James Whitmee

I am in Kinshasa valuing various large tracts of land around Gombe, which is the centre of the city. Industrial land on the peripheries of the city costs $100-150 /sq m, and in the centre on Boulevard du 30 Juin it's up to $1,000 /sq m or more. There is a major road improvement programme underway, and traffic here is really not a problem, as it is in other West African countries, although where the improvements have not yet been made there are huge troughs in the road which fill with mud and make it difficult to pass without a 4x4. Today I had a traditional Congolese buffet at lunchtime and tried antelope which has a strong taste, almost like liver, and fried caterpillars which are chewy and quite bitter.

                                                       Off Boulevard du 30 Juin in city centre