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Globe Trekker - Pilot Guides 03x07 Uganda and Zaire(2)

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00:00Uganda! It's had dictators like Idi Amin, Milton Abote, shares its forties with Rwanda and Zaire, but Winston Churchill says it's a pearl of Africa. So Winston, on your head be it, or should I say on my head be it.
00:18Much of Uganda and eastern Zaire is mountain and rainforest, and the travelling conditions in Zaire are some of the most difficult in the world.
00:32My four-week trek will take me in search of the endangered mountain gorilla in the forest of Windy. Then I'll go north to the Ruinsuri mountains on the border with Zaire to try and climb Africa's third highest mountain, Mount Stanley.
00:56From there I cross into Zaire and travel north, deep into the forest around Mount Hoyo to visit the Mubuti Pygmies.
01:03The Mubuti Pygmies
01:06The Mubuti Pygmies
01:08The Mubuti Pygmies
01:10The Mubuti Pygmies
01:13The Mubuti Pygmies
01:18Eight hours west by road from the Ugandan capital Kampala is the impenetrable forest at Windy.
01:27Windy is one of the few places where the mountain gorilla still survives. Tracking parties stay in small settlements in the heart of the forest.
01:40Hi, I'm Nicky. Hi, how are you?
01:45Okay, I think I have a reservation here.
01:48A reservation here?
01:49We received data, just a check. Let me see.
01:51Okay.
01:52You're coming from where?
01:53Um, well, all together I came from England.
01:55From England.
01:56Most backpackers come to Bahoma Campground.
02:01A bed in a shared room will cost $6 a night.
02:04Which one am I in this one?
02:06Oh, this one. This one.
02:08Our own little garden.
02:10This is your...
02:12Bye now.
02:14This is my pit latrine.
02:24Nobody in there.
02:29Hmm.
02:33They at least have complimentary toilet paper.
02:37Boys and girls.
02:41Right.
02:42Let's just get a look in here.
02:46I can't actually see anything.
02:49You know...
02:51Oh, I can.
02:52Oh, it's pretty gruesome.
02:54Um, I might just wait a little while actually.
02:58The facilities are basic.
03:08When you go, don't forget me.
03:11Let me go.
03:12I help you.
03:13I'm lucky.
03:14When I can go, don't forget you.
03:15Um, I can't see anything.
03:16That's a problem for me, sir.
03:17If you don't forget me, don't forget me.
03:18I'm happy.
03:19I'm sorry.
03:20I can't see that.
03:21If you're a bit close jegi as a word, there is this.
03:22The forest in Guindi has about 320 gorillas. There are about 630 gorillas, mountain gorillas, left in the whole world.
03:35It's best to wear protective clothing because you might walk in the forest and find some stinging plants or things like that.
03:43One or two of the males have been known to come also up to people and touch them.
03:51It's actually difficult to control them at that moment if they come up to you and touch you.
04:04When I was there only 12 people a day were allowed to visit the gorillas.
04:07You either book well in advance or turn up and wait for a place.
04:11A major conservation effort is underway to protect the few remaining mountain gorillas. So far it's been successful.
04:24The gorillas are relatively safe at the moment but poaching has been a major threat. Last year four were killed from one of the groups.
04:42In Guindi they guaranteed seeing the gorillas but they don't promise a good view. They move on every day so it's a question of finding where they were the day before then picking up a fresh trail.
04:55So you have to go, go, go, go and then find them. This is a very fresh trail for today.
05:11Oh, that's good. That's a good sign. Does that mean I won't be here till dusk then?
05:17No, but I can feel the thing. That's the poo.
05:21This is a poo? Yeah. Oh my God, that's huge!
05:25This is a day nest. The nest, yeah.
05:28It doesn't smell.
05:30Yeah, but this has a very strong smell.
05:36Oh, there's another one.
05:41Must have had a good meal.
05:46They slept here for the night. These last slainess we have seen.
05:49Okay.
05:50And the vetch, the butcher, they grab around themselves and then they can sleep there.
05:54They snuggle in.
05:55You see, all of these plants are very good for them.
06:00Sometimes they are elephants.
