I've had another of those special memorable days today. I decided to hire a taxi to take me to some of the geographical sites on the outskirts of Lubango; The Serra da Leba, the statue of Christ the King and the Tundavala.

I took an instant likely to Lubango. Its set on a plateaux surrounded by mountains which form the escarpment on the other side of which is the coastal plain area to the sea. The air is cooler at night and seems fresher.

When I enquired about a ticket to Lubango, I was told there was a coach about to leave and it would cost 19,000Kz. I said goodbye to my lovely helpful taxi driver and got on board. I had no idea how long the journey would take, but guessed we'd be there before dark and I had the name of a possible hotel written on a bit of paper to aim for.

Luanda is a city of raw contrasts. Rich from oil money, there is plenty of evidence of lavish expenditure on presidential buildings, towering office blocks and beautifully renovated Portuguese architecture. This is all adjacent to dilapidated 60s tenement blocks, shacks and empty properties.

We rode along the road by the coast and entered Cabinda town. This is built on the hillside facing the coast and has a distinct Portuguese feel and character.