MIA

They say "when it rains, it pours." In Rwanda, though, when it rains, it pours, and it storms, and the lightning strikes, and it knocks out the generator, and it messes up the computer network, and for the next two weeks there is no internet. At least that's what happened this time, and it explains why I haven't posted anything in approximately two weeks. It's not that nothing has happened in Kigali or that I haven't wanted to share, but I just haven't had access to the internet long enough to upload stories or pictures. However, now that things seem to be back up and running, I'll go back and post some things that I've set aside over the last couple weeks, just as soon as I finish all the really important things like sending emails and paying bills and checking basketball scores from March Madness.

Tennis-racket-bug-zapper

Driving through the lowlands of Akagera National Park this weekend, our vehicle was swarmed with tsetse flies. We rolled up the windows when we realized what was happening, but the flies still landed on the windows, covered the hood and flew along beside us. When a few managed to get inside the car, I changed my mind about whoever had decided to pack the batter-charged, tennis racket-shaped bug zapper. I also changed my mind about whoever actually bought it. Even though I laughed when I first saw it, the ridiculous bug zapper was the only thing that saved us from the painful bites of the sleeping sickness-carrying flies.

Camping at Lake Muhazi

After leaving Akagera National Park, we headed back west toward Kigali. About an hour from the city, we stopped to camp at Lake Muhazi for the night. Camping here was a much different experience than camping in Akagera since we decided to camp at what is basically a small restaurant on the shore of the lake. Still, though, it was a gorgeous day, and we spent it laying on the shores of the lake, reading, playing frisbee and cards, and just relaxing. Not a bad weekend at all!
(Notice the frisbee on the roof in the previous picture - oops!)

Akagera National Park

This weekend I left Kigali and went camping with some friends in the east of the country. We first visited Akagera National Park, which is located on the Tanzanian border. "In contrast to the rest of the country, the area is relatively warm and low-lying and its undulating plains support a cover of dense, broad-leafed woodland interspersed wit lighter acacia woodland and patches of rolling grassland studded evocatively with stands of the superficially cactus-like Euphorbia candelabra shrub. To the west of the plains lies a chain of low mountains, reaching elevations of between 1600m and 1800m. The eastern part of the park supports an extensive wetland: a complex chain of a dozen lakes linked by extensive papyrus swamps and winding water channels fed by the mighty Akagera River." (Bradt Guide, Rwanda)

We entered Akagera in the south and drove northward along the edge of the lakes and swamps. Unfortunately we had to roll up the windows of the vehicle while we were in the lowlands to avoid the tsetse flies that inhabit the area, so I wasn't able to take many pictures.From the wetlands, we then headed northwest through the grasslands and into the hills. Although the wildlife in Akagera is significantly more limited than that in the Tanzanian game reserves, the park is consequently much less visited, which made the journey much more enjoyable. Once leaving the wetland area, it wasn't until the next day that we saw another vehicle. So, as we drove into the hills, we really were in the middle of nowhere. At the ridge of the hill, where we decided to set up camp, we could see for miles in every direction across the lakes and hills and grasslands of the park and neighboring areas. While we set up our tents and started a fire to cook dinner, we looked around at the breathtaking views and watched as warthogs, impala and zebra wandered around our campsite.The next morning we continued to drive north in the park. As we drove, we passed more incredible views and saw impala, zebras, warthogs, topi, giraffes and other animals.The views and scenes in the park were truly beautiful, and having the opportunity to camp in such an uninhabited, naturally gorgeous place was as incredible experience.

Big brother

In every restaurant, in every office, in every store, in every building, both in Kigali and outside the capital, there is a framed photograph of President Paul Kagame. Most often, the picture hangs high on the wall, close to the ceiling, so that President Kagame's face can be seen from as many points in the establishment as possible. Whenever I notice it, I can't help but think of the infamous phrase from George Orwell's 1984, "Big brother is watching you."