Leaving Do’s – 1 Year in…..

Well it doesn’t seem like I have been here for a year but apparently I have! Or will have on the 2^nd September.  We have been having leaving do’s since July for volunteers who are leaving to go back to the UK who were on one year contracts. 

Went to Karens house in Kabarore for one such party a few weekends ago.  House in Downtown Kabarore!

 

Presentations

 

Full House

Had a great time.  There were about 30 people at the party – mainly Rwandans and we all played party games, drank beer, wine or Fanta depending on our preferences and had speeches and presentations etc.  It was a lovely occasion.

Then last Friday I said goodbye to Margaret – another of my good friends here – we decided to surprise her and turn up on Friday night to take her to the airport which all worked out fine.  Went for a few drinks and a nice meal at Heaven during the evening. 

 

Heaven

 

Heaven 2

 

 

Margaret and Mike

 

Lovely.  It was mostly volunteers who attended with the addition of one Rwandan tutor from Margarets TTC (Teacher Training College) who happened to be on holiday in Kigali at the time.  Another lovely evening.

Akagera 4 August

Had a phone call from Ian who was supposed to be taking us to the park the next day to say he had knocked over a 6 year old child on the road and was with the police and would not be able to come but that he would arrange for someone else to take us.  He sent Lucian.  He arrived in a Toyota Land Cruiser which could comfortably seat 7 with grey leather upholstery (very nice) at 6am to pick me up from VSO offices in Kigali.  Drove to Kabarore to pick Karen up then entered the park through the north entrance.  It was amazing.  We felt like we were in a David Attenborough film! 

Here are just a selection of the photos I took on the day.  Wow .... amazing.....



 We went from one spectacular scene to another enraptured.  We finally exited the park at about 3pm – took Karen back to Kayonza and then headed back to Kigali.  What an exciting day. 

Nyungwe Forest 1 and 2 August

Headed off to stay in Nyungwe forest.  Hired a car for 4 days and drove to Gitarama (3 hours) and spent the night with Tricia there before heading to Nyungwe the following day. (a further 3 hours) through tea plantations and beautiful scenery.

Arrived at the Uwinka visitor centre in the park at around mid day.  The road is very good to start with then deteriorates and there are enormous pot holes in the middle section before it then goes on to be a very good tarmacked road again.  Passed the point of the watershed for the Nile and the Congo.

Did not see many animals en route.  Decided to have some lunch at the centre and to do the canopy walk which was only constructed last year. 

That was brilliant.  A bit scary if you don’t like heights but it felt quite safe.  The guides were great and very knowledgeable about the trees, vegetation and the park in general.  Saw lots of monkeys in the park and loads of butterflies and birds.  Then headed off to Nyungwe Forest Lodge.  Brilliant… a little gem.

Luxury itself.  Need I say more.  Hot water, good food, nice rooms, an oasis and to top it all the monkeys could be watched from the balcony of the room (6)  All meals are included and they do a discounted rate for Rwandan residents which was good.  (175$ pp pn) 

They have a heated pool which faces into the forest and a spa and the most amazing photography books dotted around the hotel that keep you fascinated for hours.  It was a pleasure to be there.  Didn’t do any further walks as Tricia had to leave the next day at 2pm so just chilled out around the pool and the hotel which was also nice.  I stayed on my own the following day and then headed back to Kigali early in the morning.  Stayed with Gloria and Dave overnight before my next adventure to Akagera.

Bisoke 31 July

Don’t do it!  No only joking it was an experience – but not one I wish to repeat!  We headed off (that is me Martin and Linda) to climb the volcano.  It is 3711’ above sea level so quite high!  We had the usual early start and Francis drove us to the park.  Then we watched the intore dancers before setting off down the bumpiest road yet to the foot of the volcano.  There were only the three of us in the party so that was nice.  We were accompanied by 4 armed guards a porter and a guide.  We walked through fields of pyrethrium (used as the insecticide for mosquito nets) and through potato fields until we finally reached the foot of the volcano. 

As soon as we went over the wall into the park the terrain got more muddy and wet under foot.  It was very, very slippery as it had rained the day before.  We were already gasping for breath and by the time we reached a point which was not even half way we were having serious doubts as to our ability to finish!  Eventually Martin and Linda decided to turn back and I was volunteered to go ahead alone (not that I really wanted to deep down as I was as exhausted as they were!)  Anyway one guard and the guide accompanied me and the rest went back the way we had come.  Eventually after much pulling and lifting and holding hands with the guard (Prosper) I finally managed to reach the summit. 

