Week 11: Congo - Thibaut De Bruyker

We traveled a bit more southwards and now enter the "once-owned-by-Belgium" Congo. As in Chad we were required to have a visa to enter this country. 

Don’t forget to exchange your Euros for some Congolese Francs, but it’s not a disaster when you have forgotten this because there are ATM’s available in Congo.

First of all we went fishing in the largest lake of Congo, Tanganyikameer. Michiel caught a fish of almost one meter long, unfortunately  he had to throw the animal back into the water.

In this country everyone seems to be poor, at least everyone but the government. The citizens of Congo are among the poorest in the world. But Congo as a country is considered to be the richest country in the world thanks to its natural resources. Their raw minerals are estimated to be worth 24 trillion US$.

It was hard to see the lack of respect for the women in this country. Violence against women seems to be perceived as normal by most of the people in Congo.

French is de main language in this country, but unfortunately most people we’ve met speak some kind of dialect between French and Dutch.

Music is almost as important as drinking water for the Congolese. So we tried to learn a little bit of the local dance style and then went to a pub for a drink and tested our skills on the dance floor. This was a great evening, it sure is a good idea to have a drink, or two.

The food was not great, we learned to eat the national dish which is called “moambe”, which means “8” because it’s made out of eight ingredients.

Travelling in Congo is not something you do for fun, because it’s extremely dangerous. Try to avoid traveling, travel only when necessary. The public transport is absolutely unreliable, luckily we had a very good guide who knew where to go and how to get there with the least amount of danger.

Sources:

• Wiki travel
• Image

Week 12 Madagascar - Ecology - Vincent Petit 2MA03

Hello friends! 

This is the last week of our trip around the world. I can’t believe it! Time goes by really fast. It seems like it was yesterday when I was on the airport with my friends to travel to the first country, Belarus. It was an unbelievable trip. We visited so many beautiful countries with each their own unique cultures and ways of living. We did a lot of parties and one thing is sure; Michiel is the biggest party animal! What I always will remember is the Safari that we did in the Zakouma National Park. The feeling that you get when you see the elephants, giraffes, and the other wild animals is inexpressible. 

Luckily, our trip is not over yet. We still have one week to visit and explore the last country, Madagascar! Madagascar, the paradise for lovers of Mother Nature, is a South African island situated in the Indian Ocean.
As a result of the island's long isolation from neighbouring continents, Madagascar is home to a vast array of plants and animals, many found nowhere else on Earth.

The traveler's palm, endemic to the eastern rain forests, is highly iconic for Madagascar and is featured in the national emblem as well as the Air Madagascar logo. Like its flora, Madagascar's fauna is diverse and exhibits a high rate of endemism. Madagascar is world-famous for its lemurs, primates that look something like a cat crossed with a squirrel and a dog.

This week we will enjoy Madagascar’s nature, and we will organise a big farewell party. I will miss the traveling, but I also look forward to seeing my family, my girlfriend, and my cat again as well. I feel the need for my own bed and Belgian fries!

Thank you for following this blog!

Sources: 

·         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madagascar

Week 10 Democratic Repbublic of the Congo - Economy - Vincent Petit 2MA03

Hello bloggers!

I hope you are all doing alright! We are in week ten and we are almost at the end of our trip around the world. Can you imagine? Two weeks ago we visited the Zakouma National Park by jeep. It was unbelievable; I saw elephants, giraffes, and other beautiful animals. It’s amazing to see these wild creatures in their natural habitat, free to go wherever they want. We had a very good guide on the safari. He told many interesting facts about the animals. Nature can be so beautiful!

The country that we visit this week is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area since the accession of South Sudan as an independent country and the eleventh largest in the world. With a population of over 71 million, the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the fourth most populated nation in Africa.

The economy of the DRC is slowly recovering from decades of decline. DRC was the second most industrialized country at the time of its independence in 1960 but corruption and conflicts resulted in wars which began in 1997. Foreign businesses curtailed operations due to uncertainty about the outcome of the conflict. There also was a lack of infrastructure, and a difficult operating environment. The national output and government revenue have dramatically reduced, increased external debt, and resulted in the deaths of more than five million people from violence, famine, and disease.

