Makasamba (Dem. Rep. of Congo) : a sandy welcome

S 05°33.377' E 012°13.477'
The tarmac and order ended at the border. The contrast is harsh once you cross the barrier, and not only because of the sand. Officials have no uniform (and probably no pay) and the border post on the Congolese side is crowded although there is no settlement there. The formalities are less complicated but the mood is tense and the dire straits of the country are clear at once. Down to one sandy track we set off cautiously and wonder what lies ahead. Malembe, malembe (slowly, slowly) we get to Muanda and are then faced with a long climb through deep sand. Annabella on foot, and soon me too to see where best to continue (and pass a broken down truck halfway up the slope). An hour before sunset we decided to go to the army base to spend the night after a few local women in no uncertain sign language convinced us that to continue now would have been a very bad idea. No camping for tourists on or near the huge base, but they give us a bicycle escort (on hard ground) to the other side. We were put into the hands of the police check-point on the Boma road at Makasamba. We pitch our tent and cook dinner right next to their fire and then fall asleep despite being preoccupied about the road ahead, the clatter of age-old MAN trucks which need to make a contribution at the check-point.