Albert Schweitzer Hospital

The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa

I retrace my steps out of Lopé National Park, once again camping in the middle of nowhere and enjoying the lush green mountains. I spot some elephant footprints on the road, though the elephants themselves seem to be good at hiding – who knew.

Transferring gas into the main Jeep tank from the Titan Tank

Camping just off the highway, with nasty biting bugs

Camping in a muddy spot one night I learn the hard way Gabon has tiny biting insects. These guys are by far the smallest bugs I have ever seen in my life – much, much smaller than no-see-ums or midgies that I have seen plenty of in Alaska and the Yukon. In fact, these little guys are so tiny they come inside the Jeep straight through the bug netting, and they eat me alive, leaving extremely itch red welts wherever they bite.
At night they gather inside around the light on the roof, and honestly look like specs of dust – the only reason I can tell they are alive is the way they fly instead of float.

The BFG All-Terrain tires do well in the sticky mud

Sunset is beautiful on the equator

Arriving in Lambaréné I immediately like the town. Built on the banks of the mighty Ogooué river, Dr. Schweitzer built his world-famous hospital here in 1913. His hospital was ground-breaking because he encouraged family members to stay on the grounds with their sick relatives, and those family members would volunteer at the hospital. In this way he was able to build a world class facility in the middle of the Equatorial jungle, and the hospital became the centre of the entire community. As word got around people would travel many hundreds of miles in search of treatment.

Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Dr. Schweitzer’s desk and things

More of his personal possessions, including for some strange reason, a swordfish

The museum is in the hospital grounds, which still runs to this day. I am extremely moved and impressed by the museum and grounds.

It is thoroughly impressive to see what a person can accomplish when they dedicate themselves.

A really cool world clock, like nothing I have ever seen before

The Grave of Dr. Schweitzer

Lambaréné Camping at a nunnery/school

-Dan