Tuesday 20th October 2009
This morning was a slightly later start than usual...we had decided the night before that we were going to visit another school today....this one was slightly further than Ndora and would require the use of another moto...I really do not like motos...but I just have to grit my teeth and put up with it some times...so off I went on the back of Alexis’ bike...now I was expecting to go as far on the ‘main road’ with little trouble...not when I say main road...what I actually mean is a slightly wider than our average dirt track...we took a turn off the main road and I expected that the road would be pretty similar...oh how foolish I feel...looking back I really should have known...well...the road was little more than a dirt lane and was very muddy in places...as it wound up hill and down dale...but when I say that...what I really mean is up and down mountains!!! The hills were bigger than I had anticipated...I am never quite sure if I have more of an issue going uphill or down...The road was bumpy...and much of the journey is spent trying to avoid large rocks and pot holes...winding and weaving along...Going downhill the bike squeaked, clunked, shook and grumbled along...and one can never be sure just how reliable the brakes are and these hills are extremely steep...back up the hill is pretty much the same story...with the added fear of falling off the back...I often have this image in my head...almost like a cartoon where I am riding along on the back of a moto...and bit by bit the bike falls apart and in the end I am it is just me on the seat with one wheel...almost like a unicycle...speeding uncontrollably downhill...so there you have it...after going over a very steep bridge and nearly having to get off as we were stuck in mud...we arrived at the school...we had a brief chat about training needs...etc...and an even briefer tour of the school, as the children were sitting exams...following this...we headed back to the main, following my suggestion, on foot...it wasn’t long before it started to cloud over...with enormous, dark grey rain clouds...thankfully they passed and we made it back the main road, dry and still in one piece...Alexis was very late collecting us as he had headed back to Butare to have the chain tightened on his bike (although I wasn’t aware that motorbike had chains...would that affect its performance?) and I was now assure that it would no longer make the loud clunking noise it had been making before! Back at the house...there was nothing for lunch...the bread had not been delivered to the village and the backup supply of biscuits had also been finished...we boiled rice for lunch and made enough to have for dinner too. I headed out to the district office shortly after lunch...and with my ipod on...I was storming along in the strong midday sun...I was stopped on the way by three ladies...they were jabbering on about something...I had thought that they were saying how nice my bag was...but I don’t think that that was the case as they used the word ‘fanta’ which can be anything to drink...water, juice, pop...quite why they were asking if I had fanta in my bag is beyond me...as you should not drink (or eat) in public...I made my excuses and upped my speed even more...and found myself with a rice induced stitch...I don’t think one should walk that fast just after lunch...at the district the office I usually use was full so I camped in the hall...but it has a bad echo...and was very cold...but at least I was not in the rain...it seems that the rains have become more frequent and it now rains nearly everyday...at 5pm...I was ready for home...walking in the beating sun is far more tiring than you realise at the time!
This morning was a slightly later start than usual...we had decided the night before that we were going to visit another school today....this one was slightly further than Ndora and would require the use of another moto...I really do not like motos...but I just have to grit my teeth and put up with it some times...so off I went on the back of Alexis’ bike...now I was expecting to go as far on the ‘main road’ with little trouble...not when I say main road...what I actually mean is a slightly wider than our average dirt track...we took a turn off the main road and I expected that the road would be pretty similar...oh how foolish I feel...looking back I really should have known...well...the road was little more than a dirt lane and was very muddy in places...as it wound up hill and down dale...but when I say that...what I really mean is up and down mountains!!! The hills were bigger than I had anticipated...I am never quite sure if I have more of an issue going uphill or down...The road was bumpy...and much of the journey is spent trying to avoid large rocks and pot holes...winding and weaving along...Going downhill the bike squeaked, clunked, shook and grumbled along...and one can never be sure just how reliable the brakes are and these hills are extremely steep...back up the hill is pretty much the same story...with the added fear of falling off the back...I often have this image in my head...almost like a cartoon where I am riding along on the back of a moto...and bit by bit the bike falls apart and in the end I am it is just me on the seat with one wheel...almost like a unicycle...speeding uncontrollably downhill...so there you have it...after going over a very steep bridge and nearly having to get off as we were stuck in mud...we arrived at the school...we had a brief chat about training needs...etc...and an even briefer tour of the school, as the children were sitting exams...following this...we headed back to the main, following my suggestion, on foot...it wasn’t long before it started to cloud over...with enormous, dark grey rain clouds...thankfully they passed and we made it back the main road, dry and still in one piece...Alexis was very late collecting us as he had headed back to Butare to have the chain tightened on his bike (although I wasn’t aware that motorbike had chains...would that affect its performance?) and I was now assure that it would no longer make the loud clunking noise it had been making before! Back at the house...there was nothing for lunch...the bread had not been delivered to the village and the backup supply of biscuits had also been finished...we boiled rice for lunch and made enough to have for dinner too. I headed out to the district office shortly after lunch...and with my ipod on...I was storming along in the strong midday sun...I was stopped on the way by three ladies...they were jabbering on about something...I had thought that they were saying how nice my bag was...but I don’t think that that was the case as they used the word ‘fanta’ which can be anything to drink...water, juice, pop...quite why they were asking if I had fanta in my bag is beyond me...as you should not drink (or eat) in public...I made my excuses and upped my speed even more...and found myself with a rice induced stitch...I don’t think one should walk that fast just after lunch...at the district the office I usually use was full so I camped in the hall...but it has a bad echo...and was very cold...but at least I was not in the rain...it seems that the rains have become more frequent and it now rains nearly everyday...at 5pm...I was ready for home...walking in the beating sun is far more tiring than you realise at the time!
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