The 1000 Day Holiday

So i decided to head for Tanzania. Made it to
Rusomo. The border post with Tanzania.

And here began my adventures with Tanzanian transport.

I figured I would be up for the 7am opening of the border to get a good early start. Aiming I thought for Mwanza
Crossed the border, and had to wait for the Tanzania border post to open ~8am.

No traffic was passing the border till ~10:30am.
There was but one Matatu (share taxi) and I had to wait till 11 for that. So much for my early start.

This got me to Kahama. A small dusty town, with nothing but a large bus station. With no buses departing that day as they all leave at 6am.
I did meet some friendly locals, and had a great day hanging out.

I also got me a calculator watch for $2.

Today I visited this school. where 40,000 people had been sent, promised protection during the 1994 civil war.

But they ended up crammed into the classrooms and then slaughtered over four days.

As I rode up to the site, I was amazed at the natural beauty of the surrounding hills. We then walked down to the classrooms where it all happened. Pictures – Warning Graphic
Its mind boggling to think that this happened in 1994, just 12 years ago.

Some of the things I have been told by locals. How it was neighbour attacking neighbour. Someone they had talked to over the fence for years. Whole familys wiped out.

Or only one managing to escape to another country. Then on returning later, being vilified because they got out.
And then today. Every Saturday there is court sessions all over the country, where one is accused of an action during the genocide. This person is then called and details who told them to do it, or further implicates others.

The people are sentenced, jailed. And then released. To live over the fence from their neighbour whos family they massacred.

Today; the same thing is happening in Darfur, Sudan. An estimated 400,000 killed so far. And its getting worse

We seem to remember things when they are past. but not pay attention to what is happening around us today.

When will we learn from history and not let it repeat?

nothing like a bit of self diagnosis, and self surgery.

jigger flea or chigoe (Tunga penetrans) is a serious pest in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas and Africa. Both sexes feed on blood. The female flea, after insemination, burrows itself in the skin of the toes and the sole of the foot. The female swells to the size of a pea, produces eggs and dies in the tissue. There is local reaction to the bite and the eggs and dead flea produce reaction. The infested tissue can get infected and gangrenous; auto-amputation is not uncommon. Treatments are symptomatic: infestation may be physically removed; secondary infections are treated appropriately. Shoes should be worn in infested areas.

pic of the critter

thank goodness mine wasnt this bad (nasty foot photo)
So basically, I covered the bump with wax as it appeared to have an air vent, and Im sure I could feel it wriggling after that. then I dug it out.

Dont worry, my pic is here. and my foot hasnt dropped off yet..

Sunday arvo headed to Kibuye. which is a very small town on lake kivu. very pretty, it looks like the marlbourouhg sounds in NZ. sunken valleys.

but alas, it was too small, so have now hit Butare. This is the ‘intellectual capital’ of Rwanda. 3 streets and a museum. but lets see if i can find some interest here

Louis is in the Congo headed for Burundi. So maybe meet him there.

Kigali isn’t as happening as Kampala on the night life front. But it didnt matter, since I was couch surfing with Irene. A kenyan almost local.

we spent many hours at the car wash. now this sounds odd. but its also a large bar. Was great to hang out and shoot the sh!t.

saturday saw us hit new cadillac. one of the two clubs in kigali. had a blast shaking can’t dance, white ass. and attempting to out shake all these africans.

I was on a bus in Kigali the other day with Irene a local.

One of the guys sitting ahead of us said something in Kinyarwanda (the local language) that neither of us understood, apart from he included the word mzungu (white person, ala me). everyone laughed and turned around and looked at me.

A girl sitting close to us asked Irene if she uinderstood what was said. She didn’t so she translated for us.

“Times must be bad, because even the white guy has to take the bus”

Quite funny really. It would be interesting to find out their impressions of western countries and how people live.

hung out with group 13 for the hour. A family of 18 gorillas. totally amazing, the baby gorillas playing around our feet. the big ones lazing around & eating. It was unreal how human like their expressions and actions were.

went completely snap happy w the camera. Here are the Pictures.

Back in Kigali for the weekend, to see what the night life is like.

Well after bussing it back towards Kampala 5 hours just to get to an ATM. managed to get a booking in Rwanda for the gorilla trek. Im now in Kigali. Headed for the Parc National Des Volcans near Ruhengeri. The same volcanos that I hiked in Uganda. Just on the other side that I looked down on from the crater! (travel time a total of around 16 hours to get to the other side of the volcano)

Doing the gorilla trek tomorrow, which everyone has raved about, even people who didn’t do it. So should be pretty amazing.

Had my biggest problem at the border/immigration to date.

The officer said it was not possible for me to be retired. And then spent about 15 minutes saying that it was not possible for me to be me. As I couldnt grow dreads like in my passport (issued in 2000). finally after giving my passport a thorough going over to see if it was fake/tampered, and consulting another officer I was allowed in.. woot! 

Well, we found fresh gorilla poo, and ate some leaves the gorillas like to eat (quite yummy!). But alas they had headed back to Rwanda.

We hiked the biggest volcano in the park, 4127m at the top. a 1700m climb over the 5km ascent. quite a gut busting/altitude headache inducing walk. 22km in all.

So am trying to organise either Rwanda or Congo gorilla permit. $500 ouch, but everyone rants about it, even people that didnt do it!

this is the Ugandan part of the park from gorillas in the mist.

Off to see i can get to see them.

be trekking the next few days.