Picto Diary - 17 December 2018 - Jampoler Congo Trip

At sea.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler

CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT

Slide: Population distribution by age. Jampoler: "There are not a lot of Congolese out cruising."

Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler

CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT

Slide: Per capita income selected West African nations. Democratic Republic Congo (DRC) lowest of the lot. Barely subsistence living for most citizens of DRC.

Elections coming up in a week. Violence possible. All non essential US diplomatic personnel have left DRC as an abundance of caution.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler

CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT.

Slide: Democratic Republic of Congo overlaid on map of Europe.

Africa's size, contrasted with her pervasive poverty and hopelessness, is almost too hard to process.

Christianity, vibrant and growing, may offer a way out. All of the nations we have visited are rife with partnerships between local institutions...schools, hospitals...and western branches of many Christian churches.

Chinese government financed projects...roads...dams...are ubiquitous throughout Africa.

Bill Gates has recently warned that lest the American government provide more assistance to Africa, famine will result in the death of millions.

John Bolton, President Trump's foreign policy advisor, just this week, has announced that America is going to ramp up its aid commitment to Africa.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler

CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT

Slide: Route of Andy Jampoler's and son Jason's 2011 travel down the Congo River...from Kisangani to Banana Point.

River trip was taken to research Jampoler's book, CONGO: THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer 17 December 2018
Onboard lecture
Andy Jampoler

CONGO: FROM KISANGANI TO BANANA POINT

Jampoler shows image of Congo River traffic taken during his trip, with son Jason, down the Congo River in 2011.

River trip was taken to research Jampoler's book, CONGO: THE MISERABLE EXPEDITIONS AND DREADFUL DEATH OF LT. EMORY TAUNT, USN.

Regent Seven Seas Explorer.
Deck Five.
150 miles off coast of Angola
Southbound.

Half hour walking deck five, then seven flights of stairs, then a half hour walking deck twelve.

I like deck five better. I'm closer to the churning white water created by ship's bow. Here there is a real sensation of speed not sensed on deck twelve.

In this image the ship is cranking at 20 knots.