Dr. Philip Wood took us to a taxi station early this morning and negotiated the fare for us. The standard fare to Beni is $20 each, given 6 passengers in a small Toyota. We purchased the entire taxi for $120 plus another $30 to continue through to Butembo. The driver must have won the lottery as he was handing out 500 franc notes ($.55) to a throng of fellow taxi drivers.

The area around Bunia is a flat grassland.

Driving south from Bunia

Driving south from Bunia

The vegetation gradually became thicker until a jungle would be a better description.

Leaving the grasslands

The benefits of being male in Congo are obvious. The driver, taking advantage of an empty trunk, stopped to buy charcoal which he later dropped off, presumably for a profit. Michael and the driver walked to the back of the roadside home and relieved themselves in what was effectively in the back yard. Michael felt rather obligated to give the breast feeding mother who was sitting a corner some francs for the privilege. Brenda needed to grin and bear it for some time to come.

Sorry for my intrusion!

Charcoal packaged and ready for sale

Charcoal packaged and ready for sale

We soon hit a beautiful paved road (which likely saved Brenda), courtesy of the Chinese. And what a beautiful road it was, better than any non-400 series Canadian highway. 60 km long, we zipped into Beni and stopped at the Hotel Beni to make a reservation for Saturday night.

On leaving Beni, the road immediately reverted to Congolese standard. The road thereafter to Butembo was rocky and rutty and we typically could only manage a top speed of 35 km/hr, slowing right down for the massive pot holes.

But what a beautiful drive! Beni to Butembo increases in elevation quite a bit, following a high ridge. From this ridge and west, rivers flow to the Congo River and the Atlantic. On the east side of the ridge, water flows to the Indian Ocean. Water in Bunia flows to the Nile and the Mediterranean. This area is the crown of Africa.

Beni to Butembo

Beni to Butembo

Beni to Butembo 2

Beni to Butembo 2

We stopped at a roadside fruit market to buy pineapples for the orphanage, with the muzungu rate of 3 for 1,000 francs or $.35 each. We were mobbed by vendors wanting to sell their pineapples, but who to choose from when they are all identical! Once in the car, Michael was cajoled to buy some bananas and got back out of the car to do so. The woman literally did a Happy Dance once she got her money.

Brenda choosing pineapples

Brenda choosing pineapples

After the Happy Dance

After the Happy Dance

Approaching Butembo

Approaching Butembo

A seven part video of the drive.

We soon settled into a beautiful room in the Centre Uhai Kikyo in Butembo, and waited a short while for James Kataliko to arrive.