D24-26: Kumbira Forest - Gabela - Binga Water Fall (106 km) - via Sumbe - N of Porto Amboim (134 km) - = 240 km

We knew that we had to leave after the second night in Kumbira - it's a memory that still lingers - absolute magic!

Gabela has a history that intrigues - flourish then decline. We wanted to see for ourselves. Of course we had to reverse our tracks. Fortunately, things look different from the opposite direction.

D24 (29.6.2013, Kumbira Forest - Gabela - Binga Waterfall, 106 km)

We said our goodbyes to Aimy and Ricardo and retraced our tracks to Conda. Along the route we saw things that impressed/amused us - things that were typical of the area: neglected coffee plantations (Arabica?), boys hurtling along on their home-made wooden scooters.

We stopped at a building and looked at the school room which it housed.

We filled our water tanks at the river where Aimy fetched water. The locals discreetly looked at our doings.

A bus stop, motor cyclists and a tractor - all along the road.

Frangipani in a yard.

Carrying wood home and talking to a church group - all activities near/in Conda.

Crushing maize / manioc. When the ladies saw us watching them, Magdalena Caveira brought us some of their crushed maize. When we asked what we owed her, she was quite offended as it was a gift ("presente"). Body language and mime can be very effective!

Eroded roads

Tar on the main road. Mist over the mountains even at ten o'clock in the morning.

People enjoying the warm waters of Tocota.

Teatime along the road

Forgotten glory

Entrance to Gabela - a town that has seen an illustrious past, now it only survives.

The Amboim Theatre in Gabela (mentioned in Bradt's Angola Travel Guide).

D25 (30.6.2013, Binga Falls, 0 km)

We spent a housekeeping day at Binga Falls - not a very wise choice as we had many spectators during the day.

The camp manager, Sebastiao, writing out our receipt for camping.

A frog on a patch of vegetables.

Our interaction with our spectators.

D26 (1 July 2013, Binga Waterfall - Sumbe - N of Porto Amboim, 134km)

Today was crucial to us as we had to get the renewed visa - the forms had been filled in, now we had to submit them, wait the allotted 3-4 hours and then collect them. This was what had been planned by Aimy and the official in charge of the visa renewals - would it actually work?

Before we left Binga, one of our party decided that clearing away and burning the rubbish would set an example to the locals.

The road sign to Binga Falls.

Then we set off to Sumbe. Our main aim at Sumbe was to renew our visas as we knew that we would stay longer than 30 days in Angola. 

These are the requirements for our visa renewal (in Aimy's handwriting):

This is the internet cafe where we received our new letter of invitation for our extended visa. Without such a letter, addressed to "Direccao Geral de Estrangeiros e. Fronteiras, Kwanza Sul, Sumbe" one cannot apply for an extension of one's visa.

This is the office where the visa application has to be submitted (see form below).

Once the application had been submitted and the necessary money had been paid (original proof of payment & a copy has to be submitted with above application), we had to wait 3-4 hours in order to receive our renewed visas. Obviously, we spent some of our waiting time doing some shopping.

And having lunch at the beach.

We returned to the office - and were given our passports as promised - what excellent service - thank you!!! Thank you, Mr Martiensh!

We left Sumbe and continued our journey to the north. When it was time to camp, we found a gravel pit, asked the locals whether we could camp there and pitched camp. Thank you to Jose and Ventura Alberto who gave us permission to pitch "mi casa". The word "campissimo" also helped.

These are some of the scenes at the camp site +30 km north of Porto Amboim.