Guete Abig mitenand

As you know from the last post my ride is over. I’m back in the comfort of mom and dad’s in Oberägeri thankful to have a family and a home to go back to. The last week has been eventful with expectations and circumstances changing by the hour. Oddly enough it feels surprisingly normal to be here. I feel a bit like a time traveller: 6 months on the road equal a blink at home.

On Monday, 16. March 2020 Senhor Julio drove Hide, Ryo and me around Cabinda to get our motorcycles on a boat to Soyo. We sorted out the paperwork, bought a flight ticket, brought the bikes to the port and loaded them onto the boat (well not us, the boys down at the docks).

On this Monday we were in the limbo of deciding on how to continue our trip. Various overlanders were going home and African governments were becoming more and more restrictive with their borders. I felt that it would probably be sensible to go home. However I really didn’t want to cut the trip short so close to the end. That nagging feeling of giving up bothered me. I felt that if I gave up now I would always have the unsettling feeling of having almost made it to Capetown. Plus, I was really looking forward to Namibia and South Africa. After all the hassles of West Africa the easy and touristy part of the trip awaited. Hide was as undecided as me. The only unwavering one was Ryo, who was keen to ride to Namibia and push as far as he could possibly get. I spent the last night in Cabinda with Senhor Julio at the F.C. Cabinda - his local watering hole. Fatalistic tendencies in place, I made myself conscious of the splendid moment at hand: sitting in a bar with Senhor Julio in Cabinda (a place I could not have placed on a map 6 months ago) talking about god and family in a language I don’t really speak (bad Spanish turned Portuguese by red wine and some extra hissing consonants) with the underlying suspicion that the next few days could bring whatever they wanted. I’m glad I did and remember that moment now.

On Tuesday, 17. March 2020 we got up early. Senhor Julio drove us to the airport and we said goodbye. The chesna (I think) was super cool and we flew the 15 minutes over the D.R. Congo to Soyo. We found the cheapest hotel in town and after checking in, headed over to the docks and started the wait for our bikes. It took all afternoon. They finally arrived at around 5 pm and we got to go back to the hotel just as it got dark. The hours of waiting for the bikes combined with internet access and the constant news that seemed to finally be reaching Africa regarding corona made us all realise that the virus was probably to be taken more seriously than anticipated. There was a bit of a doomsday atmosphere as we finally unloaded our bikes in the rain at the dirty port. That night at dinner our overall consensus was that we should probably try to get to Namibia as fast as possible before they’d close the borders.

Wednesday, 18. March 2020 was a sunny morning. My phone data was all gone so there was no constant flow of Corona info. We had breakfast and set off on the 400 km stretch to Luanda from Soyo. On this morning I actually managed to forget about all the uncertainty and enjoy what turned out to be the last ride. 400 km is a lot for Diddy so my breaks were limited. At about 3 pm I stopped at a small fishing town 60 km from Luanda. I got some bread and some data and was going to message Senhor Julio (who would be arriving in Luanda that night as well) regarding a possible place to stay. When I finally got data - my WhatsApp blew up with friends and family asking if I shouldn’t be coming home and what was going on in Angola. Further Max who was in Cameroun told me he had booked a flight home. I thought if Max is going home, it’s probably time to get out. A minute later he whatsapped me that his flight was cancelled and he was stuck in Yaunde. It was a bit surreal standing at the peaceful seaside village and everyone going about their business oblivious to what would probably reach this place too soon. I called Senhor Julio who put me in contact with the members of the amigos da picada in Luanda. Marco and Rui gave me the adress of the club house. I caught up to Hide and Ryo at a gas station 30 km from Luanda. When I looked at my phone again I had gotten the info from a fellow traveller that Angola was closing all borders and airports on Friday, 20. March 2020 00:00. Now the classic ambiguity of whether this meant including Friday or not arose of course :). I instantly got on hopper and booked the next flight (leaving Friday 20th). The app showed no flights for Thursday (19th). We got into Luanda (a city with nice looks, but which apparently is too dangerous to leave your motorcycle out over night) and found the club house. The amigos da picada were waiting for us with beers :). They showed us a cheap hotel nearby and we checked in, had dinner and contacted Senhor Julio who would be arriving from Pointe Noire later that night. He was going to let us park our bikes at his house in Luanda. Hide called the Japanese embassy who informed him that the Angolan president would be holding a press conference at 8 pm. During dinner the president then announced that the airport would close by Thursday, 19. March 2020 midnight. We all scrambled to find flights. I managed to find one which hadn’t previously shown on hopper. I needed to transfer in Nairobi and Amsterdam before arriving in Zürich. The cost was steep but I was glad to grab the last seat (according to the website). Hide and Ryo were on the same flight to Nairobi and then on to Doha and Tokyo.

We stayed up late waiting for Senhor Julio to go park our bikes. He was delayed however, so we finally called it and went to sleep at 3 am. We got up at 7.30 am and then rode over to Senhor Julio’s with the bikes. We had coffee in his garden that last sunny morning. We took some last photos and discussed what was to come. I told Senhor Julio that I wasn’t sure when/if I’d be back. I will have to find a job now and once I start working again, it’s not going to be so easy to head off to Africa. I told Senhor Julio that if anyone was interested in buying Diddy Kong I’d be glad to give them a good price. I left my key and bike papers with Senhor Julio. I couldn’t take all my luggage, so I gave Ryo my tools and left the saddle bags (which were pretty well used at that point) on Diddy. Hide (Tenere 660) and Ryo (NC 700) had a bit more of a financial stake in their bikes and are going to return when this all blows over.

Senhor Julio then drove us back to the hotel to get our stuff and we had one last lunch all together. I was a bit nervous as our flight was at 3 pm and it was already 12.30 pm when we sat down. Especially when Senhor Julio and his son started ordering another beer, coffee and a last cigarette I almost lost my patience XD. We made it to the airport though. All was well and the flight was even delayed. We said goodbye to Senhor Julio for the second time in two days. This man is remarkably kind and is an inspiration to me to be a more helpful person. He selflessly gave his time, contacts and resources to ensure we we would be ok. I am truly grateful and promised to be back in Luanda some day - I’m just not sure when. Vao com Deus Senhor Julio!

Our plane finally left with a delay of about 2 hours and we were all glad to get out of Angola before the lock down. I realised that I had a business class ticket when they wouldn’t let me board with the economy passengers first (this explains the price and makes it all a bit more becoming :). We arrived in Nairobi at 11 pm and Ryo and Hide rushed off for their connecting flight (I now know that they didn’t make it and spent two days at the Nairobi airport waiting for the next flight). I bummed free internet and slept a bit before the connecting flight to Amsterdam in the morning (again business - with fully reclining chairs - I slept very well :). In Amsterdam we waited 6 hours for the flight to Zurich and by midnight 20. March 2020 I saw my mom again for the first time in 6 months. All went well!

As everyone is indoors here I haven’t seen any friends and family except for my parents. I’ve cleaned my gear and camping equipment and am now writing these last blog entries. It’s good to be home despite everything. I think the shock of it all has yet to hit me. I’m going to have to look for a job of sorts (not the best time) and start life again here. But I’m thankful for everything I’ve been able to see on my trip. I think I found what I was looking for out there and Africa isn’t going anywhere. At some point in my life there will be a ride from Luanda to Capetown and a reunion with Senhor Julio. I am looking forward to that and in the meantime wish you all the best.

Stay safe and see you on the road somewhere.

Chris