On the way we did see a golden monkey which was a bonus but no other wildlife (much to my disappointment)  At the top is crater lake which we admired for all of 5 minutes before the mist came down and hid it completely. 

Needless to say there was so much mist we could see no view.  Perhaps I will have to do it again when it is a clear day?  (or then again perhaps not!)  A day to remember and a day that my legs did not let me forget for many days after the event.

Denise's Visit in April

Well first of all an apology for Denise as I didn’t blog about her visit so here goes…..

She arrived in Kigali with suitcases crammed full of clothes for the Centre St Vincent Orphanage and little in the way of clothes for herself and also with loads of goodies to give out to schools.  We spent a lovely day walking around Musanze but then on day 2 we decided to go on the bus to Gisenyi.  We arrived at the Serena and spent a happy afternoon by the pool then headed for Paradise Malahide for the night. 

The following morning we set off back to Gisenyi to visit the Presbyterian church women’s co-operative shop before getting the bus back home.  We hailed two motos (by hissing – the local way to attract attention and yes, it does work!)  then off we went.  All was well until we hit Gisenyi and the motos turned the wrong way.  We did an about turn then I pulled in a little while later assuming Denise was still behind me!   Wrong…. Her moto driver had taken her off somewhere else!!  She had no phone and had only been in the country one day and did not speak any Kinyrwanda!  What to do.  I had no idea where he had gone or where he had taken her.  I was furious.  I spent the next 45 minutes charging up and down the road like a mad thing looking for another muzungu (white person) in Gisenyi and not finding anyone!!  Eventually thank goodness Denise managed to get her moto driver to take her to the Serena (the only place in Gisenyi she had ever been) then luckily I had given her my phone number and she got the hotel to call me to say she was there!  Not a pleasant experience for either of us.  A few grey hairs added to Denise’s blond locks! 

Anyway the saga continued as we went out for dinner the next day.  We went to La Paillotte a small Italian restaurant in Musanze and sat down for a meal.  We had been to the orphanage to drop off some of the clothes and I had taken half of the remaining money for a bid I had got for them to give to the nuns who run the place.  They said they needed the whole amount in order to arrange for the wheelchairs and walking aids to be made - so I put it back in my bag and said I would go back the next day with the rest.  We were just chatting when I looked down and -  Ahhhhhh where is my bag??  Sure enough it was not there any more.  It had everything in, my money, credit cards, orphanage  money, green card, ATM card, cheque books, house keys, flash drives, modem etc etc. and it was a brand new bag I had just bought when I went back to the UK!  I was mortified and didn’t know what to do.  I ran outside to try to find Mathias my moto driver as I didn’t have a phone to call anyone !  Luckily he was there and took me straight to the police station.  I reported the theft and 30 minutes later they had arrested a guy who had been in the restaurant at the same time as us.  I am not sure he took the bag but I could confirm he was there so he was number 1 suspect.  I then had to ask Mathias to go to Maries house as she was the only one with a set of keys!!! So I could get in at home.  Then the next day was spent at the bank, and phone shop getting everything I had lost cancelled or replaced.  (Waste of a whole day really) but could not do much else.

Well you would think that the drama would stop there…… Oh no… not when Denise comes to stay.  We headed off the next day up Remera mountain to see the school at the top.  It was a lovely day.  Half way up there are beautiful views of Lake Ruhondo and Lake Burera.  Denise wanted to get off the motos to take a photograph which she did in such style. 

She swung her leg back over the bike with such force that she overbalanced backwards and did a spectacular teddy roll down the mountain.  Luckily she was unhurt.  As if that wasn’t enough she bent over to do up her shoe lace and when she stood up again she cracked her head on my moto helmet!  Not a good day.

The following day we visited Mathias house and had a lovely day with his 5 children playing frisby and teaching his boys how to play dominoes. 

All in all a lovely end to a wonderful week.  Thanks for spending some time with me here Denise and for all your wonderful contributions all the schools to whom I took the goodies after you left were very, very pleased and thankful for your contributions.