06:02Forest elephants.
06:03So it's very important to keep quiet.
06:09In this park, 20 feet is as close as you can get to the gorillas.
06:12They're gentle creatures, but if they charge, follow the guide's instructions.
06:16Crouch down and act submissive.
06:18Okay.
06:20I think we are very close to the gorillas.
06:28We are very close to the gorillas.
06:30It's the moment of trot.
06:31the forest is so thick that most of the time they're well hidden the silverbacks can weigh
06:58more than 400 pounds and can live for up to 40 years a typical gorilla family has about 10
07:04members stripping the leaves off the fire
07:07oh
07:08how big is he
07:13two times bigger than the pig
07:17the pig was about my size
07:28my next destination is karsasi at the foot of the ruinsuri mountains the road north passes
07:43through queen elizabeth national park in the past uganda has had a reputation for being unsafe
07:51it has had several military dictators since its independence from britain in 1962 and until
07:57recently was politically unstable
07:59nowadays uganda and its national parks are much safer to visit when the country's most brutal
08:17dictator idi al-mean was in power much of the wildlife in this park was plundered by troops
08:21for food and ivory
08:27now the herds are increasing again
08:34heading north from the park you reach the market town of karsasi
08:44karsasi is the nearest town to the ruinsuri mountain range and the place to head to prepare for your
08:58climb
09:10karsasi has not much to offer in the way of hotels
09:12but despite its name the hotel sad is a favorite amongst travelers
09:18this is a bit of a maze
09:23for about fifteen dollars a night at least you've got the promise of hot water
09:30for the reason i have a question we have a question
09:35by the way
09:37let's see what's going on
09:42yeah
09:44uh...
09:45uh...
09:46uh...
09:47uh...
09:48uh...
09:49uh...
09:50uh...
09:51uh...
09:53uh...
09:54uh...
09:55Not for long. Hello?
09:59Hello? Hello.
10:00OK, I would like to go to the Ruanzori mountaineering office,
10:04because I'm going on a long walk tomorrow, and I need to book up early.
10:08Although most of the people in Uganda are taught English in school,
10:11only officials use it daily.
10:13At times, it can be quite difficult.
10:15I want to go as soon as possible.
10:17Yes.
10:18What do I do? Do I book this now?
10:20Yeah, now in fact, we are in a busy season.
10:22This is a busy month for towards climbing.
10:24So you need to book an island before you are booking to avoid inconveniences.
10:28Yes, absolutely.
10:29Yeah.
10:30And as pertains to the gear,
10:32then it doesn't necessarily mean that you take two potters.
10:36You may be having a lot of luggage, which may require almost ten potters.
10:40Right, well, I don't think I'll need ten potters.
10:42We can give you, in fact, one guide and two potters.
10:46OK.
10:47Yeah, one potter for the guide and one potter for you.
10:50OK, so I don't have to buy for them?
10:51No.
10:52What are your names, please?
10:53My name.
10:54My name is Nicky.
10:55You are Nicky?
10:56Gross.
10:57I am Andrew.
10:58Hello, Andrew.
10:59Yes, please.
11:00I'm happy to meet you.
11:01I'm happy to meet you, too.
11:02I need to go now to get some food.
11:04And I think maybe I need to buy a pair of gloves,
11:06because it's going to be cold up there.
11:08So if you could take me to the market or shops where I can buy some things.
11:13It's OK?
11:14Yes.
11:15Yes.
11:16All right.
11:17Is this the center of town?
11:21I need to find some food.
11:23What?
11:24I need to find some food.
11:25Some food.
11:26Some rice or pasta or things like that.
11:28Woo!
11:29Donuts.
11:30Donuts.
11:31Hi, is this where we're going?
11:36Sometimes, sign language is more useful than speaking.
11:39We sell rice to take away for me to cook.
11:44This is a restaurant, yes?
11:45Yes.
11:46OK.
11:47I didn't explain very well.
11:48I need to go to a shop where I can buy rice.
11:53Rice?
11:54Yes.
11:55To eat just now?
11:56No, not now.
11:57So I can cook.
11:58You can cook.
