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on Sarah's Blog (Rwanda), 24/Feb/2010 08:38, 34 days ago
Saturday 20th February 2010The wakeup call came at 5am...the weather had cleared...and we were being collected for our Safari at 5.30am...I was showered and ready...but not quite on time...but thankfully the car was also a little late! There were 2 cars heading out to Akagera National Park...I was in a car with April, Leonie, Jeremy and Jason...while the other car was Karen, Dorothy and her husband and Christine and her mum...we drove to the park which took just short of an hour...as we were driving in we saw Giraffes...they are amazingly tall and elegant...apparently the word Giraffe is Arabic, meaning‘fast walker’...which is maybe fitting considering they can travel at up to 60km/h!!! Anyway...we headed to the main office to pay out entrance fee and collect our guide...he showed us a map and explained that because of the seasons most of the animals were in the north of the park...which was going to be a 2 hour drive away...we all agreed that we had come here to see animals so we should just go there...and off we went...just over 2 hours later we arrived at the north entrance of the park...the east if much flatter than the rest of Rwanda...on our way through we saw Impala, Tope, Bush buck and warthog...then from a distance we spotted Buffalo and Zebra...we managed to get really close...we got out of the car...it was incredible...Zebra, Giraffe, Impala and Tope just milling around...perfectly at ease...I asked about Lions, Rhino and Elephant...there has not bee a sighting of a Lionfor 3 and a half years...there is one VERY shy rhino...and although there are elephants which are tracked...they had lost them...I was a little disappointed that we would not be able to see those...but still felt pretty lucky...at about 12pm we headed back to the south of the park...I was in the back of the car....quite squashed...well actually...very squashed...but I managed to get in a little bit of snooze time...back at the lodge we ordered lunch and then headed down to the hippo beach...we had to hurry as the guide had a surprise for us...on the way to the hippo beach we saw lots of baboons (and their bright pink bottoms!!!) we parked and got out...we were at the side of a small lake...or very large pond...there were hippos hanging out...I took lots of photos of what I thought were hippos...only to be told that they were in fact just small islands...but on the other side of the water...in the long grasses...was an ELEPHANT...when we were at the lodge he had heard that at least one had been found...we got back in the cars and drove to the other side of the water...where we were able to get a much better look...although they were hiding in the bushes...the photos unfortunately are not very good...but I know that I have seen one!!! The finally we went to see the ACTUAL hippos...not the small islands of grass in the water!! They are not the prettiest of animals...but they are amazing...and we were able to get really quite close to them! We returned to the lodge for a very late lunch...before heading back to Anna’s house...what an incredible day!!!Friday 19th February 2010I worked from home for the first couple of hours of the morning before heading for Butare to do all the things I was supposed to do on Thursday and then I was due to travel to Kibungo in Eastern Rwanda...I was ready by 8.40am so went to get the 9am bus...only when I arrived at the office I found that the bus was full and I would have to wait for the 10am bus...I bought my ticket and walked home...once in Butare I headed for the traffic police office when I needed to apply for a provisional motorbike licence...only to be told that I would have to travel to Kigali...have my UK driving licence made into a Rwandan one...but the policeman knew no more details other than that...so far my morning was not going to plan...I got the bus to Kigali at 12pm which gets in at about 2.15pm...from there I got a moto to the central traffic police office...once there I was told to wait for half an hour as the person I needed to see had gone for their lunch...only when I asked whether the person would actually be coming back they lady police officer told me actually no...they had gone to play sports for sports afternoon...and to come back on Monday...with 50,000 RF (about£50) by this point several other people had gathered and seemed to be finding this very amusing...I am glad someone was!! I, on the other hand, was just getting crosser and crosser and crosser! I took a moto back into town where I met with the others...we got the bus together to Kibungo...by the time we arrived...it was dark and raining very heavily showing no signs of stopping anytime soon...Anna met us at the bus station...and we managed to get to a mall shop without getting too wet...they owners got us chairs and a table...we ordered goat brochettes...brave I know...but there was nothing else on offer...so I tried it...not so bad...tastes a little bit how a goat smells...dirt and fur etc...but not completely unpleasant...the rain started to ease so we headed back to Anna’s house where I would stay...along Anna, April and Karen...it was early to bed as we had a very early start thenext day...Thursday 17th February 2010Today I visited Gisanze school with Peter, the new short term volunteer...we went on motos...the ride takes 15-20 minutes...after turning off the main road after about 10 minutes...then the fun really begins...or not...the ride from then on was bumpy and slippery as it has been raining a lot recently...there were a few hair raising moments when I was in fear of my life...Once we arrived we were met by Jean Claude, the head teacher...he only took the post as Head teacher 8 months ago and had two years teaching experience before that...the school itself is welcoming...the children were very excited and gathered around us when we came out at break time...we observed 3 lesson...some of which were better than others...but over all I think that these are some of the best teachers I have seen so far...but there is still a lot of work to be done!...following the ride of death to the school, it was agreed that we would walk back as far as the main road and then head into Butare...there I was going to visit the traffic police to get a provisional motorbike licence...pay for my lessons at the bank and sort out a couple of other things...the walk to a little longer than anticipated and we missed the 12 o’clock bus...but this was not really a problem...we just had to wait half an hour for the 1 o’clock bus to go past...but it never came...we had attracted quite a gathering of both adults and children...just looking at us...talking about us...etc...anyway...Peter caved before I did and got on thenext moto that went past...I waited a little while longer before setting off for the long walk back to the house...I had been walking for about 5 minutes when I got a message from Peter...his moto had a puncture so he was waiting for it to be fixed...finally the bus came...but not before I had hadfar too much sun...by the time I finally made it to Butare I was in no mood to hike up and down the main road in the beating sunshine...I headed for an internet cafe trying to update my antivirus yet again...but still with no luck! I was soon in such a bad mood I had to go home...and the day had started so well! I went home and packed for the next day...