Bats and Geckos and finally Tea

When I stepped off the plane last night the first thing I noticed, apart from the wall of heat and the men with guns guiding us to the terminal, was the dozens of bats flying in and out of the floodlights glare above me. I thought they were birds at first, but they were too fast, and spastic in their movements dipping and diving and obviously chasing.
Papa Lokose met us at the airport and pulled us into the diplomats and VIP line to get our visas reviewed. I had stacks of letters and proof that I was being employed in Kinshasa but I wasn't even looked at--perhaps the officer knew that if he gave me trouble he would have to argue with Papa Lokose, who is huge and charismatic with such an enormous powerful presence, but so soft spoken.
In the parking lot the car had to be pushed to start by four young boys, and broke down once on the way home. It's amazing the smells of Kinshasa on that one paved road (one of two in the whole city of 9 million). Everyone drives diesel cars in various states of disrepair and I found myself leaning out of the windows whenever we passed a bonfire or sulfur-scented body of water just to escape the smell of petrol. I hope I'll get used to it.
The house is beautiful, ramshackle and without glamor, but surrounded by plants and a round shoulder-deep swimming pool and Keba, the Belgian shepherd. She's fabulous and leaped on me the minute I stepped out of the car, covering me with kisses before she got kicked by one of the three Papas who guard our front gate. Her kong in her life.
There are geckos in my bathroom and this morning I saw the tiniest bird I've ever seen outside the kitchen window, covered in green shimmery feathers with sharp black eyes.
I'm jetlagged and exhausted but more soon. I have tea! First caffeinated beverage in three days, SO HAPPY!