11:59Yeah?
12:00OK.
12:01OK.
12:02About this big.
12:05OK?
12:06Just a small one like this.
12:09Thank you very much.
12:12I need to go and buy some wellies.
12:15You know?
12:16What?
12:17Gumboots.
12:18European, 39.
12:19Just have a walk and see what they feel like.
12:28I need an aubergine.
12:29Life in Kasesi, like most towns in Uganda, revolves around a thriving market.
12:33And it's the place to come and pick up the food you'll need for the trek.
12:37Long and round aubergine.
12:39Watermelon.
12:40Watermelon.
12:41Oh, I could have a watermelon, yeah.
12:44I forgot to buy gloves.
12:46Thank you very much.
12:47OK.
12:48Have a nice day.
12:49This corner here.
12:50Jambo.
12:54Do you sell gloves?
12:56Gloves?
12:57Yeah.
12:58You do?
12:59I'm going to be in really cold temperatures.
13:01Like zero.
13:02And my fingers are going to freeze.
13:04Even this can keep you to zero.
13:06No, I don't think that they'll keep you to one.
13:08Because it's a bad necessity.
13:09It's a bad conduct of heat.
13:17The main feature of the Ruin Zorys is the weather.
13:19The range is notoriously wet.
13:21Rain and mist, even in the dry season, are not uncommon.
13:24Apart from the high sections of the route, thick mud is very much the order of the day.
13:28And many trekkers do the entire route in rubber boots.
13:31I've seen people in fishing waders and even in toe-to-thigh leggings made out of wetsuit material.
13:37OK.
13:38I'm looking for someone called Ajossi.
13:40Ajossi.
13:41Josiah.
13:42Anybody see him?
13:44Ah!
13:45Here you are.
13:46Hello.
13:47I'm Nikki.
13:48I'm Josiah, please.
13:49You're welcome.
13:50Thank you very much.
13:51How are you?
13:52I'm very well.
13:53I hope you are going to enjoy the journey very well.
13:56I'm sure I will.
13:57You're a bigger.
13:58No.
13:59We first measure the luggage, please.
14:00OK.
14:01Yeah.
14:02OK.
14:03That's just under ten.
14:04Only ten.
14:05Over ten.
14:06Just over ten.
14:07And the potter is supposed to carry only 22 kilograms.
14:11OK.
14:12So that one's all right.
14:13And this is the 14.
14:15That's not bad, is it?
14:16Yeah.
14:17Not bad.
14:25The Ruanzori Mountains stretch for about 60 miles along the Zaire-Uganda border.
14:30Known as the Mountains of the Moon, they captivated 19th century explorers
14:34in search of the source of the Nile.
14:37My trek begins at the village of Ibanda near Kasesi.
14:40The trek will take six days with an average eight hours' walk a day,
14:44with huts stationed at the end of each day's walk.
14:47My destination is Margarita Summit.
14:50At over 15,000 feet, it's the highest peak on Mount Stanley.
14:53How high are we now?
14:55Now we are at the altitude of 8,700 feet above sea level.
15:00Wow.
15:01Yeah.
15:02And you are most welcome here.
15:05I feel most welcome here.
15:06Yeah.
15:07Yeah.
15:08So, where will I be sleeping?
15:10So, this is the hut for tourists.
15:11It's just going to make me some porridge to kind of wake me up a little bit.
15:26A little worse for wear this morning.
15:28I'm sure I look like I've been punched in both eyes, but never mind.
15:33Sojourn, hey?
15:34I'm actually quite excited about this next walk, but the only thing is, I've got eight
15:39hours of it.
15:40You need some water to drink on the way.
15:43Okay.
15:44I have some of that.
15:45Yeah.
15:46And make sure you have your lunch, because when you are hungry, you need to eat.
15:51Okay.
15:52Maybe you should lead the way.
15:53You know where we're going.
15:54Yes.
15:55On this trek, the scenery changes dramatically, from tropical rainforest to snow.
16:09Ruanzuri is a local word meaning, the rainy mountain.
16:13It rains a lot here, and the path often disintegrates into a mud bar.
