Sunday, January 4th – A Quiet Day on the Streets
Good day. Sunday, January 4th. Sundays are generally pretty quiet on the street, which has its advantages. It’s easier to drive around and it doesn’t take as long to get from place to place. Of course, the trade-off is that fewer things are open since most people observe Sunday as a day off—which is great in its own way.
Street Food and Sunday Observations
I took a bit of a walkabout, just observing, and ended up having some pork from a small roadside spot—basically a little shed with people gathered around drinking beer. A lot of people drink beer here, and not the small bottles either—the bigger ones. There’s quite a variety available too.
The pork was absolutely delicious, served with some yams and a fantastic sauce. After that, I noticed several similar food places that were open despite it being Sunday. It was interesting to see how these informal spots become social hubs.
An Invitation from Professor Joseph Cumo
When I got back to the hotel, I saw another message from Professor Joseph Cumo. He was wondering if I was around—which I was—and suggested he’d pick me up shortly. I had no idea what the plan was this time, but I soon found out.
The night before, he had mentioned that we should be eating roasted fish. That hadn’t happened because we ended up going to his house instead, which was an absolutely amazing experience. The idea of that special roasted fish hadn’t left him, so since I was available, he felt we should make it happen.
Roasted Fish, Plantains, and Football
He picked me up and we went to a nearby place for roasted fish. It wasn’t far at all, and we really enjoyed it. He even ordered some extra plantains for me, knowing how much I like them.
While we were eating, we watched some soccer since the Africa Cup is currently underway. It was also interesting to observe how a local handles everyday matters—security guards expecting payment, negotiating fish prices, and so on. There’s always something to learn by adapting and watching how things are done.
Planning Ahead: Namibia, Botswana, and Beyond
After another great conversation, we returned to the hotel. It was a good night for an early rest, especially after catching up with my nephew Gerjan. He’s planning to join me for about two weeks when I reach Namibia.
That kind of planning is interesting because you really need to understand the distances involved. It’s easy to miscalculate. I think we’ve worked it out, and in three or four weeks I should be in Namibia. There’s even a possibility of visiting Botswana either before or after meeting him.
The Road Ahead
The plan is to travel through Brazzaville in the Congo, then cross the border into Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo—formerly known as Zaire. After that, it’s on to Angola, which is a very large country. We’ll take it step by step from there.
So now you know what’s coming up. Thanks for following along, and I’ll catch you later.
