Dag 24: Brazzaville

​​(English translation below)

Dag 24: Brazzaville
 
Dit sóús toe ons wakkerword. Welkom in die reënseisoen, bulder die wolke swart en dreigend. Buite stroom die water.
 
Ons drink koffie en kry die nuus oor Israel en Hamas. Maak kontak met mense wie ons ken en oor wie ons bekommerd is. Hou een oog op die horlosie, want 8:00 moet ons DHL bel om te hoor waar presies by die lughawe hulle is.
 
Dis 7:55. Sênou?
 
Ons wag. 7:58.
 
8:01. Hi, good morning, bonjour, is this Michelle? I got your number... Hy sê iets in Frans. Dan kliek hy. Slaan oor Engels toe. Die bande is vroeg vanoggend Pointe Noire toe. Per vliegtuig. Bel vir Patrick in Pointe Noire. You promised the tires would be kept in Brazzaville? Patrick bel vir Michelle om te hoor wat de ... Sy bel terug. Jammer maar iemand uit Suid-Afrika het gebel om seker te maak die bande kom so gou as moontlik in Pointe Noire!
 
(Jip, Michelle is 'n man en Patrick is 'n vrou.)
 
So graag as wat ons Afrika wil blameer vir die boggerop, besef ons dit was deels ons fout. Die bande is aanvanklik gestuur vanaf Courier Guy, via DHL, na Pointe Noire. Toe raak ons haastig en laat weet DHL dat ons sommer die bande in Brazzaville sal optel, dan spaar ons 'n paar dae. Maar ons vergeet om vir Courier Guy te laat weet. So een of ander flukse Courier Guy (of Girl) het op 'n Sondag begin worry oor ons pakkie so lank vat, en vuurgemaak onder DHL om die blêrrie ding nou bitter vinnig Pointe Noire toe te stuur - soos per die formele, gedokumenteerde reëling.
 
Om dinge erger te maak: die bande kan nie summier weer teruggestuur word Brazzaville toe, alvorens een van ons dit nie fisies by customs in ontvangs geneem en belasting daarop betaal het nie. Ons besluit dat De Witt die volgende oggend Pointe Noire toe sal vlieg om die bande te gaan haal.
 
Ons neem 'n taxi na die oewer van die Kongo-rivier om daar iets te ete te kry. Die storm van vroeër het bedaar en orals lê strepe meegesleurde modder en plastiek. Bome en plastiekbottels en 'n plakkie dryf in die Kongo verby toe ons daar aankom. Die rivier is omtrent 'n halwe kilometer breed en vloei met mening. Aan die oorkant lê Kinshasha en die DRC.
 
Die Demokratiese Republiek van Kongo en die Republiek van Kongo. Twee afsonderlike state soos deur die Franse en Belge beslis. Maar waar, veral in die DRC, die stof net nie wil gaan lê nie. Sedert 1996 is daar blykbaar al ses miljoen mense in die DRC dood weens die komplekse en aanhoudende onrus. Ses miljoen. 'n Getal wat my aan Israel laat dink. En hoe besluite deur wêreldmoondhede grense tot stand bring waarbinne en waartussen gewone mense 'n gedeelde bestaan moet uitkerf. En nuwe leiers koelkop, eerder as dogmaties, oplossings moet skep.

Day 24: Brazzaville
 
It pours when we wake up. Welcome to the rainy season, rumble the clouds. Outside, water gushing.
 
We have coffee learn of the news about Israel and Hamas. We contact people we know and care about.
 
We keep an eye on the clock, because at 8:00 we need to call DHL to find out exactly where they are at the airport.
 
It's 7:55. What if?
 
We wait. 7:58.
 
8:01. Hi, good morning, bonjour, is this Michelle? I got your number... The man says something in French. Then he clicks. Switches to English. The tires were sent early this morning. To Pointe Noire. Yes, by plane. We call Patrick in Pointe Noire. You promised the tires would be kept in Brazzaville? Patrick calls Michelle to find out what the... She calls back. Sorry, but someone from South Africa called to make sure the tires arrive in Pointe Noire as soon as possible!
 
(Yep, Michelle is a man, and Patrick is a woman.)
 
As much as we want to blame Africa for the mess, we realize it was partly our fault. The tires were originally sent from Courier Guy, via DHL, to Pointe Noire. Then we got impatient and told DHL directly that we would just pick up the tires in Brazzaville, saving us a few days. But we forgot to inform The Courier Guy. So some diligent Courier Guy (or Girl) started worrying on a Sunday about our package taking so long, and they fired off at DHL to send the package to Pointe Noire immediately - as per the formal, documented arrangement.
 
To make things worse: the tires cannot be sent back to Brazzaville without one of us physically receiving them at customs and paying taxes. We decide that De Witt will fly to Pointe Noire the next morning to pick up the tires.
 
We take a taxi to the banks of the Congo River to get something to eat. The earlier storm has subsided, and everywhere there are streaks of mud and plastic. Trees and plastic bottles and a flip-flop float by in the Congo as we arrive there. The river is about half a kilometre wide and flows fast. On the other side lies Kinshasa and the DRC.
 
The Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo. Two separate states decided by the French and Belgians. But where, especially in the DRC, the dust just doesn't want to settle. Since 1996, apparently, six million people have died in the DRC due to the complex and ongoing unrest. Six million. A number that makes me think of Israel. And how decisions by world powers create borders within which and between which ordinary people must carve out a shared existence. And new leaders must create cool-headed, rather than dogmatic, solutions.

https://www.backabuddy.co.za/expedition-h2o-back-to-basics