Spontaneous Random Adventures

Photos: Rome

yvonnebooth — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 07:52:00 GMT

A last minute solo long weekend in Rome

Photos: Jordan

yvonnebooth — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 01:00:00 GMT

Group tour and solo extension

Photos: Independent Iceland

yvonnebooth — Mon, 7 Jul 2014 10:10:00 GMT

A solo trip in the land of glaciers, fjords, mountains and hot springs with an old rented 4x4 and a bivvy bag.

Photos: Cape to Falls

yvonnebooth — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 14:11:00 GMT

Overland adventure from Cape Town to Victoria Falls - The Zambia Chapter

Photos: Cape to Falls

yvonnebooth — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 13:12:00 GMT

Overland adventure from Cape Town to Victoria Falls - The Botswana Chapter

Photos: Cape to Falls

yvonnebooth — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 11:52:00 GMT

Overland adventure from Cape Town to Victoria Falls - The Namibia Chapter

Photos: Cape to Falls

yvonnebooth — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 11:17:00 GMT

Overland adventure from Cape Town to Victoria Falls - The South Africa Chapter

Photos: The Mother City and Cape Peninsula

yvonnebooth — Tue, 24 Dec 2013 08:51:00 GMT

Cape Town to Cape Point

Land of a Thousand Hills - Kigali to Nyungwe National Park

yvonnebooth — Tue, 15 Oct 2013 12:00:00 GMT

Day 6

The outside of the building was peppered with bullet holes. Inside the back lower left corner a concentration of holes on both walls and on the floor along with two larger holes in the floor marked where most of the bullets had been aimed and where 2 grenades had exploded respectively. On the back wall of the building a gold coloured plaque was mounted showing the faces of the ten Belgian UN peacekeeping soldiers killed on 7^th April 1994, the day after the Presidents’ plane had been shot down and the beginning of the genocide. On one side of the plaque was a Rwandan flag and on the other was a Belgian flag. A blackboard at one end of the room was covered in messages, some from the soldiers’ relatives, most asking why and condemning the killings and those responsible. Ten stone pillars stood outside the building, each one with horizontal notches cut in the stone, the number of notches on each signifying the age of the soldier that the pillar represented. Most had been in their twenties.

On the day of their deaths the UN soldiers had received the order to go to the Prime Minister’s house to escort her to the national radio station where she would make a speech appealing for an end to the violence. When they arrived at her house early in the morning the Belgian soldiers were attacked by Rwandan Armed Forces (FAR) soldiers, disarmed and arrested along with five Ghanaian soldiers who were responsible for protecting the Prime Minister. Following their arrest, the soldiers negotiated their surrender with the promise of being taken to a UN base. The soldiers from Ghana were set free, but the FAR soldiers took the Belgians to the Kigali camp where they were tortured and then killed.

The memorial stood close to the Serena Hotel in Kigali where I had stayed the night before. Amon had told me about it when he dropped me off the day before. The memorial and building couldn’t be seen from the road but the guard at the gate kindly went out of his way to show me where it was. It was quite a shocking and sobering start to the second part of my trip but worth a visit just to understand another part of the history and the darker days of Rwanda. It made me appreciate even more the peaceful and forward looking country that I was experiencing.

As always Amon was right on time to pick me up at the hotel. Today we were driving southwest to Nyungwe National Park, Africa’s largest protected mountain rainforest and home to thirteen species of primate including Chimpanzee and Angola Colobus Monkey. The forest park is in the Albertine Rift, a zone that contains more endemic birds, mammals, and amphibians than any other region in Africa. The Albertine Rift is a 1200 km long valley in central Africa and is the western arm of the East African Rift that is created by the pulling apart or rifting of tectonic plates. I was hoping to see chimpanzees in the area but I’d heard they’re a little more elusive than the gorillas so I was expecting a tough hike to find them, if I was to see them at all.

Before reaching the park the landscape was very similar to that going west from Kigali. Hilly lush green farmland with terraced fields dominated the scenery. Unlike the first part of my trip, I was the only passenger on this journey. It was great to get the chance to talk with Amon one on one about Rwanda, Uganda, Congo, our families, travelling and the sights along the way. In every direction I looked the country lived up to its’ name of Land of a Thousand Hills. In the marshlands rice was grown and in one area I could see the bright orange coveralls worn by prisoners who are put to work in the fields. This initiative gives prisoners agricultural skills which they can use to gain employment when they finish their term, instills a sense of social responsibility and self discipline and provides the prison with food rather than relying totally on tax payers’ money.

As we got closer to the national park the farmland was taken over by bright green tea plantations filling the valley floors. As Nyungwe National Park came into view I was mesmerized. This was my first ever sight of such a huge tropical rainforest. The densely packed forest canopy looked like bunches of broccoli heads with their intensely green rounded bushy tops, some tinged with orange. Over 200 species of tree could be found in the park. It was so beautiful and looked impenetrable. I couldn’t imagine how long it must have taken to build a road through this forest that went on as far as the eye could see. The forest canopy reflected the curves of the landscape as the road rolled up and down and around the hills. Random patches of fog hung between the trees, giant ferns grew between, up and over the trees, and vines hung down from the branches adding to the mystical prehistoric atmosphere of the forest. The forest is hundreds of thousands of years old and the presence of humans is thought to date back at least fifty thousand years.

My lodge for the night was located on the other side of the park. Driving through the park we stopped a couple of times to view some Mountain Monkeys that were hanging out in the trees above and at the side of the road. Some shied away when we stopped, but it was such a privilege to see them even briefly in their natural environment. Large trucks were common on this road that led to Congo and as a result the road was quite worn but there are plans to improve it in the future.

We exited the forest and passed through more bright green tea plantations. Just off the main road a dirt track led down to the Nyungwe Forest Lodge and my bed for the next few nights. The main lodge, a beautiful single storey dark wood and stone building with floor to ceiling windows was situated right in the middle of the tea plantation with my wooden cabin for the night located at the border between the plantation and the rainforest. It was stunning. The main lodge was a long open plan building split into a restaurant and a communal lounge area, both of which had large log fireplaces crackling at either end. It was the perfect place to relax in the evening, do some writing, enjoy dinner and chat with the lodge staff and other guests.

Day 7

My wakeup call came at 4am. This morning I was heading into the forest to look for chimpanzees. I could hear the rain falling on the roof. So far I’d been lucky with the weather. The mornings when I was out hiking had been dry and the thunder showers had only come in the afternoon but my luck looked it was going to change today. That was what waterproofs were made for though and no amount of rain was going to put me off. Other than the lodge staff I was the only one up this early and after a tea and a light snack I was handed a packed breakfast in a brown paper bag for the road. Just before 05:00 Amon picked me up and drove me to the park office where we met the guide. The other people who had booked the trip had cancelled probably due to the rain which was great for me since I now had a private guide for the morning.

