We took off over the Congo (see photo) and the flight took about two and a half hours, during which we could see little through the clouds and then suddenly ....there was the Congo River and Kisangani.

A quick circuit and then we were in, taxied up to the terminal and parked alongside a motley collection of UN cargo planes, a Russian helicopter and a couple of fast jets.

Kisangani International doesn't look too bad from the outside but the interior takes the Congo unfinished building theme to a new level. Michel, the owner of Go Congo and the boat which will take us down river, was there to meet us and after the usual facillitation we were on our way into town - to the Palm Beach Hotel, right on the river.