16:16This mud needs careful work, otherwise...
16:19You're telling me?
16:20Yes.
16:21You follow my foot marks.
16:22Oh, you already?
16:23It's all right.
16:24I've been doing this for about three hours.
16:28Can you follow me, please?
16:33Yeah, I'm trying, but it's a bit difficult.
16:38The mud at times can be unbearable, and many people turn back after one or two days.
16:44The rivers here are all sources of the Nile.
16:53After the rain, they can quickly become impassable, and have claimed the lives of both locals and
16:58trekkers.
16:59I saw a small bird like this.
17:00It's small.
17:01It was going very fast.
17:02Can I have some of that?
17:03Yes, please.
17:04Yum, yum.
17:05The guides and porters are essential for trekking in the Ruanzuris.
17:19It's not cheap.
17:20The total for the trip will cost about $300 plus tips.
17:29This is just fairytale.
17:30Yeah.
17:31I've never seen anything like this in my entire life.
17:36Well, this is the Heather Forest.
17:38The what forest?
17:39Heather Forest.
17:40Heather Forest.
17:41Heather Forest?
17:42Is it literally just because it's so humid and wet here?
17:46Yeah.
17:47I mean, look at these roots.
17:48Even these roots.
17:49They're jut out in all sorts of weird and wonderful positions.
17:54Reminds me of Narnia.
17:58That's not our hut, is it?
18:00Please tell me it is.
18:01Is it?
18:02Yes.
18:05Now, this is an American army rescue pack.
18:07It costs about 10 quid.
18:08Apparently, it's got everything you need for like 24 hours.
18:11Right.
18:12Crackers.
18:13Coffee instant.
18:14Ah-ha.
18:15This is interesting.
18:16This has got lots of things like matches, toilet tissue, hand cleaner, candy.
18:19Do you want to open that and say?
18:20So that's hot chocolate, I guess.
18:21Cocoa beverage.
18:22How about this?
18:23You can have that.
18:24Coffee.
18:25Matches.
18:26Do you want them?
18:27Corned beef hash.
18:28It's, yeah, beef.
18:29It says remove pouch from cartons.
18:30The same thing.
18:31You can have that.
18:32Yeah.
18:33Coffee.
18:34Matches.
18:35Do you want them?
18:36Corned beef hash.
18:37Corned?
18:38Yeah, beef.
18:39It says remove pouch from cartons.
18:40Save cartons.
18:41And you put this little heater, see that, on top of this.
18:46There's a line.
18:47Do not overfill, so I've got to pour it in up until there.
18:51It's okay.
18:52Now here comes the magic.
18:55Stub it all back in there.
18:57Okay, fold the top over.
18:59Shove it back in the box.
19:01And this is quite ingenious, because apparently this hacks as a heater as well.
19:05You store it at a 45 degree angle.
19:08Now basically, there's a chemical in there.
19:11And with the water, it activates.
19:14And then you will have a feast.
19:15And then you will have a feast.
19:16Shhhhhh.
19:17It's magic.
19:18Yeah, it will be.
19:19Yeah.
19:20It will be.
19:21Yeah.
19:22This is absolutely amazing.
19:23A little pot of Tabasco that big.
19:24I don't rinse.
19:25What's that like, then?
19:27Here we go.
19:42Hey!
19:43Tell me what you think of that.
19:45mmmm.
19:46Here?
19:47This is corn beef.
19:49Corn beef, yeah.
19:50Yeah. You guys are liking this stuff. I'm going to leave it with you. Oops. I'll kill you.
20:09The porters are mountain people of the Bukonjo tribe. For many of them, trekking parties have now become their main source of income.
20:20I sometimes find it's necessary to actually sleep in clothes, you know. I was absolutely freezing last night.
20:49That's right. Well, you've got to keep your hat on all the time, and even in your sleeping bag, you'll probably find, especially higher up, because you tend to drop about a degree every 100 metres.
20:58So you're probably travelling about 700 metres upwards today. So, you know, it'll drop about 7 degrees.
21:05You won't only need the right equipment to go further. It also helps to be with an experienced climber.