We drove past tea plantations and farmland to a small forest about an hour from the office that at one time would have been part of the larger national park forest but due to cultivation it had been disconnected. There is a plan being proposed to claim back some of the land and replant a forest corridor to reconnect the area with the main forest in order to give the animal population a larger space to live in. This is another great example of how Rwanda considers conservation to be a priority. As daylight broke, people emerged from their homes to start work in the fields. The rain was beginning to clear and dense low cloud hung around in patches moving slowly across the land with the light wind. We stopped in a clearing and three porters emerged in the hope of gaining some work for the day. A man called John stepped forward to greet me. He was my porter for the morning on this trip.

The first part of the walk was a gentle downhill but the rain had made the trail muddy and slippery. We walked quickly as the guide explained that it was necessary to start early as the chimpanzees were active early and began a rest period around 09:00. The trail got steeper down into the valley and the trackers came over the radio to say they had already found the chimps. About 10 minutes later a voice came from the bush below the trail. A tracker had come up to lead us down. We left the trail and took a tiger line down the hill through the thick bush. Vines hung from the trees and lay across the ground hidden under foliage and it was easy to get your feet tangled and caught in them but I managed to keep myself upright. We crossed another trail and continued straight down the hill through more bush. I could see another 3 trackers who were standing looking upwards towards the top of a huge fig tree.

Through the early morning mist I could see the silhouette of a chimpanzee picking figs off the tree near the top. The fig trees bear fruit in June, July and August. All of a sudden a chimp began to communicate starting in low pitched relatively quiet vocals that soon built up to high pitched intermittent screams. A number of other chimps joined in and then all went quiet again. We stood in position watching them but our position wasn’t optimal. When the low cloud passed through we could see only silhouettes but when it was clear the sun was in our eyes looking up so we moved to the other side of the tree. It turned out to be a great move.

The chimps were spread out on the fig tree and I could see they shared the tree with Mountain and Mona Monkeys. The small monkeys don’t always live in harmony with the chimps however. Although today they were happily sharing the tree, chimps are unpredictable and some days may attack a monkey and eat it. We watched and listened for some time as the chimps fed on the figs, chased each other around the branches, climbed up and down the trunk and when I zoomed in with the camera I could see a couple of them watching us. The chimps moved quickly and it was hard to get good photos due to the thick foliage and the lighting but it was just amazing to watch and listen to them. The chimps often followed the monkeys as they jumped from branch to branch. The chimps are much heavier than the monkeys and the fig trees are seriously tall so this can be a fatal move for a chimp if a branch isn’t strong enough to hold it.

The dominant male chimp gave the signal to move on and the chimps one by one began to climb down the tree trunk. The guide whispered that each of the chimps usually follow the same route down so I kept the camera on the same tree as they moved on. It was lucky to see the chimps in the fig tree and to see them climb down close to us but the best was yet to come. From our new position we stood close to a fallen tree near the tree where the chimps came down. I couldn’t believe it when a few of them used this fallen tree just a few feet away to move to another area. The chimps were much bigger than I expected them to be and they looked so powerful. Their features weren’t soft like the gorillas. The majority of the chimps had moved on but a few remained in the fig tree so we continued to observe them. It wasn’t long before some of the chimps moved back again crossing the fallen tree right in front of me. I couldn’t believe how lucky I’d been. Once again I felt so privileged to be in this amazing country.

Just as we were getting ready to leave two of the males got into a confrontation. The chimps were screeching at each other from the top of the fig tree and one chased the other down and onto the ground in front of us. I could see them through the bush as they ran past continuing to scream loudly at each other. As they ran off into the forest their voices faded and I hoped the confrontation would remain a purely verbal one.

Time passed quicker than I would have liked and it was time to head back to the car. I tipped and thanked the trackers then we started the climb back up the hill. The altitude here was 2500m and my lungs could feel it as we hiked up but it felt good to get a good burn on the muscles and push myself physically after eating so many good meals in the last week so we powered on resting only to get a picture of a huge fig tree just like the one the chimps had been in. When we returned it was just before 09:00 and the day was just starting. The cloud had lifted and the sun was lighting up the forest canopy. It was a beautiful morning. I cracked open the packed breakfast that the lodge had supplied and shared it with my guides and John my porter. I thanked John, tipped him and waved him goodbye as we started back to the lodge.

Amon dropped me off at the lodge and I had the rest of the day to relax and enjoy the grounds of the tea plantation. I went to take a look at the small infinity pool that overlooked the rainforest. Beside the pool sat four mountain bikes that were available for cycling around the plantation. It was a stunning spot. In a room below the pool was a small gym with a floor to ceiling view of the forest. I went back to my cabin, changed out of my hiking boots, grabbed my camera and went back to get a bike. As I cycled around the plantation paths the tea pickers greeted me with “good morning”, waves and smiles. The dark clouds were beginning to roll towards me as lunchtime approached and seemed to enhance the bright green of the tea plants. I enjoyed a quick gym session with a view then had a relaxing swim in the pool stopping now and again to watch for monkeys.

I didn’t see any monkeys from the pool but after the downpour of rain stopped later in the afternoon I could hear what sounded like animals jumping from tree to tree from my room. I looked out the back from the deck to see groups of Mona, Mountain and Grey-Cheeked Mangabey monkeys running from tree to tree mostly following the same line of travel. They were a good 20 to 30 metres away. I heard a rustle in the trees next to my deck and turned around to see a Mangabey monkey walking along the thick branch right in front of me. He stopped and we stared at each other for about 20 seconds. I tried to remember if the door was closed behind me and wondered if he was eyeing up the fruit in the bowl but I didn’t dare turn my back on him. Further away we heard a big crack as a branch collapsed under the weight of a larger monkey jumping onto it. The monkey in front of me quickly turned and ran off to join the rest of the groups. There was never a dull moment here!

Swaleh had been my server at lunch today and he greeted me as soon as I walked into the main lodge in the evening. It was raining again and I came up to enjoy the log fires and some wine before dinner while writing up the days memories. Swaleh was a very tall young man with a huge smile that could light up a room. He was originally from Uganda and had started a university course in civil engineering but was now working to save up some money to finish his studies, although he didn’t seem in a rush to go back to studying and seemed to love working at the lodge which I could completely understand. As I sat writing, all the lodge staff would stop on their way past and chat, asking about the day and making sure I was being looked after. I really enjoyed talking with them so was happy when they had the time to stop for a good while to talk. I was booked to go on a trip to see Colobus Monkeys the next day but it didn’t start until 10:00 so after a beautiful dinner I headed back to the room to enjoy a long sleep with no early wake up.

