Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Remoteness


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We've had some funny dialogue with friends as of late about sending us mail while we're away. They're astonished that they're unable to, because they cannot fathom a place without mail!

So here is my attempt to chronicle the remoteness of Aketi.

Cleve said to me 2 weeks ago, "I'm so excited you're coming! I'll send a guy out to clear the airfield!"

Yes, they need to re-clear the airfield, because it's been SO long since a plane has come out.


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As you can see from the Google map, Aketi is near a river, a road, and not much else. The "roads" are really glorified trails, and, during the rainy season, become impossible to travel on, especially by motorbike.

Buta, the town to the right, is travel-able in about a day. Points not along the thin line of road? A lot longer.

Cleve has gone up to CAR (Central African Republic) on the motorbike, along thin, pseudo-paths that wind through thick jungle and across swampy bogs. But it isn't easy!

Sure the Post Office pledges, "Come rain, come snow..." but nowhere in their motto is "Come bog, come jungle"!

And yes, it means too that there is no visiting this go-round!

Hope this clarifies :)

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