21:12Jim Gray has climbed the Ruin Zorys three times.
21:19It's always very boggy in the Ruin Zorys anyway, but this particular section is particularly boggy, because we've got an area of the Bigo bog.
21:26But that'll be particularly good today, with all the rain we had last night.
21:31Jim has climbed throughout East Africa, and rates this as one of the toughest treks.
21:38Slow down or the altitude will get you, Nicky. If the bog doesn't.
21:45It's got some funky little air cut going on there.
21:52Look at that one.
21:54Oh, my God, that smells dynamite.
21:57So how do you find the mud, then?
22:00I can't speak. Peanutbutters stuck on the top of my mouth. That's all right.
22:21We've reached a fair altitude here. This is around about, just coming up to 13,000 feet.
22:25thousand feet and you know we'll be stopping around about that sort of
22:29height tonight. That's the one I prepared earlier. Just put it in there and bring the
22:36bottle and you literally just filter from there. There's a lot of water in
22:40there in those leaves. We'll just get in a situation where it starts to pump.
22:45That's good clean water through there. Obviously in these things there's a
22:49charcoal filter inside. Could you drink them? Yeah, here we go.
22:53Do you want me to do it first? No, you go first.
23:03Nice. That's probably okay.
23:07The upper reaches of these mountains were undiscovered by Europeans until just a
23:11hundred years ago. They're hidden most of the year by mist and clouds.
23:23The unique combination of humidity and altitude here has created giant plant life that looks
23:34like nothing else on earth.
23:36The upper reaches of these mountains, they've been dying through with my eyes.
23:40Through with the rain and weather, helping forever.
23:44The girl was by my side. My parts calculating, my true love will be waiting.
23:51Waiting at the end of my ride.
23:54I'm at number three where I am sleeping tonight. I don't
24:08I don't know what N-O-S means.
24:11Let's try it.
24:12Let's go into the dark.
24:15Oh, it's not that dark.
24:20There's the man.
24:23Putting everything down.
24:25So there's upper and lower sleeping arrangements.
24:27Does it get cold in here?
24:29Of course.
24:30Very cold?
24:31Yeah.
24:32So I should be wearing my long johns tonight.
24:34Mm-hmm.
24:35But you're lucky I've made it not for you.
24:39There's some left with it.
24:40I can't believe it.
24:41That's brilliant.
24:43Now, I was watching these guys make this bread earlier on.
24:46This is absolutely amazing.
24:47It looks like pizza dough.
24:49Does it taste good, guys?
24:51Yes.
24:52Very good.
24:54And you have soup as well.
24:56Yeah.
24:57With your goat in it.
24:58Yes, goat meat.
24:59Goat meat.
25:00Yeah.
25:01Very good.
25:03I am definitely changing my mind about sleeping in the hut tonight.
25:06You can see that rat.
25:08I might have put some bait down so you can see it.
25:10But I just have to prove a point.
25:11I am not sleeping in there.
25:17If you're sleeping outdoors, then heating up rocks is a good way to keep warm.
25:21At this height, it's freezing at night.
25:23Yeah.
25:24Yeah.
25:25Oh, God.
25:26Just bury them in there.
25:27Is it too hot?
25:28That's it.
25:29Okay.
25:30Let's get them in this way.
25:31Okay.
25:32Just spread them in there.
25:33So you don't want to get it underneath your...
25:35It's too uncomfortable underneath your body.
25:38Yeah?
25:39All right, then.
25:40Get the last one in there.
25:42Cool.
25:43Give it a kick.
25:44Oh, look at that.
25:45That's marvelous.
25:46And that should...
25:47You should generate quite a bit of heat out of that.
25:50Now put your sack...
25:51Put your thing over the top.
25:52Camping out.
25:53Look at the bonfire.
25:54God, I've wanted to do this for ages.
25:55A sleeping bag in there?
25:56Yeah.
25:57All right.
25:58Oh, it's better away from the rats, isn't it?
25:59Yeah.
26:00Is it warm?
26:01No, I'm roasting.
26:02Get a look at what Charles is doing.
26:03He's actually going to solve my problem for me.
26:04I couldn't buy any gloves in Casese.