Day 8

The phone rang at 8am. I was already up and getting ready for the day after a restful night. It was the front reception. Amon wanted to talk to me. I had been booked to see the Colobus Monkeys but he had another option he wanted to put to me. A park guide was leading a 4 hour nature walk to a waterfall located in the rainforest and only one other girl was on the trip. There was a chance of seeing the Colobus and other monkeys on the way too as well as learning about the multitude of plants, birds and other animals that inhabited the forest. I was already packing my bag and getting my boots on by the time I put the phone down. Amon knew me well enough now to know that I loved to go on long hikes and the Colobus Monkey trip was only 1 hour long so for me the 4 hour hike was a huge bonus. I rushed to get ready and by the time I had some breakfast he was back at the lodge to collect me.

We drove to the office to pick up the other girl and the park guide then drove back through the tea plantation to the start of the walk. It was a stunning morning and Lake Kivu could be seen from the plantation. Across the other side of the lake was the Democratic Republic of Congo. A German lady that I had met at the lodge who works in Rwanda had been telling me about the reserves of methane that were discovered in Lake Kivu that if harnessed safely could provide electricity for the Great Lakes region for hundreds of years. Approximately 300m below the surface, Lake Kivu's water is full of dissolved gas. According to a 2012 BBC report the lake contains an estimated 256 cubic kilometres of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 65 cubic kilometres of methane. Bacteria in the lake convert the CO2 sourced from the volcanic rock to methane. In a similar situation in Cameroon in 2010 CO2 had been released from a lake in a cloud that suffocated and killed 1000 people. An earthquake or volcanic activity in the Lake Kivu region could set off a similar release, but hopefully the gas can be harnessed safely and put to good use.

Beyond the tea plantation and in the direction we were headed lay the dense rainforest. I had sat on the mountain bike taking photos the previous day looking up the valley we were about to head into and wished that I could go exploring there. Little did I know at the time that my wish would come true thanks to Amon and I hadn’t even mentioned my thoughts to him. My hiking companion, a girl from Germany, had come here to visit her cousin who was married to a Rwandan. After meeting his family she had travelled to all three national parks by herself using public transport and she confirmed my thoughts about Rwanda now being a safe place to explore. She had no problems, not one, while travelling around the country alone.

Our guide for the hike was like a walking encyclopedia when it came to the animals, birds and plants of the Nyungwe National Park, some of which could be found nowhere else in the world. He had grown up just to the south of this area and as a child had witnessed the native plants being used for medicinal purposes. He told us a story of the only accident that has ever happened on one of his hikes. A person had slipped on a wet stone step. When the man had fallen down he cut his arm on a sharp rock. He pointed out the rock to us and then showed us a plant that happened to be growing nearby. He had seen the leaves of the plant being used to stop bleeding in the village where he’d grown up so he covered the cut arm with leaves. The bleeding stopped. He had already told us about other plants that could be used for ailments such as stomach problems, malaria, fevers and tuberculosis and it made me wonder how many other cures could be found in this natural pharmacy.

As we walked along the trail we stopped to say hello to four local researchers who were working the area. As part of our guides’ training he had spent 3 months learning from these researchers after finishing his university studies in natural sciences and conservation and every five years he had to take an exam so studied constantly. The researchers had worked in this forest for nearly 20 years. It was no wonder he was such a mine of fascinating information. In our western world of manufactured pharmaceuticals where one drug is often required to counteract the effects of others I’m sure we could learn so much from native cultures with regards to natural remedies.

The trail descended down to a small river then climbed back up. All along the trail we learned about this forest that was teaming with life. We observed stunning birds with vividly coloured plumage, discovered the fruits and the medicinal plants, talked about the different primates and other animals that inhabited the forest and wondered at the vastness and beauty of this enchanted world. I was glad to hear that due to the altitude here snakes were not common as it was too cold. We descended down to a river and I could hear the thunderous roar of the waterfall. I could see the edge of the gushing water crashing down into the river and the spray bursting out in all directions. Even from down the river I could feel the cool spray hit my skin. Lush greenery filled the forest floor and lined the river. Across the other side of the river I could see huge caves with vines and plants hanging down over the entrances. I got my jacket out and put my camera away to protect it from the spray and we continued up to a dead end where we stood in front of the waterfall. The spray felt so refreshing after the hike. The power and volume of water spewing over the edge and crashing down was huge. It was so loud we had to shout to be heard. The cliffs surrounding us were covered in thick foliage and flowers including a beautiful crimson red “firework flower” and a type of yellow begonia that has never been found in any other part of the world other than on this side of this national park.

Just when I thought it couldn’t get any more beautiful the sun broke through the clouds. Beams of light shone down on us and on the lush green cliffs and vivid rainbows appeared in the waterfall spray. I felt like I was standing in the middle of a fantasy world. It was breathtaking. It was hard to believe that this small river would eventually flow into the mighty Congo. Not far from here was the divide that separates the waters that flow to the Congo River from the waters that flow to the Nile. One of the many hikes in the national park leads to this divide.

Sadly all good things usually come to an end and we started to make our way back up the hill. I learned just as much on the way back as I did going to the waterfall from our guide. There was nothing he didn’t know about when I asked. As we emerged from the forest and back into the tea plantation it was like stepping out of a fairytale and back into reality, albeit a still beautiful one. The clouds were building and the sky was turning dark. As we walked back to the office through the plantation the heavens opened. It was warm and I figured since we didn’t have far to go there was no point in digging to the bottom of my bag for waterproof trousers. It actually felt pretty good to cool off and it was a source of amusement to the lodge staff when they saw the front of my trousers had been soaked but the back was bone dry. There was one last surprise before the end of the hike. Close to the park office the guide pointed to a small bunch of trees. In the trees I could see a number of Colobus Monkeys sheltering from the rain under the leaves. I could see their beautiful black and white furry faces as they huddled together. It had been the perfect end to a great little adventure.

Amon was at the park office when we got back. I was so grateful that he’d suggested going to the waterfall. He’d done such an amazing job during my whole trip to Rwanda and he couldn’t have suggested a more perfect last hike for me. As we drove back he said that we would leave the next morning at 07:00 to head back to Kigali. He was driving on to the Uganda border after dropping me off. There a driver would pick him up and take him home to his family in Kampala, Uganda. I wanted to say thank you to him for doing such an incredible job and for being a great companion on the journey so I invited him to join me for dinner and a few drinks that night at the lodge.

