After some fitful rest I head back out to the airport - not much here that I recognize anyway. I load up an old friend, the Ethiopian Airlines 737. This plane is based on the default and the paint scheme hasn't really changed in the last 30-40 years.
After a long take-off roll I gain enough air to retract gears and turn south for the 900-mile flight to Goma, Zaire. Or is it the Democratic Congo now? It is so hard to keep track of politics in this part of the world. Back in 1974 when I was on a mission trip to central Africa, Goma was one of my favorite places - really can't tell you why. I was struck with such sorrow last year when the local volcano erupted and the lava flows virtually cut the city in half, destroying much of it. I think I heard that the population at the time was about 200,000 so this is no village in the jungle. I descend right down over the mountains and can clearly see the volcano and that valley down which the lava flowed, through town and right into Lake Kivu. I cross the VOR and turn west, dropping down to 4,000 AGL and fly a 15-mile DME arc out over the lake. Landing is northbound and once I park, I'm sure I would head off into town to sightsee and shop for souvenirs. Sunday is spent right here.
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