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Democratic Republic of Congo: Lubumbashi to Kinshasa Democratic Republic of Congo: Lubumbashi to Kinshasa
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Ride Tales Post your ride reports for a weekend ride or around the world. Please make the first words of the title WHERE the ride is. Please do NOT just post a link to your site. For a link, see Get a Link.
Photo by Lois Pryce, schoolkids in Algeria

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Photo of Lois Pryce, UK
and schoolkids in Algeria



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  #1  
Old 19 Nov 2010
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Congo Adventure
Great trip.
Great ride report

Do you think your trip would have been any easier riding across the DRC on a motorcycle instead of a 4 x 4 ?
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  #2  
Old 20 Nov 2010
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ride4Adventure View Post
Do you think your trip would have been any easier riding across the DRC on a motorcycle instead of a 4 x 4 ?
That's an easy question: Yes, much!

The only problem is finding (clean) petrol.
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  #3  
Old 20 Nov 2010
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GPS data
Well done to you indeed, this is an amazing trip report!

Also, are you able to post any GPS waypoints or things of the sort onto this thread?
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  #4  
Old 20 Nov 2010
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Thanks!
Very very nice report! I was glued to the screen for a few days!
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  #5  
Old 20 Nov 2010
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"people have the impression that we are angry in everything we do."
If that was the case I think you would have exploded long before finishing the trip!
Brilliant report, great summary. I admire your honesty and fortitude, many thanks
(Though it did cause me to burn the tea twice)
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  #6  
Old 21 Nov 2010
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Brilliant read.
Thanks for posting this up, just been totally engrossed for 4 hours.
Don't let negative people chip away at you as some seem to have done.
You've both shown remarkable fortitude, and I think your judgements were sound! Well done!
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  #7  
Old 21 Nov 2010
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marocco overland
hi.....i plan to go with my camper from serbia to africa, entering marocco... need all the tips i can get. thanks, svetlana
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  #8  
Old 23 Dec 2010
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Hey guys,

Thanks so much for making the effort and putting all this info up here. It is these sort of stories which are most helpful for future overlanders travelling there and which keep us others going and dreaming whilst we’re not on the road.

A friend and me, we’re planning our own Africa trip for next year. Concerning the DRC, as you’ve stated earlier, it is almost impossible to find any up to date information apart from “it’s dangerous – don’t go there”. So travel blogs like this one cannot be valued high enough for the wealth of information they provide. Your pictures are just awesome and heaps helpful to get prepared for the road conditions. On the Michelin Maps your route does look more like a multilane freeway!

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ride4Adventure View Post
Great trip.
Great ride report

Do you think your trip would have been any easier riding across the DRC on a motorcycle instead of a 4 x 4 ?
There is another DRC story of two Aussie guys riding a KTM through the DRC in 2009 (very similar route), it’s the "DRC Crossing - Lubombashi to Kinshasa" thread in the Sub-Saharan Africa Forum. Very interesting read too for all who plan to do this on two wheels.
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  #9  
Old 2 Jan 2011
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Thanks Fred for the fantastic report
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  #10  
Old 4 Jan 2011
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Fred, Josephine,

Thank you so much for an amazing trip report; an epic story that had me enthralled from beginning to end. And this is just your travels across the DRC :-) I truely admire you for selling everything, packing up & getting out there to experience it.

I traveled overland from CAR through Zaire to Burundi / Tanzania back in 1989 and it was an amazing experience. It was a dangerous trip to do back in 1989 but nothing compared to the dangers that you now face. From the stories of your encounters with people, good & bad to the broken bridges and river crossings, it brings back many great memories for me. It was & still is an amazing country; it`s still one of my favourites to date. Thank you for sharing.

Cheers

Phil
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  #11  
Old 14 Jan 2011
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Incredible story. Truly incredible.
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  #12  
Old 16 Jan 2011
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Well there I was thinking about expedition 'stuff' to put on my Landcruiser and stumbled onto a link to your journey! Having now spent FIVE hours reading every post of yours and those in between from start to finish and I am blown away! There were times where I was so engrossed in your story that I realised that I had stopped breathing it was that interesting.

Thank you so much for one of the most interesting threads I have read in a long long time............you guys rock!

Well done

regards

Dave
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  #13  
Old 18 Jan 2011
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Fred and Josephine,

Thank you for posting such an epic story!
I have traveled through east africa and found your report very informative and very gripping!
Would love to hear more of your adventures!

Traveling Mercies!
Noah
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  #14  
Old 28 Jan 2011
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I cant be the only one who wants to see a picture of the Chess set?! After so much talk about the haggling I feel cheated without a picture of it!

Great report - Signed up just to say thanks and well... ask for the picture of the chess set!

-K
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  #15  
Old 11 Feb 2011
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I registered just so I could post how amazing this trip report was. You two did an awesome job on this trip and obviously handled this the best you can. I would actually love to do a trip like this through Congo and I know it will take a lot of planning and preparation.

Again, good job on the trip and the report, I was captivated for the hours it took to go through and read the entire report!

I plan to to Nigeria later this year and wanted to see a trip report on Kinshasa (would like to make this a side trip).....this report was very helpful. Really unraveled some mysteries of how things work in DRC. I hope conditions improve by the time I get there. Interestingly enough some really happy music comes from that country. YouTube - CONGOLESE GUITAR STYLE SOUKOUS
Last edited by texas80; 13 Feb 2011 at 05:19.
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Getting Stuck in the Lower Zambezi and the Petauke Road This thread Pingback 19 Nov 2021 08:49
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PointedThree - OT should have bought a G wagen This thread Refback 15 Nov 2010 22:50
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