When I entered the lodge Swaleh was there to greet me as usual. The evening was cool. I’d hardly sat down and the log fire was being made up and lit. I tried to say there was no need to light it just for me since I was the only one there but they insisted that they wanted to do that for me. In no time the flames were giving out a wonderfully comforting heat. I sat by the log fire with my red wine and caught up on my journal in between talking to the lodge staff before Amon came for dinner. As always dinner was beautiful and afterwards we went back to the lounge area by the fire and chatted over some more wine. It was a fantastic evening and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to finish the trip. It’s probably just as well that the bar closed or we could have sat there all night by the fire talking. It had been a long day and it was an early start and an especially long day ahead the next day for Amon so we said goodnight and I headed back to my cabin.

Day 9

The next morning I was all packed up but I wished I could have continued the adventures. I was really sad to be leaving this part of the country and to be leaving Rwanda the next day. We said goodbye and thanked the lodge staff and drove back through Nyungwe National Park forest. As we drove out of the park and towards Kigali I looked back at the dense forest knowing that I’d only just scraped the surface in the short time I’d had there. I can’t wait to return. Many people spend only a few days in Rwanda to see the gorillas then move on to Tanzania, Kenya or Uganda. I’m so glad I stayed in Rwanda and visited the south as this part of the country is so vastly different to Volcanoes National Park and so stunningly beautiful in such different ways.

On the way back to Kigali we stopped in Huye where a large museum can be found covering all sorts of subjects including the language, music, geography, earth science, conservation, traditions, and arts of Rwanda. Maybe it was because I wanted to delay the end of my journey but I managed to spend over an hour and a half looking at the exhibits and artifacts and I could have easily taken longer. There was so much to see. Most fascinating to me were the old black and white photographs from the early 1900s showing pre-colonial life in Rwanda.

On the drive back to Kigali a large gathering could be seen not far from the road in Kabgaye where a Catholic Church mission was established in 1905. The town became the centre for the Catholic Church in Rwanda and the oldest cathedral can be found there. As we drove through town, a handful of men in suits walked across the road and shook hands with the gentlemen waiting at the other side. Casually Amon said “That’s the Prime Minister”. No fuss, no bodyguards or guns were in view and there to the side of me stood the Prime Minister of Rwanda. A little further down the road a car came screaming by with a man hanging out of the window holding a small red stop sign. Amon pulled over. A number of cars came speeding by and Amon told me to look out for the president who apparently sometimes drives himself around. Sure enough a minute later a black car with the President in the front went zooming by. The gathering had been to celebrate 100 years of the seminary being there. It had been an unexpected surprise.

As we arrived in Kigali I got a heavy feeling in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t want this trip to end and I’d made such a good friend I hated to have to leave so soon. I’d seen so much but it had been too short a visit. There was so much more I wanted to do in Rwanda. I checked back into Hotel des Mille Collines where I’d stayed the night of my arrival in Rwanda while Amon parked the car then he came in to say goodbye. As he left I felt like my right arm had been chopped off (literally since the drivers’ seat was on the right of the Land Rover) and I missed his company and guidance.

Day 10

I enjoyed my last 24 hours in Rwanda alone listening to the bands that played by the pool bar the previous night and during the day on the Sunday, relaxing in the hotel gardens, exploring the area around the hotel and writing down as much as my memory would allow.

At 17:00 it was time to leave for the airport. I was sad to be leaving but looking forward to seeing my own family back in Scotland and I hoped Amon had made it safely back to his own family in Kampala. As I walked out onto the tarmac to go to the plane it felt like I’d only just arrived there the day before. Time had gone too quickly but I know I’ll be back to get through the new list of things I want to do in Rwanda and I have a feeling it’ll be sooner rather than later.

Photos: Land of a Thousand Hills

yvonnebooth — Thu, 10 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The wildlife, nature and culture of Rwanda.

Land of a Thousand Hills - Kigali to the Virunga Mountains

yvonnebooth — Mon, 7 Oct 2013 12:00:00 GMT

As the plane descended into Kigali I expected the black night to be lit up by a soft orange haze, a mix of dust and exhaust fumes illuminated by street light pollution just like I've seen in most developing country cities that I've visited. I expected a humid warm atmosphere, a chaotic airport, dusty traffic jams, street children, garbage filled gutters, and dangerous streets patrolled by armed soldiers. Kigali turned out to be very different to my preconceptions and I was really pleasantly surprised, but why would I willingly want to go somewhere that I thought would be so rough anyway? I wanted to see for myself what drove Dian Fossey to dedicate her life to saving the mountain gorillas from poaching and almost certain extinction. The expedition organised by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI) and guided by Volcanoes Safaris included a behind the scenes look at the ongoing conservation work and a meeting with the researchers who are continuing her legacy, as well as actually trekking to the gorilla groups that live in the mountains and seeing the projects that the organisation supports. The second part of the adventure was a journey south to go on a chimpanzee trek in Nyungwe National Park, which is apparently Africas' largest protected mountain rainforest. Here is my journal of those adventures. My aim is to change the widely held perceptions of Rwanda that I also had before I came here in the hope that more people will visit and embrace this incredibly beautiful country and its’ wonderfully hospitable people. I begin with my first full day in Rwanda.

Day 1

I woke up this morning to peace and tranquility. Going by previous travels, peace and tranquility were the last things I expected to experience in an African city.

I'd arrived the night before in Kigali, the capital, on an A330 from Amsterdam that dropped a small number of us in Rwanda before taking the majority of the passengers to Uganda. I wondered if the other passengers knew something I didn't but I was quite happy to know that there weren't masses of tourists disembarking with me. Amon, my guide for the trip approached me in the arrivals hall just as I was trying to figure out if another man from my hotel was the one I was supposed to meet. As we drove to the hotel with the windows down it felt good to suck in the fresh cool breeze after the long journey. Amon seemed really friendly, laid back and well educated. I had no idea what to expect when I arrived so I was pleased that he was going to be my guide for the trip. I had a hunch we were going to get along well.

My hotel turned out to be Hotel des Mille Collines made famous by the film Hotel Rwanda, based on the true story set in 1994 during the genocide when 1268 people took refuge in the hotel. The hotel is well kept, clean and has a stunning garden with a pool. On weekends you can listen to live music in the gardens by the pool bar.

I pulled back the curtains to see the city for the first time in daylight and it was hard to believe such a horrific episode in history took place here. The city is green, beautifully hilly, exceptionally clean and very peaceful. It feels more like a large village than a big city.

