After a month across the arid desert of Namibia, I enjoy this green, mountainous and humid country. There are beautiful waterfalls, the women sell fruits and vegetables by the side of the road and it rains a lot during my first days in the south. It feels like going back to life and all this green colours makes me fell relax.

For the first time in six and a half years of my hitchhiking world tour, I come back to the same time zone as France. The cars drive on the right on rough roads. There is not much traffic but hitchhiking is easy. I give up English to communicate in Portuguese (well, in "Portugñol"). The Angolans are more friendly and talkative than Namibians. Everyone comes up to me kindly. It must be said that tourists are very rare in this country. I am surprised to see so many homeless in the streets. I learn that the country is going through an economical crisis since 2016 and that the minimum wage reaches only 50 dollars...

Roberto and Wanda host me (via couchsurfing.org) in Lubango, a small city at the foot of a cliff, with some old Portuguese buildings. Then I stay with Mufana and his Portuguese friends by the sea in Benguela, a former main harbour of the slavery trade. Then I hitchhike to Luanda where I am staying in the offices of the shipping company Naiber.

 

Two months ago, with my boyfriend, I looked after the house and two dogs of a French family in Cape Town. This is how I meet Aymeric, the father of the family but also the director of Naiber ! It is my luck because I already have the idez to hitchhike a boat from Luanda to Cabinda! He agrees to take me on board in the infirmery of his containership. He even accommodates me in Luanda and then in Cabinda. His big support allows me to avoid the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). I thus save 1000 km hitchhiking, a visa for 100 dollars and administrative complications to get visa.

 

After nine days waiting in Luanda and a boat delayed for a suspected case of coronavirus on board, I finally go on board. I had already traveled two weeks on a containership across the Pacific ocean in April 2016. This time, it is a quick 24 hour trip. I am warmly welcomed by the officers and crewmembers, who usually spend 3 to 10 months at sea without seing any visitors.

 

After a night in the infirmary cabin, good meals in the dining room, a visit up the towers of the ship and a group selfies tour, I arrive in Cabinda. I am surprised to discover a modern, clean, organized and calm city in this "dangerous red zone" (as said by the French government). In 100 more kilometers, I can reach the border of  Congo Brazzaville.

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