I stopped reading. Just a long series of breakdowns, beggars, and bandits in uniform. No wonder places like this are impervious to civilization.
These folks aren't rough-roading newbies, but, IMO, they are somewhat masochistic. They decided to make that trip across the DRC without a winch -- or, even, a set of hand-powered "Comealongs".
Would I head across a "S-hole" country like that? Not with a young woman along, I wouldn't.
Maybe with a Seal Team and a HumVee with a mini-gun in the turret, I'd consider it...