full day of cycling, I didn't want to push too hard so I asked
him if I could camp on the property. He welcomed me instead to a guest room and brought
a bucket of water for me to use as a bath. He immediately left to visit some parishioners in
a nearby village.
After I moved my bike into the room, I unpacked some essentials and squatted
in front of the bucket to bathe. I quickly dried off, dressed and ate my packed lunch of
sardines, bread and doughnuts. As I waited for Father Jean to return, I stayed in my room
and wrote in my journal in the immense quietness.
FatherJeanreturnedintheearlyeveningandtogetherwewenttovisitafamilywho
had a small infant with another on the way. They bought Primus beer and after drinking
four glasses on a now empty stomach, I felt sleepier than ever.
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