What reminds us of Angola

·         Landmines

·         Army tanks

·         Remnants of the war/destruction

·         Burnt out shells of cars, minivans and trucks

·         Construction

·         Heavy Chinese influence

·         Oil and oil tankers

·         Baby Jesus (Lubango)

·         Big beetles

·         Tsetse fly plagues (and traps) & possible sleeping sickness as a result

·         Novel way to travel (in a mozzie net tent in the aisle of the truck!)

·         Tall cactus’, baobab trees, aloes and palm trees

·         Picturesque scenery

·         Seaside towns and the smell of fish

·         Litter on beaches

·         Contrast between rich and poor

·         Portuguese (umm…obrigada??!)

·         No camping sites – prohibido, code penal…

·         Open bushcamps (the harshest and toughest yet)

·         Being caught like a deer in headlights trying to take a bottle shower

·         Time pressure with long drive days that start at 5.30am

·         Visa nightmares and challenging visa limits

·         Transit

·         Spacious truck

·         Petrol stations

·         Identical houses (outskirts of Luanda)

·         Oppressive heat

·         Pelting rain and drenching downpours without prior warning

·         Spectacular lightning and thunder shows

·         Cattle with cowbells, pigs, donkeys, and the usual goats and chickens

·         Symbol pretending to lay an egg

·         Floorboard specials (i.e. tinned food for all meals)

·         Josh drinking before 9am

·         The search for icecream (and Symbol paying $18 for a 2 litre tub of it!)

·         Friendly locals waving and sticking their thumbs up

·         Cheesy music including ‘Jizz in my pants’ – well, we were going a tad crazy with the long drive days and trust me it was funny, you had to be there…!