The week started leaving Ngungwe. We had decided to leave early to get back to Kigali at a decent time. We had breakfast at the guesthouse and Magnifique picked us up and we headed back on paved road through the park. About an hour into our ride, M pulled up, he had heard something coming from the back of the truck. Sure enough when we stopped to look, one of the wheels was loose, the lug nuts had not been tightened. M got out the lug wrench and tightened them, standing up on the wrench for extra torque. Unfortunately in the process he broke one off. There was a discussion but we felt that with 4/5 nuts we were pretty secure and we proceeded on.
In time we left the forest into the heavily cultivated land to the east of the park. It was interesting to think that hundreds of years ago this land was part of the same forest we had just left. It was quite beautiful with rolling hills extending far off into the distance. We arrived at Butare and re-fuelled there. I was standing outside while we re-fuelled when a local man got in my face and started yelling at me. I don't understand Kenyarwandi, but I did hear the word Muzunga repeated over and over. He may have wanted money like so many people do, he obviously needed some guidance in how to win friends and influence people. Hey though I have been yelled at by crazy people in Canada too (frequently while at work).
It was not M's day. About half an hour out of Butare he got pulled over for speeding. Speeding is taken very seriously in Rwanda, the traffic cop is accompanied by a soldier with a sub-machine gun. The traffic cop took M's driver's licence and sent him back to the town we had just passed to get the 10000 Rwf fine. After some driving around M couldn't find anywhere to get the cash so he asked my for a loan which I would have given him earlier if he had asked. We paid the cop and his friend and proceeded uneventfully to Kigali where M got the cash to repay me and I paid him his tip.
Simon and I walked to the Serena for a shower and swim and then had a nice Indian dinner before walking home.
This was our last week teaching and I really felt we hadn't really connected with the residents so I was hoping for big things in the last week. Monday was the teaching day, and Simon gave a very good talk on cardiac physiology, to which I added a few salient points. Tuesday we were in the OR at CHUK in the morning before I left in frustration for lunch and a swim. We were at this point going through the motions. Wednesday at the military hospital I remember as not productive. We were supposed to be at KFH on Thursday but when we asked our driver about getting a ride there, he informed us that Thursday was a holiday due to it being the first day of Eid (10% of the population of Rwanda is Muslim). As we were taking Friday off our work was suddenly over with a whimper.
Simon who had to be back earlier was leaving Thursday, my flight wasn't until Friday evening. I did make a half hearted attempt to get on the Thursday flight with KLM but ended up spending most of Thursday and Friday chilling at the Serena Hotel. When I left Friday, I told the ladies at the pool, that I was leaving. "We pray you will return soon," they replied.
So it was Friday afternoon I was all packed and Christophe got a taxi for us. Christophe who likes to take care of us just doesn't get any taxi but it had to the right one. He insisted on coming a to the airport with me. We talked on the way. He told me he hoped one day to visit Canada and that he hoped I would be coming back soon. I asked him if he needed taxi fare back but he said it was taken care of. I gave him a large tip; he had really taken good care of us in the four weeks we had spent there.
I was having some mixed feelings leaving Kigali. I have spent 8 weeks in Rwanda, mostly in Kigali between 2011 and this trip but I knew I wouldn't most likely ever return. I like Rwanda but there was a feeling of disappointment about what I could have done on this trip.
Like many airports in the developing world it is necessary to go through security before even entering the airport. Despite this the check in process and further security went quickly and I was soon in the departure lounge, which to my disappointment didn't have a bar. There was an overpriced restaurant with even by Rwandan standards, slow service and some souvenir shops where I was able to unload my remaining Rwandan currency.
To board the plane we had to go thru security again (because you can never have your hand luggage Xrayed too much) and then to another departure lounge before walking across the tarmac to board our plane.
Sitting in my seat, I noticed the flight attendants busy trying to get an oxygen mask on a small baby. This baby was going to Germany for heart surgery. They were having trouble with the non-rebreathing mask, so I finally identified myself as a doctor and showed them how to put the mask on properly. They were very grateful. I had to explain this again to the new flight crew who took over at Entebbe. After dinner was served I managed to sleep until we landed in Amsterdam. After a couple of hours in Amsterdam airport I flew to Toronto.
In Toronto airport, I had my luggage searched by Customs. I am not sure how I got picked out, it could have been my complicated itinerary. The Customs man asked me if I had bought any carvings which I had and he inspected it. Turns out he was just looking for insects. He asked my what I had done in Rwanda and I said I had been teaching. That completed, I re-packed my bag which had been torn apart, and re-checked it.
I was hungry enough to have a meal and a few beers in the Toronto airport before flying on West Jet to Edmonton where Mary met me in the airport.
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