January 13 – Morning in Lutetia at Papa’s Desire No. 2
Good day, January 13th. I woke up in Lutetia at a place called Papa’s Desire No. 2. Somewhere on the large sign outside, it mentions “Auberge” and “Restaurant,” but those words are not very prominent. If you were just driving by, you would likely never realize it was a hotel.
While talking with Arnaud, the main chef—who has only been there four months but is a very kind and enthusiastic person—I mentioned that clearer signage might help. Not everyone is booking online, and being located right on the main highway is actually a strong advantage.
A Tour of Town and the Cement Factory
Arnaud offered to give me a short tour of town by riding along and directing me, which turned out to be a great idea. I had noticed a lot of noise earlier that morning, and it turned out to be coming from a large cement factory nearby.
The factory is a Chinese-built operation that has been there for quite some time. One fascinating detail is how they transport the raw materials. The mining site is over 10 kilometers away, and instead of trucking materials in, they use a continuous overhead conveyor system with small suspended baskets running 24 hours a day. Inside the plant, materials are constantly moving, creating significant noise that the whole town hears daily.
What was surprising is that although the factory employs around 300 to 400 people, the surrounding town has no paved roads at all. You would think a cement manufacturer might pave at least the local roads for its workers, but that is not the case. The town deals with both heavy noise and poor road conditions—an unusual tradeoff for employment.
Fuel Stop and a Major Oversight
After the tour, I headed toward Pointe-Noire, where I had a hotel reservation. About two hours from Lutetia, I stopped for fuel. I filled up and then reached for the CFA cash I had set aside to pay for it.
That’s when I realized the money never made it into my wallet. I had taken it from another pouch in the morning and left it on the bed. It was still there.
That was all the CFA I had—about $400 worth—so this was not a small problem. The station would not accept euros or dollars. They checked with three local banks, but none would exchange money. I also couldn’t leave anything in place of my car; the car had to stay.
Finding a Currency Exchange
One of the employees accompanied me in a three-wheeled tuk-tuk to find someone who could exchange money. It was my first time riding in one—interesting, just not under those circumstances. Eventually, we found someone willing to exchange euros at 625 CFA per euro. I exchanged 130 euros, enough to pay for the diesel.
Problem solved—but the bigger question remained: should I continue to Pointe-Noire or drive back nearly two hours to retrieve my forgotten money?
Four-Hour Detour Back to Lutetia
Since that cash was all the local currency I had, I decided to return. It meant almost two hours back and two hours forward again, plus additional toll fees of 1,500 CFA each way and extra fuel costs.
When I arrived back at the hotel, they had already found the money. The staff member who discovered it had informed Arnaud, and they kept it safe. I gave her 10,000 CFA for her honesty and gratitude, then headed out again.
That detour added roughly 290 kilometers and four hours to my day. Such is life.
Endless Beauty on the Road to Pointe-Noire
The drive itself was stunning. The landscapes in the Congo feel endless—endless beauty, endless green. The road from Lutetia all the way to Pointe-Noire was excellent: smooth pavement, no potholes, just steady driving. That quality road made a 600-kilometer day possible—likely my longest driving day in Africa so far.
Finding Guest Wharf in Pointe-Noire
I had a reservation at Guest Wharf in Pointe-Noire, but addresses can be difficult to locate. None of my navigation systems pinpointed it correctly. I guessed the neighborhood, asked locals for help, and eventually enlisted a taxi driver to guide me.
Even he had to stop multiple times to ask for directions. Finally, we arrived. I paid him 5,000 CFA—apparently not quite enough in his opinion—but it was what I could offer.
A Late Arrival and Mission Accomplished
By the time I settled in, it was around 9:30 p.m. I had a scheduled call with the United States that was supposed to happen at 7:00 p.m. Despite the delay and a weak connection, the call still took place and the mission was accomplished.
It ended up being about a 600-kilometer day—long, eventful, and full of unexpected turns. But thanks to good roads and some honest people, everything worked out.
Thanks for coming along on another unforgettable day.
