Green islets, white sand banks and traditional African huts are passing by, women are washing their clothes on the river shore, small overloaded canoes float down river, overcrowded river boats are crossing us. Colourful dugouts are trying to catch our pontoons in breathtaking manoeuvres to sell fish, crocodiles and monkeys and buy from the floating traders salt, soap, single cigarettes, clothes and other products of daily life. Often, their canoe turns over with all their belongings, and they have to swim after their properties. One day, our river boat, consisting of a tug and several barges, gets stuck on a sandy bottom and with admirable stoical calmness and endless back and forward manoeuvres of the crew, we finally get freed.
Time is no problem in Africa.
Our Toyota awnings against the scorching heat are a most welcome opportunity for the many traders. More and more people are boarding every day with their livestock - chicken, goats and pigs. One day, as they wanted to store seven pigs underneath our Toyota, we had to protest with all our means. Very soon, our surroundings resemble a floating market. On Sundays, they even celebrate impressive masses.