26:05You forgot to buy the gloves in Casese.
26:06Yeah, well, I couldn't.
26:07No.
26:08You couldn't buy them.
26:09There wasn't anywhere to buy them.
26:10And somebody told me to buy surgical gloves.
26:11So you aren't using them.
26:12I'm using them.
26:13I'm using them.
26:14I'm using them.
26:15I'm using them.
26:16I'm using them.
26:17I'm using them.
26:18I'm using them.
26:19I'm using them.
26:20I'm using them.
26:21I'm using them.
26:22I'm using them.
26:23You couldn't buy them.
26:24There wasn't anywhere to buy them.
26:25And somebody told me to buy surgical gloves.
26:26So you don't use the natural gloves.
26:28It's like a gun.
26:29Fingers.
26:30Yeah.
26:31Make these socks.
26:33And maybe you can put your hat.
26:38Brilliant.
26:39Right.
26:40We started in the village down here.
26:41Heading to Camp 1.
26:42From Camp 1, we went all the way through the jungle here.
26:45To Camp 2.
26:46From Camp 2, we dropped down to the lower bog, Upper Bigo bog.
26:50And then up to where we are now, which is Lake Pichuku Camp, Camp 3.
26:54Today we're going to head up to this coal here, which is Elena Hutt, where we sleep tonight.
26:58And from there we go to the summit tomorrow, 5,190 metres.
27:03And that's Mount Margarita.
27:11Very few visitors have managed to climb the Margarita.
27:14When one makes a trip to Margarita, he's considered a man of courage.
27:23The indigenous people here believe that these mountains have special gods that look after them.
27:45And those gods may not be mentioned while trekking.
27:58At the end of the fourth day, at 15,000 feet, you reach the glaciers.
28:03I'm just going to present you, my two favourite people in the world at this moment in time.
28:14Nze and Martina, thank you so much.
28:18Okay.
28:19They're going to go off now because they're not going all the way up.
28:23So, happy safe journey.
28:30Bye.
28:31Bye.
28:31I'm going to start again.
28:33Look at that they're going so fast without me.
28:35I just don't feel like I'm here.
28:43I'm not here.
28:45I feel dizzy.
28:46I feel like I'm in a dream.
28:48I feel hungry.
28:49Anything.
28:51It's still not over yet.
28:52I've got tomorrow to go.
28:54God knows what I'm going to be like.
28:55I'm going to be a wreck.
28:56Okay, so I'm stuck in here, in this hut.
29:07It's bloody freezing.
29:08I'm four days away from help.
29:11I've got two friends here.
29:12They're helping me out.
29:15They were cooking while I'm thinking.
29:17I'm quite guilty actually, but they chipped in some food.
29:19I've chipped in some food.
29:20It's beautiful.
29:21It's a beautiful dinner here.
29:23Nice sloppy rice, hit again, bean-faced.
29:26And as you can see, gourmet a la carte jelly.
29:30Oil in the bag.
29:31Oil in the bag food.
29:34I'm really jealous about that, aren't I?
29:39It's mid-August, we're in Africa.
29:43Would you believe it?
29:47If the weather's good, it should be a four-hour walk
29:49to reach the summit of Margarita Peak.
29:51At this height, you can easily suffer nausea
29:54and light-headedness from altitude sickness.
29:58It's about quarter to seven.
29:59It's clearing up nicely.
30:00The snow's gone now.
30:01And it looks reasonably clear up there.
30:04We're going to make it to the edge of those rocks
30:05and then work our way up right onto the glacier itself.
30:09Okay?
30:10It's, everyone's warm.
30:11Here we go.
30:11It was these glacier-covered peaks
30:23that have earned the Ruanzoris the name
30:25Mountains of the Moon.
30:26Compass is affected by the magnetism.
30:36So you've got to go by, you know,
30:39oh, here we go.
30:40That's very, er, that's very, um, comforting,
30:43that rock there.
30:44I recognise that.
30:44Do you do?
30:45Yeah.
30:47So, er, your port, pretty good for the moment.
30:51How are you feeling, Nicky?