After breakfast on the terrace in the immaculately kept hotel gardens Amon met me in the lobby right on time with a familiar beaming smile and a firm handshake. With him was a couple from the U.S., Fran and Lynn, who were also travelling on the same itinerary with me for the first part of my adventure. Our first stop before heading to the mountains was the genocide memorial in Kigali. Amon thought it best to start with this so we didn't end on a sad note. I've read about what happened in Rwanda during the genocide but the reality of it really hits hard walking around the exhibitions, watching videos of survivors’ stories, seeing sickening pictures of the massacred bodies and viewing exhibits of hand weapons that were used to torture and kill such as machetes and clubs. These were used in most cases as they were cheaper than bullets. Most gut wrenching of all was an image of a small boy with a fresh deep gash in his head that looked like he had been struck with a machete. Thankfully he was alive but the image was incredibly strong and really heartbreaking. In 1994 the Rwandan population was composed of the Hutu (85% majority), Tutsi (14%) and Twa or Batwa (1%) ethnic groups. Tensions between Hutu and Tutsi date back to 1916 when Belgian colonists gave out ID cards. The Belgians considered the Tutsi to be superior as they were taller and had more European like features so they enjoyed 20 years of having better jobs and a better education than the Hutu. Tensions built up and riots in 1959 resulted in over 20,000 Tutsi deaths. When Belgium gave Rwanda independence in 1962 the Hutu took over. In subsequent years tensions remained with the Tutsi being blamed for the problems of the country. On April 6, 1994, a plane carrying the Hutu president was shot down. This sparked the violence that began the genocide that is well known by the world today. What I didn’t know was that there had been multiple genocides prior to this. Hutu extremists planned a mass killing of the Tutsi in 1994 and any Hutu politicians who may have tried to stop it were killed. Tutsi, suspected Tutsi and sympathetic Hutu were killed in homes, at roadblocks and even in places such as churches and schools that were thought of as safe havens. Women were brutally raped. In a culture where a child takes on the ethnicity of the father it's thought that around 20,000 Hutu babies were born as a result. In 100 days 800,000 people were killed. That's like filling Wembley Stadium seating and standing 8 times. The scale of the horror is unimaginable. It's unknown whether the Tutsi were responsible for the shooting down of the plane or if the Hutu extremists did it to carry out genocide under the disguise of a war. Many children were orphaned and it was not uncommon for distant relatives and even strangers to take in large numbers and care for them.

It’s good to see the new generations being educated to prevent the same mistakes from happening again and nowadays people have ID cards identifying themselves only as Rwandan even though their looks may give them away. Marriages across former ethnic groups is now common and to look at Rwanda today there is no evidence to an outsider of what went on back in 1994 other than in the Kigali memorial site where mass graves are located and at other memorials around the country. Thousands of unidentified corpses were being discovered with no families to conduct dignified burials so Kigali City Council decided to create a single place of burial where victims could be laid to rest with dignity. It was a sobering place but deserved a visit to learn about the history and to pay respect to the hundreds of thousands who were massacred.

Outside the museum lay the mass graves mostly covered with concrete. One part was covered with glass through which I could see three coffins draped in grey cloth with white crosses sewn in to them. Beside this lay flowers with a ribbon saying “We Will Never Forget You”.

Moving on from the museum we headed north out of the hilly green city to hilly green farmland and forest. I was beginning to understand why this country is called Land of a Thousand Hills. Where forest once stood farmland had been cultivated and markets were scattered along the road. Amon stopped to buy us some sweet little bananas. Corn, maize, banana, pineapple, cassava, green vegetables, potatoes and sugar cane grew in the valleys and on steep terraced slopes. Goats grazed in grassy meadows and by the roadside outside homes. In one area, small rectangular man-made bodies of water housed farmed tilapia fish. Apparently fish farming has been successful here.

During the few hours it took to drive to Volcanoes National Park it seemed that every group of children we passed would smile and wave at us. “Hello, how are you?” could be heard and big smiles could be seen as we drove by. The road was windy and gradually climbed up towards the mountains. Overloaded trucks struggled up the hills, motorbike taxis weaved in and out of traffic and in the towns bicycle taxis were used not only to transport people on flat upholstered seats above the back wheels but also to transport huge bags of potatoes, piles of wood and yellow plastic jerry cans of water.Along the way we stopped at a market to use the toilet. When I came out Amon was standing at a stall munching on a goat meat skewer. He ordered one for me and I have to say it was really tasty, even more so with the oily hot pepper sauce akabanga on it.

Onwards and upwards we travelled through the farmland until finally in the distance volcanoes could be seen through the haze. The saddle between Sabinyo and Visoke volcanoes in the national park were home to the mountain gorillas I was going to encounter. It was a beautiful site. Along a dirt road, near the base of the Muhavura volcano, we passed farmhouses made of red mud bricks. The cutest little children ran out of their gardens to stand at the side of the road and wave or run after the car frantically calling out “hello” and waving with both hands in the air. Muhavura volcano is an extinct volcano at the eastern end of the Virunga Mountains. It lies on the border between Uganda and Rwanda and climbs more than 13,500ft high.

As the road climbed upwards Lake Bulera came into view below. It was a stunning site. Small islands inhabited by farmers who travelled across the water on dugout canoes could be seen in the lake. It looked so serene. We were greeted at Virunga Lodge with a glass of fresh passion fruit juice by a number of smiling and welcoming staff. From the reception area I could see Lake Ruhondo which looked even more beautiful than Bulera. The plan for the evening was discussed and I was shown to my room. My room turned out to be a small and beautiful detached cottage or banda with a stunning view of the lake and the sunrise in the morning! I was speechless. It was the most amazing place I’ve ever stayed in. Bushes and flowers full of birdlife separated the bandas and this with the lake view could be viewed from my terrace.

Ten guests were staying at the lodge that night and the diversity was pretty fascinating but I won’t go into the people as I’m here to tell a story about Rwanda. The food was fantastic and all the guests sat at the same table so the conversation was as diverse as the people which made for some really interesting chat. The wakeup call in the morning however was 05:00 so I headed back to the cottage at 21:00. The night was clear, the air was cool and stars covered the sky. When I got back I found the bug net hanging over the bed, the duvet folded down at the top, the bedside light on and two hot water bottles in my bed. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven!

Day 2

I remembered as I fell asleep what sounded like a bird hopping over the roof. The next thing I knew the alarm went off and it was time to get ready. It was 04:30 and still dark outside. I washed and got dressed by which time I heard a knock on the door. It was my morning pot of tea that was delivered every day at whatever time I requested it. The service here was exceptional. We had to be on the road by 06:00 so I chose to have a pot of tea at 05:00 and breakfast at 05:30. As we ate breakfast the window in the dining room gave us a perfect view of the sun rising over the mountains. I wondered if the architect had designed it that way. A couple from Nairobi told us that unfortunately the architect had actually been killed in the terrorist attack on the shopping mall in Nairobi the week before. As the sun rose and filled the room it seemed to energise the tired faces around the table and it was time to go.

