Day 166 – Mon 15 Mar – 14,413km, Mbanza-Ngungu, DRC

It took well over an hour of dodging 4*4s, chasm-like pot holes and encroaching sand to escape the urban jungle of Kinshasa this morning, before making good progress through hilly terrain characterised by subsistence farming, tropical scrub and scattered palms. Instantly people became more relaxed and friendly, although requests for cigarettes, biscuits, money and even Bertha, were just as frequent. Sharing the road with trucks precariously loaded with coal sacks, plantain and countless people casually hanging on, it was no surprise to round a corner and find a body splayed across the middle of the road. Expecting the worst, I tried to avoid looking too closely, but nearby locals, were totally unfazed and I think fortunately it was just a suicidal madman having a kip! I fear my body has become too used to the easy-life after the 2 week visa break and not only did my legs give up on me after 100 km but my stomach also started cramping after a bit of dried chilli fish and manioc at lunch. Still, I’ve got a fantastic free en-suite set up to rest for the night, courtesy of the local Roman Catholic church – looking like ‘Jesus’, my beard does have it’s perks after all !!