Flying Camba in the World

I left the busy Kigali, in order to explore the real Rwanda.
The trip from Kigali to Rwanda is complemented with stunning views of the Rwandan landscape with deep valleys extending all the way to the horizon and going as deep as 900 meters at points. Terraced crops are everywhere and the combination of colours and shapes perfectly crafted in red sand hills create an impressive tri-dimensional illusion.

On arrival in Musanze, I rush out of it and meet the main road. As I walk around, I see a rather peaceful town surrounded by green hills and blessed by a tropical and wet weather.
As I keep walking down the road , an interesting story unfolds:
A kid follows me. He does not speak English as most people in this part of the country. He soon shouts something in French and three kids join us.They are laughing and giggling while we all walk together through old houses where old women greet me with hand waves and smiles.
When I notice, around 16 kids are following me and giggling , we do not speak the same language but for some reason , they are happy to tag along. They touch my arms and skin in awe and keep on walking, the older ones, just out of school, pull out their notebooks so I can write something on them. They are pleasant and all they want is to tag along. Nobody asks me for money but as soon as I offer them a pack of crackers concealed in my backpack, their eyes shine and accept it. What it was supposed to be a boring five kilometers walk becomes an interesting scope of the life in the Rwandan countryside.

When I finally reach the bifurcation for Lake Ruhondo,I take a mototaxi.
Green hills completely covered in all sorts of crops raise up the valley as far as the naked eye can reach. A powerful river feeds this fertile valley.The place is surreal without a single tourist around.
As we drive, kids run behind the motorcycle. They all shout "Mzungu, mzungu" while we go past them. Their smiles are broad and white as pearl. A few of their faces stick on my mind for some reason. It is not the fact of feeling rather famous, but to see the happiness of a country that has been through a lot.
The sight of Lake Ruhondo shocks me when we reach the top of the valley. An impressive water body surrounded by cropped hills from top to bottom. A "Mzungu" lost in a land where simple things mean a lot and trivial First World matters are put to question.
Time to ride the boda-boda again and head back to Musanze. The noise of a distant thunderstorm completes the backdrop.