30:52Oh, come on then, Jim.
30:58Should we go?
30:59Yeah.
31:00I've got my umbilical cord attached to Jim today.
31:05Makes me feel a lot safer.
31:08The higher you get, the harder it is
31:15to take even the smallest step.
31:20Got to go round here.
31:22Get into the cold between the two mountains,
31:24the two peaks, which you can't see.
31:26And that step round,
31:27I don't think it's going to be very banked up with snow.
31:30And you'll fall right down into Zaire.
31:31If you, er,
31:32if we get it wrong.
31:34So,
31:35very simple decision.
31:36This is where we're going to have to start.
31:37Damn!
31:38It's, er,
31:39in height,
31:40we haven't done badly at all.
31:41We're not far off the summit in height,
31:43but it's a long...
31:44Not far off death,
31:45and we didn't make it.
31:46It's a long, er,
31:47maze.
31:48Intricate maze.
31:49You really want some,
31:50you want to be able to see where you're going.
31:51I'm not happy to take you through this.
31:55Jim had come well-equipped for everything,
31:57even mixing a margarita.
31:58Bit of ice.
31:59Bit of vodka in there.
32:01Let's give it a little bit of shake.
32:02Nice bit of vodka.
32:03You didn't get that margarita,
32:04but who cares?
32:05We're on the bloody mess.
32:07Oh, yeah.
32:08Alrighty.
32:09Good, honey.
32:10My lip just starts to cook up.
32:20Woo!
32:20Woo!
32:21The final leg of this central African trek takes me into Zaire, the third largest country
32:37in Africa.
32:38My first destination is Beni, on the eastern edge of the vast Eturi forest.
32:43But before that, you've got to get across the border.
32:47What's going on?
32:52Hello.
32:53Hello.
32:54Hi.
32:55Hi, how are you?
32:56Very good.
32:57Okay, I'd like to enter Zaire, please.
33:00I don't know when.
33:02Okay, do you have a pen?
33:17…
33:30Formerly the Belgian Congo, Zaire gained its independence in 1960, and since then has
33:36had many years of civil war.
33:39Even for hardened travelers exploring by overland truck, Zaire can be tough going.
33:45That was from the Gorilla Walk. It came up as a spot just before we left and turned up.
33:51That one I taped up before the Gorilla Walk and it's heeled over, so that's cool.
33:55I had a nice big one on my toe here, which you can't see anyway because it's filthy.
33:59This is Zaire.
34:02More than half of us have had malaria. We're on different drugs. Half of us on malaria, which is supposed to be 95%,
34:12and half of us are on palestrine and chloroquine, and one of us is just on chloroquine.
34:19This is me before Africa.
34:21Holy shit!
34:23I weighed 84 kilograms.
34:26When I was a chubby little lad, I've come in four belt notches and 14 kilos.
34:35I need to change.
34:37Banks don't usually have any money, so changing dollars is one of the many challenges in Zaire.
34:41Don't take it because you have a little rip.
34:43Yeah.
34:46But there's nothing wrong with it.
34:49The date's fine.
34:52If you're in Zaire, you're going to need these American dollars.
35:02You're not going to get anywhere without them.
35:04They can't be ripped.
35:05They've got to be at least 1990s.
35:07But for $50, you can get this.
35:11Two and a half million Zaire in shillings.
35:15And the second year?
35:18100,000.
35:19100,000.
35:20Yes.
35:215, 10, 15, 20, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80, 85, 90, 95.
35:32100,000.
35:33Oui.
35:34Merci.
35:35Au revoir.
35:36Au revoir.
35:37Au revoir.
35:38Au revoir.
35:40Au revoir.
35:4515,000 shillings of bike.
35:46Ha!
35:47Ha!
35:48No.
35:53No.
35:54No.
35:55No.
35:56No.
35:57There's no more or even more.
35:58No.
36:02No.
36:03No.
36:04No.
36:05No.
36:06No.
36:07No.
36:08No.
36:09No.
36:10No.
36:11No.
36:12No.
36:13No.
36:14So I'm just going to get a blood test to make sure it's nothing serious.
36:24Here, we'll get this. That is malaria.
