Travels to the DRC: An Adventure in Culture and Cannabis

Being an avid traveler, both for work and for leisure, I have had the opportunity to travel both poor and wealthy countries. For that reason, I decided to take a trip to the Congo in Africa (the DRC). They are a country that has very little and are in need of economic stimulus. I had always heard that it is a beautiful country with so much to offer.

I have been associated with a brilliant online cannabis company called CannabisConnect. We chatted prior to my trip and thought it'd be an amazing opportunity for me to meet some of the local growers and breeders while on my journey.

I left on May 4th and arrived on the same day. I flew into Kinshasa. The landscape was absolutely beautiful, and while being very rural, it was still breathtaking.

I spent one night in the city and left early the next morning to make my way to Upemba National Park - an area where cannabis is deeply rooted within their heritage. This area is also very well known for its beauty, and I knew I would get some amazing shots.

I arrived two days later and met up with some local growers. They were so happy to see me and I felt my presence was valued. I had a translator help me to make an arrangement with the chief.

We decided that I’d pay for a large number of seeds, and bring them back to cannabis connect. We would then grow them out, find quality genetics and use them to earn money for the local community in Uphemba. It's safe to say they were delighted.

After a few days with the villagers, I made my way to Kundelungu National Park to indulge some of my photography needs. The landscape was absolutely incredible, and I captured some amazing images. The animal presence in this region was also abundant, and I didn't have to travel far to see everything from exotic birds to leopards, to hippos. It was something I’ll never forget.

After our national park section of the trip was over, we made our way back toward the coast. We arrived in Muanda, a little town on a small stretch of coastal area in the DRC. It was lovely being able to see the West African ocean, in all its rawness.

The people in this town survive on fish primarily. And it was a special experience to speak and eat with the locals, who showed me many of their delicacies. Some were great, and others a little too traditional for me, haha!

We ate bugs and we ate things I don't quite remember the name of. The ingredients were not exactly what I’d usually eat, and the presentation and the flavors were like nothing I have ever eaten for. Oh, how I love new cuisines.

After this we made our way back to Kinshasa and prepared to head out in the morning. This trip was absolutely incredible. The people of the DRC are kind and inviting, the scenery is out of this world. And despite their obvious challenges as a country, they seem to be very happy people.