Pre-assignment visit to Luanda (28-31/8)

If paying a pretty penny for the flight, one would expect a good quality instead of a broken seat. This wasn’t the best start of our Angola trip.

We landed in Luanda at 6:20 p.m. and, compared to Europe, it was already dark! Someone mentioned it was better that way since the airport surroundings are not that appealing.

Glad we finally made it to the hotel not sure what was going to happen next. It was Sunday night and after the dinner we were looking forward to a good and long night sleep. After all, our first appointment was not until Monday afternoon.
Well, early the next morning Rob’s cell phone was ringing.
“Where are you?! You should have already been here!”
The driver was stuck in the morning traffic and after some spectacular drive through the city he safely got us on the pre-assignment rollercoaster.
I would not list all the activities, meetings, dinners, presentations… I’m still busy sorting my head out. An endurance test?

We met many nice and welcoming people. I was shocked to see the abundance of choices at the local supermarkets. The high prices didn’t surprise me as I was already warned.
The Medical Clinic provides quality standard procedures, however we hope to need their services as little as possible.


Maarten’s future school was above expectations. Naturaly I love its international character. Every child in the classroom is from a different country! And his teacher is so friendly. She also has worked in Czech Republic for some time!

During one night I experienced some bizarre dreams.
In a drenched hotel room I was fighting huge immortal mosquitoes and chopping heads off of aggressive zombies.

Should I blame Malarone or my head had some difficulties to come to terms with the Luanda’s daily scenes, images as seen through the window glass of a chauffeur driven air-conditioned car; commuting between luxury hotels and restaurants, Western-like shopping centre’s and offices, passing never-ending townships, staring at the endless traffic jams, street sellers and people hazardously crossing streets, trying to forget the lifeless body in a puddle of blood in the middle of the street causing even more chaos...

Like two parallel existing worlds.