At 06:00 many Rwandans had already started their day. People walked along the road with purpose carrying water, firewood, farming implements, books and bags of food. The bicycle taxis were already out doing business and I noticed that there were no private cars on the road the whole way there, other than the Land Rovers carrying tourists to the national park. Everyone seemed to walk or use bicycle and motorbike taxis. We arrived at the national park station where Amon had to show our passports and get our tracking permits. Sabinyo volcano stood imposingly above. As one of the oldest volcanoes in the area, it had been weathered more which gave it a much rougher and jagged look than neighbouring Gahinga volcano.

The top of Sabinyo lay on the borders between Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. On a perfectly kept lawn stood a ring of park guides in green military style uniforms getting their briefing. Once they finished, our trip guides did their best to get us into the most popular groups with the best park guides. Today I was going to meet the Golden Monkeys. The trackers were already out in the forest picking up from where the monkey group had settled the night before so the guides talked to them by radio and knew which area they should take us to. Only one group was going to see the monkeys so there was no need for Amon to get us into the best group he could today. The other tourists were going to view the Mountain Gorilla groups. Tomorrow was my day for that adventure. After a briefing from our two guides, Felix and Bernice, Amon drove us to the starting point of the trek. We walked between fields of potatoes, pyrethrum (used for insecticide) and other crops to get to the edge of the national park which is marked by a volcanic stone wall. In some cases the wall is double in thickness to prevent buffalo from getting out of the park and into the fields where they would destroy the crops. In certain sections the inside of the wall on the park side has a big trench next to it in order to stop buffalo jumping over the wall. Small tree trunks provided a bridge for people to cross the trench.

As we approached the park wall Bernice announced that she was in contact with the trackers and we may have to walk 2 hours which was expected. It turned out she was a joker and the monkeys were actually in the bamboo forest 5 minutes away! We met the trackers and at this point we had to leave our backpacks and walking sticks. Apparently the sticks may be seen as a sign of aggression and bags were left so the monkeys wouldn’t be attracted to food or other belongings. A couple of trackers stayed with our bags and the rest of us followed the guides and other trackers into the dark bushy bamboo forest. Rustling could be heard as the monkeys moved from tree to tree. New bamboo shoots stood about 15 to 30cm tall from the forest floor. This was what the monkeys were feeding on. They would come down from the trees, pull a shoot from the earth, peel it and chew on the softer inside. It actually tasted pretty good, a bit like water chestnut with a similar texture but with a bitter after taste. I’m told that the bamboo shoots have the same effect on monkeys as beer does on humans. It would account for their playfulness and the comical way that some would fall backwards as they tried to pull the shoots out of the ground. One tracker waved me over and pointed to a tree branch. He whispered “the boss”. It was the dominant male. As my eyes adjusted I could see monkeys all around in the trees, on the forest floor and sliding down the older bamboo to get to the new shoots below. All ages surrounded us. Some were pulling shoots from the ground, some played, some sat in quiet contemplation on the branches, but the majority was on the branches munching on the bamboo.

Now and again some of my fellow travelers would get bits of bamboo landing on their head as the monkeys peeled the shoots or spat out bits they didn’t want and a couple of really unfortunate ones got a “hot shower” from above. I couldn’t believe how close the monkeys got. Some would stop on one side of the path, look around and at me and then sprint across the path as if we were playing catch. Babies swung from branches and chased each other around. Juveniles would play fight, rolling on the ground and run after each other up the trees. All this happened under the watchful eyes of the older monkeys. These are stunning animals with copper coloured backs, golden faces with pale grey muzzles, piercing copper coloured eyes and little black hands. An hour is the maximum allowed to stay with the monkeys and it passed by so quickly but it’s an hour of my life that I will never forget and I hope I get to see these beautiful animals again in the wild.

As the monkeys were so close to the park boundary it wasn’t even lunchtime when we got back to the car, so we decided to visit the cultural village before heading back to the lodge for lunch. The village is a cultural exhibition including traditional huts with a tour of the kings’ hut and a lesson in etiquette for getting an audience with the king and queen, spectacular dancing (be prepared to join in if you’re lucky enough to be chosen), a demonstration by the medicine man, metalwork, grinding seed to flour with stones and crafts such as basket weaving. Even a mock wedding is played out and you can try your arm at some bow practice. It was definitely worth a visit. The best thing was that some of the men were ex poachers so in creating the cultural village and giving them an alternative income, gorillas were being saved from snares and traps. We were met at the gate by a group of young men dressed in traditional tribal clothing that included bells around their ankles and long blonde wigs. With them was a very short older man. He held a spear in one hand and a small painted shield in the other as he danced around shouting what was probably a greeting but sounded quite fierce while the other men danced and sang in the background. The short older man was of Batwa descent, an ethnic group that used to live in the forests. Most people would recognize their ethnicity by the name pygmy. To see the dancing alone is worth going to the cultural village for. The performers are so full of enthusiasm and energy.

After lunch I took a short walk around the Crater View Loop just outside Virunga Lodge. It was a short walk with a stunning view of both lakes and the terraced fields that led to them. Just where the loop turns I met with 2 young village boys, Fabrice and Gilbert, who were eager to talk to me in English. They told me they were in P6 at primary school which made them around 12 years old. It was interesting to hear about their lives in the village, their parents’ farms, their school and their love of football. One of the boys was the captain of the football team. I had seen many children around with homemade balls constructed of grasses and vines so asked if they had a real football to play with. When they replied that they didn’t I decided to find them one and get it to them somehow. That was as important to me as finding the gorillas the next day.

Day 3

When I woke at 04:30 I was ¾ excited and ¼ nervous to remember that today I was going to meet my first mountain gorilla. No mountain gorillas are kept in zoos. The ones seen in zoos are all Western Lowland Gorillas. I imagined a silverback would be about the size of a large black bear but even more powerful. I heard about the encounters other people had and it sounded like they got close. Nothing anyone could have told me could have prepared me for how amazing it was going to be standing next to a group of gorillas and observing their behavior.

Amon managed to get us in one of the best groups that had all age ranges of gorillas and was the largest group with 22 members. This was the Agashya group. The Agashya group was named after it's Silverback, who took over the group over by first studying the former leader, Nyakarima and then challenging him. Agashya group is known to spend most of its time on the forested saddle between Mount Sabyinyo and Mount Gahinga. We travelled past the area where we saw the Golden Monkeys and along rough farmland tracks until we reached our start point. The guide told us that the gorillas were at the top of a hill in the dense forest and that we could hire a porter to carry our backpack and help us to negotiate the slippery terrain. I figured that $10 was a good deal to help a porter have some work for a day. Many of them were ex poachers so to support them make an alternative living was worth it. A young man named Tio stepped up to the job and introduced himself with a smile. We hiked up the hill and eventually came to the trackers. It seemed to take just over an hour which was quick in terms of finding gorillas. As with the Golden Monkeys we took our cameras, left the bags behind in a clearing and followed the main guide through the bush. The guide began to make soft grunting noises as we heard the bushes above rustle. This was apparently to let the gorillas know that we were no threat to them. All of a sudden I saw a big furry black face above the bushes and I stood in absolute awe of this incredibly powerful looking gorilla. The guides moved closer. Two then five gorillas came into view. A mum with an 8 month old baby sat about 4 metres from my feet. The baby came towards me staring and began to rock back and forth on all fours as if it was about to pounce.