In the fall of 2002 conditions began to improve. Renewed activity in the mining sector boosted Kinshasa's fiscal position and GDP growth from 2006-08.
An uncertain legal framework, corruption, and a lack of transparency in government policy are long-term problems for the mining sector and for the economy as a whole.

This afternoon we will visit ‘Lola Ya Bonobo: The Paradise of the Bonobos’. It’s a home to 52 bonobos who live in 30 hectares of primary forest. I look forward to see these funny monkeys!

Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_the_Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democratic_Republic_of_the_Congo
• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/cg.html
• http://www.friendsofbonobos.org/index.htm

Week 8 Chad - Economy - Vincent Petit 2MA03

Good morning everyone! 

I’m back to write some interesting facts of Chad, the country that we visit this week.  It’s our second week in Africa and we just left Libya behind us. Libya was the first African country that I visited. It was a nice experience and the locals where very hospitable.

Chad, officially known as the republic of Chad and sometimes referred to as the “Dead Heart of Africa", due to distance from the sea and its largely desert climate, is located in north-central Africa. Chad is the seventh poorest country in the world according to The United Nations' Human Development Index. More than 80% of the population is living below the poverty line. 

Chads’ currency is CFA franc and the country is part of the Bank of Central African States, the Customs and Economic Union of Central Africa (UDEAC) and the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa.
 

Before the development of oil industry, cotton dominated the industry and the labour market accounted for approximately 80% of export earnings. The Oil production began in 2003 which The World Bank provided money to pump up the oil on condition that 80% of oil revenues where spent on development projects. This went smoothly until 2005.  On July 14, 2006, The World Bank and the Chadian government reached an agreement in which 70% (as opposed to

80% previously) would go to poverty reduction measures, and the government would receive 30%.

Chad also has some profitable industries other than oil. Like many lesser developed countries in Africa, the agricultural sector is important. While agriculture only supplies 21% of the GDP, it employs nearly four fifths of the total workforce.

Michiel is asking for me to come. The jeep is waiting for me; we are ready to go on safari. We are going to the Zakouma National Park which is best known for its elephant population. I can’t wait to see an elephant in its natural habitat!

See you within two weeks!

Sources:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chad
• http://gatton.uky.edu/GSRP/Downloads/Issues/Spring2010/The%20Republic%20of%20Chad%20An%20Economic%20Analysis.pdf
• http://www.zakouma.com/frances/frances.html

Week 9: Chad - Thibaut De Bruyker

We arrived at the heart of Africa, Chad. 

There are some countries from where the citizens are not required to have a visa to enter Chad. Unfortunately Belgium was not on that list.

So a visa was required to enter Chad. A single-entry visa costs US$100 for 1 month and multiple-entry visas cost US$150 (3 months) or US$200 (6 months). We had to write a letter of invitation to a member of the administration of Chad. Than we got a letter back that everything was all right and after the payment we’d receive our visas.

The best way to travel to Chad is by plane because there are no railroads and it is impossible to reach Chad by boat unless crossing illegally through Lake Chad. Roads are in bad condition and are mostly unpaved. There is only one paved road, which runs from the North to the South. It is the best road in the country but still it’s a disaster, there are wholes and bumps everywhere. It runs through the center of a number of small villages and drivers should pay attention and be caution. It’s not a good idea to test the maximum speed limit of your car on this road.

Some tips we got from locals are:

• ·      Be very careful
• ·      Drive defensively
• ·      Don’t stop unless there’s a good reason
• ·      Do not drive at night because road bandits are common

What do the people in Chad eat? I must admit that if you'd asked me this question one week ago I would not be capable to give you a proper answer. 

Luckily meat dishes are very popular in Chad, I really enjoyed the lamb a lot. Important to remember is that Muslims find it offensive to eat with the left hand. If eating with or being served by Muslims in Chad, be sure to eat with your right hand only.

Next to that it’s a good advice to bring a health travel guideline book concerning raw fruit and cooking requirements to avoid disease.

In Chad you can easily pay with Euros, but don’t expect this country to be very cheap. It’s expensive compared to the rest of Africa.

Believe me on this: when you buy water don't do this from any stores unless you know the brand. Eat only your own food that you buy in grocery stores. Avoid restaurants whenever possible. Stay away from people that look sick, there are many diseases in Chad to beware of. Go to a doctor once a month if you can afford it.

Sources:

• Wikitravel
• Image