HAVING crossed the border into Zaire, the next main stop for Philip Russell and Perry Dutfield would be Kinshasa – the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. With little petrol left and a reasonable distance still to travel, they paused at Thysville hoping to replenish their stocks, but with the absence of a bank, they eventually managed to change £5 into local currency at a hotel and get enough fuel to take them to Kinshasa.
Then began several days of frustrating bureaucracy. The banks in Kinshasa were shut when they arrived on Thursday 12 October and with no campsite on offer, the pair managed to get agreement for them to stay in the car park of the Intercontinental Hotel – making use of their toilets and shower facilities whilst there. However, they were told that a second night was firmly out of the question and it was suggested that perhaps they could try the local Police (Brigade Mobile) instead.
A night in the safety of their compound was followed by a ferry ride to Congo Brazzaville on the other side of the river. On arrival, they were told in no uncertain terms that there had been a coup, and all visas issued by the previous regime were null and void. Without the necessary permission, Russell and Perry were sent back across the river – a sympathetic border guard failing to stamp their passports