It had a cheeky face with the gentlest looking features and my heart melted when it looked right at me. Just to show who was boss the baby stood up and beat on its chest while looking up at me. I couldn’t take my eyes off it and couldn't help but smile. It was so beautiful. Meanwhile mum just sat looking on, scratching her shoulder and looking very relaxed about the whole encounter. No words can describe that first encounter and connection.

Another guide indicated for me to move up to where he was. As I moved up the muddy red path I looked on the bushy slope to see a mother with a tiny baby in her arms, a couple of juveniles play fighting and 2 other adults relaxing near the top of the slope. Just out of view over the brow of the hill lay the huge resting silverback.

The mother held the baby for a while but it was feeling playful and soon broke free. It climbed on to a bamboo stalk that was lying horizontally over the slope, clung on with one arm and spun around in circles as far as its’ arm would let it. The baby then flung its’ feet around the stalk and hung upside down with the most comical of grimaces.

It tried to join in the play fighting with the two juveniles but when it got rough the mother reached down and pulled the baby away. At one point she broke up the two juveniles and one jumped onto the side of the slope as if it had just had a telling off. It plonked itself down on the ground, folded its arms and sat with a sulky look for a few minutes then the playing started all over. Two by two we got to move up the slope to where the silverback lay. When it was my turn he was sitting upright and observing us as much as we were observing him but he didn’t seem to mind at all. He kept a close eye on the other members of his group all the while. Meanwhile another adult lay in total relaxation, feet in the air, one hand on its chest and the other scratching under its chin. Another lay face down with its head in its hand watching the youngsters play. It was so human. For the fastest hour of my life I observed, photographed and took video of this amazing group. It was fascinating to watch. Just as were getting ready to leave the silverback stood up and walked down the slope and straight for me. My heart felt like it jumped out of my chest. His forearms were enormous and as he walked down the slope the huge muscles of his chest became apparent.

I don’t mind admitting I was part excited and part terrified, but the guides were observing his body language and knew that he was just moving to a different location and was not getting aggressive. I moved out of his way and he walked past me down the path. I couldn’t believe I had got so close to such a wild powerful animal. Later I heard a story of a man in a similar situation who hadn’t moved and the silverback just pushed him out of the way. That would have been an amazing story to tell but I’m not sure my heart would have survived to let me tell that tale! The gorillas were amazing, comical, and very human in their behavior and watching them has to be the most incredible experience of my life.

I don’t think I stopped smiling all day. On the way back Amon took me to town to see if we could find a football for the boys I’d met the previous day. I really wasn’t sure how I was going to find them again but I was determined to keep my promise to them. We stopped at a store, Amon talked to the man behind the desk and we followed him across the street to another shop. They had them in a box high up on a shelf. I was so happy! I walked to the same spot on the Crater Loop trail when we returned to the lodge in the hope they’d return, but unfortunately I didn’t see them. The rain was heavy that afternoon so it wasn’t surprising. I had their names and Amon said they wouldn’t be hard to find in the village so I was going to walk down the next day. I did meet another young boy called Vincent who'd climbed up the hill just to have a talk with me. He lived with his mother and sisters in the village below the lodge.

Day 4

After the previous afternoon and evening thunder showers the air was clear and the sun shone the next morning. We drove to the national park office as usual but there seemed to be much less people. It was the start of the rainy season so it wasn’t at its busiest. We’d had good luck with dry mornings for the trekking. Today Amon managed to score the best possible guide to visit the Sabinyo group of gorillas. Francois had been a porter for Dian Fossey which I was really excited about, but he was also a real showman when it came to guiding. He not only showed us what gorillas ate but he would actually eat it too. He taught us “gorilla talk” and made us repeat it as if we were in a language class and he’d run around beating his chest and grunting. He was such a huge personality and so likeable. I would love one day to have time to sit and talk with him about his life. His ability to read the body language and grunts of the gorillas was incredible.

The Sabinyo Group inhabits the same saddle of land between 2 volcanoes that the Agashya Group inhabit. The group is led by Guhonda, the largest silverback.

The hike was slightly harder than the day before and more bushwhacking with machetes by the guides was required to get to the gorillas but it was just as special as the day before. My porter today was Innocence who was a huge help to me. He carried my bag and at every muddy slope he would hold my hand in case I slipped. We were met by a shy adult gorilla who sat with its back to us in a clearing full of stinging nettles. I felt a burn through my trousers and on one finger from the nettles but I didn’t care. It was worth it to see these magnificent animals again. We moved up the slope and through some trees. Below us lay the huge silverback on his front with his head in his hand, just like I used to sit watching TV as a child. Above him a couple of adults and a baby were more active. One of the males was bald. The baby was hilarious to watch as it swung in circles from a vine and clambered around, frequently falling over. Francois on a few occasions would grunt at them as a signal to stay back from us and it worked. It was amazing. At one point the bald gorilla stretched out his arm and touched the leg of the woman next to me. This was apparently a signal that he didn’t want us to take photographs. We stopped for a few minutes until Francois told us that it was ok to take photographs again. We moved around with the gorillas observing the silverback, the adults, the juveniles and the babies. The silverback came close and sat in a small clearing. One of the guides with Francois nearby signaled for me to sit in front of the silverback. I could hear grunting behind me as he took a photograph but I had no idea the silverback was so close and looking right at me until I saw the photograph afterwards, but I had every faith in the guides’ ability to know what was safe.

The hour finished with observing the baby being nursed by the mother then playing around on the vines as if it was showing off to us. It would swing around on the vine and then stand still in a pose looking at us.

I was so sad to have to leave them but it’s good that they only allow one group per day for a maximum of one hour to observe them so as not to disturb them too much and it also minimises the risk of them catching any diseases from us and vice versa. A minimum distance to keep between us and the gorillas is recommended and we can respect it but the gorillas don't so if anyone feels like they're going to cough or sneeze they're asked to move away to prevent respiratory infections in the gorillas. The trackers continue to monitor their movements until they settle for the night not only to observe but also to protect them from poachers. Poaching has decreased over the years but snares are still found. The snares are set for other animals but gorillas do get caught in them. I was really impressed by the whole conservation effort and the running of the national park and hope that the government will continue with their support.

