We had a great trip to Hungary, Slovakia and Poland which I will eventually blog about followed by 2 incredible full days in Amsterdam, a city I can't believe I waited 58 years to visit.
One adventure had to end and one had to start for me at least and so on Saturday Mary and I headed out to the airport. Mary to return to Edmonton and me on to Kigali. Schipol airport was crowded and confused like most large airports. We were able to get our boarding passes and then proceeded to the baggage drop. KLM has an automated system where you put your suitcase into what looks like a large clothes dryer, which then weighs your luggage prints a luggage tag which you have to attach to the side handle and only the side handle. The contraption then closes and your luggage disappears. The problem is that the system doesn't seem to work for back packs or duffle bags which over 50% of the passengers passing thru Amsterdam carry. These people after lining up find their luggage doesn't work and then have to line up to have it processed the old fashioned way which is what happened with my second bag.
It was then thru security where despite being scanned by that stupid photoscanner, a security had to check to see if I had anything strapped to my penis or at least I think that was why he pushed his hand down the front of my pants.
I should mention that that I took my first dose of Malarone, which for some reason makes you feel like your just drank 5 expressos. Definitely should have taken that after getting thru security. It was then the long walk to my gate with Mary, after which we said our goodbyes and she headed off to her gate.
I can't say enough about KLM although I only have Air Canada, West Jet and United to compare them with. The quality of service was fantastic in economy. Our flight was stopped at Kilamanjaro on the way to Kigali so the plane was filled with future motivational speakers. It was 8 hours to Mt K during which I read or slept. I must have slept pretty deeply because I slept thru them passing out the customs cards and thru one snack. After a one hour stop in Mt.K. to disgorge the motivational speakers, we took on more motivational speakers for the short flight to Kigali.
Canada Customs must have a training agreement with Rwanda because we had the slowest surliest agents I have ever seen. First we had to line up to pay $30 US for our Visa, then again to have our passports checked, and then to have them look at the tourist card. Mine wanted to know the exact address I was staying so I had to pull out the volunteer manual. Last time I was in Kigali, there were no addresses.
Despite the lengthy stay in Customs there was another wait for our baggage which despite my doubts about KLM's automated system, did actually make it. I was then able to leave where Emmy the driver was waiting for me. Emmy had been away the last time I was in Rwanda, so I had never met him. He drove me along the winding and hilly streets of Rwanda some of which I recognized. There were a lot fewer people on the street than the last time, however it was a little later in the evening. We arrived at the apartment and met Christophe who cleans the apartment and does odd jobs. The water was not working but I was assured it would in a few days and there were buckets of water to flush the toilets. Christophe went out and bought some more electricity (it is pay as you go in Rwanda) and finally I was able to hit the sack.
Our location is quite noisy and there seem to be even more bars than the last time but with a combination of ear-plugs and the traveler's friend zopliclone I was able to sleep until 0630 finally getting up around 0700. I must have slept thru the the church bells which I remember used to ring at 0500. It was Sunday and I could hear hymns being sung in the background. Of course I had water and I hadn't bought any food. There was a gas station nearby, where I remembered one could buy food but when I walked over a group of men told me it was closed. I picked up a bottle of water at a little store and returned to the apartment to ponder my plans. It was then I found that even though I had no water I did have internet so I fooled around on that for a while.
Finally I set out. My plan was to walk to the Simba supermarket which is over a 30 minute walk and where I remembered you could get a good coffee and pastries. On reaching the Nyamirambo Road (henceforthe known as the NR), I decided to try out the nearby market to see if I could buy some fruit or maybe even some tasty roasted morsel. I ended up buying a banana for 100 RWF. I could feel the smirks of the women at the mazunga who would buy just one banana. The market was not busy and only just setting up, it was Sunday after all. I proceeded back to the NR which as before is a long chain of small stores, hair saloons and bars. It was quite quiet with very few people out..
Passing the Mosque, I headed towards the hospital, passing that Serena Hotel which I planned to visit later. I noticed that the notorious sign was still there. I then headed to where I thought Simba would be getting a little lost but eventually ending up at the Union Trade Centre where the Nakamat is. A new change since my last visit is that to enter a mall now you have to go thru a metal detector, have your bag searched and get patted down. I stopped at the Bourbon Cafe to have my first coffee of the day and use their internet. Next I went to buy some internet time. In Rwanda, you can get a USB stick for your computer where you can buy data for a very reasonable price. It is not possible to walk more than 10 metres in Kigali without somebody trying to self you a phone card. I am not good with Sim Cards and so I took the advice in the volunteer manual and took the stick to the MTN centre in the UTC. I figured the guy there would just load on some more minutes using his computer which is what I think we did last time, however this time he demanded to use the cell phone I bought with me, then demanded 21K RWF in cash (notwithstanding all the signs in the office saying they took VISA, gave it to the security guard who then took it outside to one of the annoying phone card salesmen, brought the cards back in and the guy loaded the minutes onto my memory stick. I suspect he gets kickbacks from one of the salesmen outside.
This had made me a little hungry so I headed over to Karibu for lunch, which was the usual starchy assortment I loved some much. On the way I decided to change some US$ and saw a currency exchange. A guy outside offered to sell me money. He first offered me 600 RWF to the dollar. I told him no, the exchange is 750 and that is what I eventually got. I was pretty proud when I got to the Serena Hotel and they were giving 715 to the dollar.
Final stop was the Serena Hotel where I also had to go thru a metal detector and get patted down. I was able to buy my pool membership and spent a lovely afternoon there, including two glorious showers in their rainfall shower. I had an early supper there and walked home, missing a torrential rain storm by about 15 minutes.
Simon the resident will arrive by taxi tonight hopefully. Tomorrow we start teaching.
Miss you already! I called your parents and let them know you are in Kigali.
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