goma, drc: working from the edge of a volcano (and loving it)

okay, so i'm in goma, democratic republic of congo, and i have to tell you about this place. first off, the numbers 7319869 and 1646793543 are everywhere - i saw them spray-painted on a wall near the market, and later on a receipt from a phone card vendor. what they mean? no clue. maybe it's a code. maybe it's just someone's weird obsession. but that's goma for you: mysterious, a little gritty, and endlessly fascinating.

i arrived on a rickety bus from kigali (yeah, i crossed the border, more on that later) and immediately was hit with this... humidity that feels like a blanket. not hot, though. right now it's a cool 16.5 degrees celsius, but the humidity's at 84%, so it's that damp chill that seeps into your bones. i just checked the weather app and it's been stuck at these numbers for hours: temp 16.54, feels like 16.44, min and max both the same. it's like the atmosphere forgot how to change. hope you like that kind of thing.

goma sits on the northern shore of lake kivu, but you wouldn't know it from the city itself - it's all dusty roads, motorbikes everywhere, and these colorful stalls selling everything from second-hand clothes to fresh fish. the lake is actually stunning, crystal clear against the volcanic backdrop. but the city? it's organized chaos. i love it.

just outside town, you'll find women walking through lush green fields, it's a whole different world.

as a digital nomad, i need good wifi and a place to plug in. i found this cafe called cafe concerto (shoutout to the barista who gave me the best fist bump of my life) with surprisingly stable internet and these giant mango smoothies that cost like 2 bucks. i've been camped there most mornings, typing away while watching the world go by. i linked to their yelp page if you're curious - Yelp: Cafe Concerto. the owner, jean-pierre, told me he started the place after the volcano erupted in 2002 (yeah, that's a story). the walls are covered in photos of the eruption, which is both terrifying and cool.

speaking of volcanoes, nyiragongo is just a couple hours away. i haven't gone yet (the permit costs a small fortune) but i heard from a traveler that the hike at night to see the lava lake is mind-blowing. someone told me that the park rangers sometimes close the trail due to gas emissions, so check ahead. i'll drop a link to the virunga national park site - Virunga NP - for updates. or read recent reviews of Nyiragongo hikes on TripAdvisor.

in the hills around nyiragongo, you'll find troops of monkeys that are surprisingly bold. they'll eye your snacks from a distance.

now, the neighbors: if the concrete jungle gets too much, you can hop over to gisenyi, rwanda in about 45 minutes across the border. the border crossing is... an experience. bring cash, patience, and a sense of humor. i've done it a few times, and each time is a new adventure (or misadventure). gisenyi is like goma's cleaner, richer cousin - same lake view, but with nicer sidewalks and more french bakeries. if you need a break, it's a short drive away (provided the road isn't flooded). for more ideas on what to do in the region, check out TripAdvisor's top attractions in Goma.

another neighbor? well, you're not far from uganda either. the ishasha border is about 3 hours south, and that's where you can see the tree-climbing lions. i haven't made it that far yet, but i met a guy who swears by the queen elizabeth national park. maybe next month.

now for the reviews-as-gossip: i heard that the best grilled fish in town is at a place called 'maman antoinette's', but someone warned me that the portions shrink if you look too foreign. also, i was told that the wifi at the hotel i'm staying at (hotel kolwezi) is faster at night when fewer people are streaming. but i also overheard a traveler complaining that the shower water smells like sulfur. so, take that with a grain of salt.

i've been here two weeks now, and i'm still figuring out the rhythm. the power goes out randomly - i'm writing this on my laptop with a power bank that's seen better days. but there's something about goma that hooks you. maybe it's the resilience of the people. after the eruption and the wars, they rebuilt, and they're still smiling. i saw a group of kids playing soccer on a dusty field with a makeshift ball, and it was pure joy. that's the vibe.

oh, and those numbers? i later found out that 7319869 might be the phone number of a local taxi service, and 1646793543 could be a reference to the 2010 earthquake in haiti? no, that's 12 january 2010. wait, 1646793543 as a unix timestamp is march 9, 2022. maybe it's something else. i'll never know. but they're part of the landscape now.

if you're thinking of coming here as a digital nomad, my advice: get a local sim (they're cheap), learn a few words in swahili, and don't expect everything to run on schedule. but if you want an authentic, unfiltered african city experience, goma might just be your spot. just watch out for the potholes - they're legendary.

i'll leave you with a few more links: check out this forum thread on nomad list about working from congo - Nomad List: Congo. and if you need a guide for the volcano, i recommend contacting tour operator 'kivu tours' - they have a facebook page. also, for something completely different, here's an article about the咖啡 culture in goma (yeah, coffee's big here) - Coffee in Goma.

anyway, i should probably go find some lunch. the street food here is insane - try the brochettes if you're brave. later.

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