We arrived in Paris on Friday, 21 December, and went out to buy some lens cloth for our lenses. I was suffering from the end of a Christmas flu and was not on best form. The next morning when packing for the flight to the Congo I found my money belt and Irish passport missing. After tearing the room apart, we concluded that I had probably been the victim of a pickpocket. Reported it to the local Police (who insisted on ONLY speaking French) and then some thinking.
Quick decision; Julie to catch the original flight and I would make my way back to London and try getting another visa on my UK passport (I have dual-nationality) on Christmas Eve and fly to the Congo on Christmas day.
Out of interest, on my arrival at the Eurostar I had no idea how difficult it would be to get back to the UK without a passport. Fortunately Gordon, a very nice Brit from the border people, checked me on the computers and let me through. Out of interest I was wrestling with 75kg of luggage and was not in the best of moods.
So today ... Julie arrived at the reserve and is photographing and observing the Bonobos ... Adam in the office putting together another visa application form and wondering if the embassy is open tomorrow or not.
Not a great start for Adam, but Julie is in deepest Africa enjoying the Bonobos.
Adam (feeling very frustrated indeed)
Dangers of Paris - 23 December 2007
