Week 2 With Dad and Jane...

So with the parents safely tucked away by lake Kivu in the north of the country...Melanie, Vanessa and myself battened down the hatches and prepared to wait out the elections period in the comfort of my home...other than a dinner date with a man from the British High Commission, there was nothing planned for the 3 days...there were a lot of card games played and sleeping done...then on the eve of the elections, we met with the man from the British High Commission, in Butare...we had dinner and a couple of drinks and were then driven home to the big G...they were in the area to supervise the election process and to ensure that it all went smoothly...to be honest...there was no sign of election fever in the village...in other towns there were posters, banners, t-shirts...everything screaming election...but in Gisagara...there really was nothing! Vanessa headed home on the Monday after a weekend of fun...however, while waiting for a bus with her...a wasp flew up my skirt...in my attempts to free the bugger...it got into my top without me knowing...4 VERY painful stings later...and all the locals were in stitches...nobody actually making sure that I was alright...nope...they just laughed...admittedly it was pretty funny...but would have been nice for someone to care!!! But with Vanessa safely on the bus, I was homeward bound...back at the house I ‘tea-tree-ed up’ and started to make a headway...cleaning the new furniture for the new volunteer and cleaning the house ready for the arrival of Dad and Jane on the Wednesday...after much scrubbing, cleaning and moving of furniture...we were finally finished...and not before time...Wednesday afternoon I met Dad and Jane in Butare after their incredibly relaxing weekend in Gisenyi...they were refreshed and ready to take on the daunting task of spending a night at my house...pit latrines are never a huge amount of fun...dad had to make a trip to the chemist as he had been on a moto adventure and had burnt his leg...but other than that they were in fine form...we got a taxi back to the house before it got dark...cooked dinner and played yet more cards while drinking beer and gin...the evening passed quickly and uneventfully...and we were up and washed the next morning ready for our trip to the forest...My dad and I were going tracking for Chimpanzees in Nyungwe forest...we got the bus to Butare and from there we got the bus into the forest...the bus was a little late and was already pretty full when we got on...they had clearly sold more tickets than they had room for...add into the mix the vast amount of goods that were being transported and it was for a very squashed ride...the boy sat behind me was looking very ill for a lot of the journey...finally he could hold it in no longer and asked the lady next to the window if she could swap places...it is common practise for this to happen and for passengers to vomit out of the window of the moving bus...only the lady refused to move...I was more than a little concerned as I was right in the line of fire...but thankfully the man on the other side of the bus gave up his seat and the boy made it to the window just in time...eventually after several long hours winding through the forest we were there...we got off the bus at the Gisakora Guest House where we were going to the staying for the night...everything was organised for the next morning and we headed off to get things ready for the early start...because Jane was not going to the coming with us and we were leaving at 4.30am dad and I shared a room...our bags were packed and we were ready to leave as soon as our alarms sounded...4.30am came and we were in the car ready to go...it was still dark and very cold...Jane was going to join us after the walk with all our bags...and we were going to drive back to Butare for the night...we went to the park entrance where we were met by the guide...we paid and signed the paperwork...and headed off into the forest...like a fool I thought it was a good idea to wait until later to have some breakfast....big mistake...about 2 hours into the walk I was getting blisters...we stopped to put on a plaster...had some water and a piece of bread...after about 3-4 hours of walking we finally found the Chimps...they were high up in the trees...dad and me were as unbalanced as each other and every time we looked through the binoculars we stumbled over...eventually the guides and trackers suggested that we sat down...I think they were a little fed up of having to catch us as we fell! We spent about an hour watching the chimps before heading back...back through the undergrowth in search of the main path out of the forest...we stopped on the way back for lunch...and finally made it back to the car where Jane was waiting...20km through the forest...every minute was worth it!! We were driven back to Butare...we stayed at the Ineza Guest House...they brought warm water for our showers and then we headed into town for dinner...Saturday was my very last day in my 20’s...we headed back to Kigali quite early...we were staying at Chez Lando again...the suitcase was collected from Vanessa’s house and we all showered and got ready for a nice meal out...I had arranged for a meal at the Ethiopian restaurant in town...the three of us were joined by Melissa and Steven, Libby and Karangwa, Melanie and Moses, Vanessa, Dorothy and here sister-in-law...it was a very lovely evening...I was spoilt by all...I beautiful skirt and bag from Melanie and Melissa...Fabric from Libby and a bag made from Primus beer material from Vanessa...those who have been out of their 20’s for a substantial number of years headed back for an early night...while those of us still young enough to dance headed out...we just went to a small bar/restaurant/club place where we met with some of Moses’ friends...we danced a little...chatted a little and called it a night well before sunrise! Sunday morning came...I was 30...didn’t really feel any different to be honest...we had a nice breakfast at the hotel before heading back to the room to start with the main event of the day...present opening...always a gruelling task for all involved...I am not very good at receiving or in fact opening presents and it is more often than not a pretty painful fiasco...dad and Jane were prepared for this and after 30 years...it was no different to any other...I opened some of the presents and then headed off for a manicure and pedicure at Novotel with Jane...we got a taxi there while dad headed to the ORTPN in town as he wanted to book a trip to climb Bisoke a volcano in the north of the country...after just enough pampering Jane and I headed back to Chez Lando and waited for dad to return...more presents...shower and change...cards and gin...and a very nice meal at ‘Heaven’ a restaurant in town...Monday was a shopping day...first we headed to Kimironko market to get material for Rosa and then off to the craft market in town...we met with Anna and Aime for lunch in town...Anna was flying off back to Canada (America) the following evening...we said our goodbyes and went back to the hotel...

