Having worked there for 10+ years it leaves an indelible impression on you. It is every extreme both incredibly beautiful yet just as ugly as well.
The people are unique as they have their own way of doing things to appear to meet requirements.
To get things done one must be prepared to give a little; here it is called corruption but is a way of life there. In one country we were always stopped to check our drivers license and car paperwork and always a fault was found. An equivalent of USD20 will always fix the problem.
I enjoy reading the only in Africa posts as they sum up the experiences I have had there.