36:27Oh, I have malaria?
36:28Yes.
36:29It's the worst thing I've ever had in my life.
36:32I thought I had it.
36:35Malaria kills a million people a year in Africa and is a real threat in Zaire.
36:40Even if you take anti-malarial tablets, you can still get it.
36:44Oh, I'm sorry.
37:02Treat it quickly and with some rest, you can recover from malaria.
37:06So after a few days, I carried on into the heart of the forest to Mount Hoyle, home to the Mubuti pygmies.
37:14The roads in Eastern Zaire have been described as the worst in the world.
37:29It rains most of the year, and from Bení to Mount Hoyle, you can be stranded in potholes for days at a time.
37:34I picked this strapping lad called Georgia in Bení, and I thought he'd dig me out of the mud himself, but it looks like I'm going to have to help him.
37:55Okay?
37:56Yes.
37:57You have to remove it.
37:58It's not good.
37:59It's okay.
38:00Remove it.
38:00No.
38:01Yes?
38:02No.
38:02It's not good.
38:03You want me to take my shoes off?
38:05No.
38:06I don't...oh, great.
38:08Now, I don't know how many of these holes we're going to have to dig, but we're not even halfway there yet.
38:21And I will need to get to Mount Hoyle because I'm going to go and see the pygmies, which is why George is with me.
38:29But I'm taking my own grave, by the looks of things, like that.
38:35I'm not as strong as you, though, because I have malaria.
38:48Apparently, this kind of road is completely normal, so you've got to expect this.
38:53Now, I did know this before I was going to come, but I didn't really expect this to be this hard work.
38:59It is possible to travel in this part of Zahid by yourself, but I didn't see any travellers on their own.
39:18Vehicle owners like George can be persuaded to take travellers into pygmy communities that are otherwise difficult, if not impossible, to find.
39:29The pygmy people are the indigenous tribes of the Aturi forest region, and many of them have never encountered foreigners.
39:50Their average size is four feet, the tallest man reaching just above my waist.
39:55There are about ten families living in the village we found, with about four or five people living in each hut.
40:21Some pygmy groups in Central Africa have been badly exploited by tourism.
40:35But the further you get into Zahid, the less contact pygmies have had with Westerners.
40:39They are skilled hunter-gatherers, using poison-tipped arrows to kill the animals and birds of the forest.
40:54Caterpillars are part of their staple diet.
41:22Caterpillars.
41:24Caterpillars.
41:25Caterpillars.
41:26Caterpillars.
41:27Caterpillars.
41:28Caterpillars.
41:29And they're good enough to eat their broom.
41:32Caterpillars.
41:33The pygmy people treat the forest with the utmost respect, taking only what they need.
41:50The women and children make dams in the rivers to catch crabs and tiny fish.
42:10The rains had started when I was there, so conditions were dreadful.
42:14It's a bit steamy in here, isn't it? My feet are actually humming. Oh look, you can see, they're actually steaming.
42:28Can you see that?
42:32That's how wet I am.
42:35Okay, time to get high.
42:37These are supposed to be quinine, and this is supposed to be a vitamin pill.
42:45It doesn't look very vitamin-like to me, but apparently quinine is really strong,
42:50so you need the vitamins so your body doesn't get tired.
42:53I get this funny ringing in my ears 24 hours a day, and it gets worse when I take one of these.
42:58Not only that, but my eyesight is completely blurred. Like...
43:05When I move my head like this, my eyes seem to get left behind like that. It's really odd.
43:10Anyway, here goes nothing.
43:12Let's eat.
43:25Oh no!
43:27It's dicks.
43:29The whole time I was with them, these people sang from dawn till dusk, always giving thanks
43:50to the spirit of the forest.
43:59But in the past it is definitely the force, to tell the story.
44:14It's a design, for close to see theww.
44:19I made it a month of arduous training.
44:39I climbed a mountain of 5,000 feet.
44:44I looked a gorilla eye to eye.
44:47I got malaria.
44:49I hung out with the pygmies and I'm here lying in a bath with all the creature comforts
44:56human being desires and I feel great when I go.