The arrival of the parents...

August Week One

Yet again I have not kept up with my blogging duties...sorry, sorry...I have been pretty busy over the past few weeks...I have a had some very important visitors accompanied by some very worthwhile experiences...I have also reached the grand old age of 30...a mile stone in the eyes of some...Rwanda is an interesting place to turn 30...as if trying to explain that you are 29, single and childless wasn’t hard enough...add a change of decade to the mixture and suddenly everything is a whole lot worse...I am not making it known in my office as it would just not be pleasent...I don’t even score brownie points for having a career...being away from home or being able to ride a motorbike...the last one I think should earn many extra points...imagine trying to manage that with a buggy...I guess it could be bungied to the back but only if the wheels were all terrain...anyway...it has not been nearly as difficult as first anticipated as I have successfully managed to avoid the subject completely...So the parents arrived on 3rd August...I was travelling to Kigali to meet them on the Monday...while on the bus, minding my own business I was given a copy of ‘AWAKE’ which is part of the Jehovah’s witness WATCHTOWER series...I tried to politely refuse but to no avail...I accepted my fate and had a nosey through it...God aside (and I failed miserably at the quiz) it actually made for some quite interesting reading...how to make Kayaks out of seal skin and the such like..enough entertainment for a bus ride to Kigali...the radio was blaring out...some sort of American evangelical sermon...and it wa this that got me thinking...all the signs were pointing towards there being a God...he was definitely covering all bases and trying to make a point...so, if he did really exist, maybe I should make one last visit to the ORTPN to see if there were any tickets to visit the Gorillas in the Volcanoes National Park...and there were...I managed to book 3 tickets for the Friday...now we just had to sort out the finances...I had thankfully brought my green card and credit card and after some confusion I I had the money and the tickets...However I then realised that I hadn’t thought to bring walking boots, warm clothes or my camera...so Tuesday was a trip back to Gisagara...possibly the fastest turn around EVER...I got the 1pm bus from Butare to Gisagara...walked (very quickly) to my house...got together my things...and somehow (I think it may have been God) managed to get the 2pm but back to Butare...and was back in Kigali in time to shower and meet the parents at the airport. It seemed to take forever for them to come through...but they made it eventually...3 suitcases...2 matching rucksacks...a panama and a straw hat...came ambling through...a little travel worn but otherwise ok...we went back to the hotel (hot water and wireless internet) dropped off the bags and then headed for the bar...3 portions of goat on a stick and chips were ordered...(with a side order of shock as when I had left the UK I had been a none potato eating vegetarian...quite a change!) and a few Rwandan beers...we chatted a little before all heading off for a reasonably early night...after all the travel and excitement...Wednesday morning we headed for the market...thankfully a bus came pretty quickly...but it was a small mini bus...well...they were going to have to experience it at some point...the market was busy and smelly as always...there are some things (although not many) in Rwanda which can be guaranteed...one of which is a smelly and somewhat noisy market...we had a quick wander around before heading into the town centre on the bus...we stopped for lunch in bourbon...before having a look around Nakumat...all very exciting...Dad and Jane were still feeling a little tired after all their travelling so afternoon naps were in order...the evening was spent playing cards...having dinner and of course a few beverages...which started with Waragi (Ugandan Gin) in the bedroom playing cards...The cases were packed for the next day’s trip to Musanze...the volcano region where the Gorillas live...we got a taxi from the hotel over to the bus stop...and from there we spent 3 hours winding through the mountain...Jane managed to get a proper seat...Dad was on a proper seat...but over the wheel arch...while I was sat happily in a bucket seat...the journey felt longer than it was but we arrived in Musanze well before dark...we were collected from the bus office by the manager of the guest house...the guest house was small and pretty but very basic...we took a stroll into the town for a quick pop and a snack as we had missed lunch, before heading back to the guest house for cards and yet more Rwandan beer! Bed was a little earier than usual as we had to be up early in the morning to be at the meeting point for Gorilla trekking...we had hired a 4x4 to take us there...at first I was a little confused as it all seemed to be on the main road...I didn’t understand why we had to have such a rough and ready car...only after having or talk with the guide we got back in the car and headed into the mountains to meet the Hirwa group of Gorillas...then it became more than apparent that a large and hefty vehicle was needed to get down the dirt paths!!! We stopped as close as we could to the forest and mountains...and there we were met by the porters...they carried our bags and were there to help when the paths were difficult and steep...the walk we were supposed to be doing was supposedly short and the gorillas had been only 10 minutes from the car parking point the day before...but today they had decided to play a good old game of hide and seek...they were well into the forest which was a difficult terrain to negotiate...but everybody made it and we got to see what we had come for...GORILLAS!! They were incredible...they are so big and powerful...yet they have a playful and caring side too...they just played and got on with it...didn’t really pay all that much attention to the crowd of people watching them...we spent an hour watching them interacting and playing together...following them as they made their way through the forest...before we headed back to the waiting cars...back at the ORTPN meeting centre we each received a certificate before going back to the guest house...dad and jane thought that it would be nice to spend the rest of the afternoon visiting some of the nearby lakes....so we kept the car and continued ont he adventure in Musanze...the driver took us to a couple of lake view points and they really were pretty...but we were only able to get out at one of them...he also drove us to the Ugandan boarder before heading back to the guest house...for the evening...The next day we were all packed and ready to go...Dad and Jane were going to head on to Gisenyi for a few days as it was election time and it was better to be out of the way...but somewhere nice and pretty by the lake...I headed back to Gisagara where I would be joined by Melanie and Vanessa for the weekend...