On the way back from the national park we stopped at the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund headquarters in Musanze. Veronica Vecellio who supervises mountain gorilla data collection and Rwanda National University students, and manages the long-term gorilla research databases met us and gave us a presentation of the work being done in Rwanda. She also told us about the efforts being made to set up research in the Democratic Republic of Congo. DRC is still very dangerous and the young man setting up the research is putting his life at risk. His philosophy is that someone must do it and he is willing to take that risk. Much like Dian Fossey was, he is at risk from poachers and rebel groups and doesn’t have the government support that the organization in Rwanda has. It was a fascinating tour of the centre where they’re working to set up an exhibition to educate schoolchildren and the general public. Pieces of furniture from Dian Fosseys’ cabin were on display along with photos taken by the National Geographic photographer Bob Campbell who visited her research area and with whom she ended up in a relationship with.

We also saw the basic laboratories where the scientific research went on. Veronica introduced us to the researcher who had just come back from DRC and together they just oozed enthusiasm and passion about their work and I have to say it was really contagious. I felt really privileged to have met them both.

On the way back to the lodge I spotted a familiar young boy on the road. I thought it was one of the boys I’d promised the football to but after Amon quizzed him it turned out to be the boy I’d met the day before called Vincent. Vincent did however know the two boys I wanted to find so he went to fetch them. By the time I had a bite to eat all three boys were outside the lodge waiting for me. I’d said hello to so many children over the days I didn’t recognize them at first but then I realised it was the ones I wanted to gift the football to. I was ecstatic. I handed over the ball and they played around in front of the lodge. The lodge staff looked on with big smiles and it made my day to see the boys playing. I explained before they left that it was for the whole team that they’d told me about and they all smiled and thanked me.

It was a perfect end to the day and to my last evening in Virunga Lodge. I was so grateful to Amon and Vincent for making it happen.

Day 5

Our final day in the area was a visit to Bisate where many of the trackers live with their families. The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International (DFGFI) supports the school and the medical clinic in the village. A large rectangular grass playing field was surrounded by single level primary school buildings. The deputy headmaster came to greet us and I could see some children peering out of their classrooms to catch a glimpse of our unfamiliar faces. I was glad to hear that the government provides free education to primary and secondary school age children but further education still requires to be funded either privately or by scholarships. We walked over to the grass area in front of the primary school to talk. The classrooms looked basic but just as good if not better than I had seen in a private school in Nepal. A representative of the DFGFI accompanied us on the tour. He was in charge of the support given to the medical clinic but also had some knowledge of the education support. The DFGFI supports the school by building classes and providing some of the provisions such as extra books. Computers for the library are also something that is planned for the near future. A man called Joseph from the DFGFI visits regularly and teaches the children about conservation. This is something extra that these children get that is not in taught in regular government schools. Field excursions are also provided. I heard a whistle blow and this signaled break time. Within minutes we were surrounded by smiling little faces looking at us curiously.

When the children began to push each other to get closer a teacher with a cane began to walk towards them and they scattered towards all corners of the field. Any time a camera was about to take a picture they ran to get in the photo and cheered when they heard the shutter click. I noticed one beautiful little girl with hair cut as short as the boys wearing a yellow skirt and wine coloured velvet top staring at me. I smiled at her and she shyly looked away at the ground. Over the next 5 minutes she got closer to me until eventually she was on my left side looking up at me with the most beautiful big eyes. I put my arm around her shoulder to give her a little hug, she smiled and then the whistle went to signal the end of break time. Two minutes later the field was empty again.

We visited a primary 2 class (age 7) and I could hardly swallow the lump in my throat as I walked in the class. The children sat 3 to a bench. The room was 3 benches wide and 5 deep. I’d never seen a room of such adorable and innocent faces. The deputy headmaster explained that we were friends of the DFGFI and that we’d come to visit them. They were learning math. The children don’t get taught English until later in primary school so he asked them to sing a song in Kinyarwanda, one of the main languages of Rwanda.

One little boy sang a short song by himself then the whole class sang their national anthem. Behind the lens of my camera as I took a picture my eyes were welling up. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. We applauded them and thanked them in Kinyarwanda before moving on to the see the secondary school.

The secondary school was an L shaped single storey building situated on a small hill above the primary school. Outside on the grass pupils of S5, the oldest year, sat spread out on the grass taking a test. They did their test like this to prevent cheating which was more likely in the classroom where they sat close together. I couldn’t imagine a better place to concentrate. The area was peaceful and sunny and looking down on them was the volcano Visoke. Not far from here was where Dian Fossey set up the Karisoke™ Research Centre on September 24, 1967 between Mt. Karisimbi and Mt. Visoke. Thankfully our presence didn’t disturb the class doing their test.

We went into the class S4 where we found students of languages. The class was noticeably smaller than the primary school class with around 25 students. We introduced ourselves and talked with the students. Most of them were too shy to speak up so two boys at the front of the class did most of the talking for everyone else. They explained what they were studying and told us about their hopes for future jobs. Girls also attended classes with the boys and I was told there are actually more girls than boys in Rwanda so there’s a strong focus on their education. After some chat, exchanging of emails and photos we moved on to see the clinic.

The Ecosystem Health Programme of the DFGFI aims to create a healthy environment for people and gorillas by working with local communities to develop health care, food and clean water, and providing education about disease prevention. This has included a programme to reduce the cases of intestinal parasites that can affect humans and gorillas. The DFGFI recognized that in keeping the trackers and their families healthier this would result in less risk of the gorillas contracting diseases. However, the clinic is still extremely basic but has improved a lot since the DFGFI became involved. I was told that previously mothers would give birth in the clinic and rats would come up through the floor and eat the placenta. Men, women and children who were admitted would all be kept in the same room but now thanks to the DFGFI they have separate rooms and clean water to take medications with. Unfortunately the solar power wiring was knocked out by lightning recently and needs fixed and a kitchen is required for families to make food for their relatives who have been admitted. The “kitchen” right now is a stone shed with 2 wooden benches inside and a place in the corner to build a fire. It really makes you appreciate what we in the west have come to expect from our healthcare system.

I thanked the tiny nurse that had showed us around the clinic in Kinyarwanda which she seemed to appreciate as she looked surprised that I’d spoken in her language then gave me a big hug, smiled widely and asked my name.

We left Bisate and headed back on the road to Kigali with the familiar sound of children shouting behind us and I gave them a big wave out of the window. I really hope to return again.

We pulled up to the Serena Hotel in Kigali. I was sad to have left the Virunga Mountains and the gorillas behind. I also thought I was going to be saying goodbye to Amon at this point. We checked in and he told Lynn and Fran that someone would come for them tomorrow to take them to the airport. I was waiting for him to tell me who my guide was going to be for my next adventure. Fran asked if he would be joining us for dinner. I was disappointed to hear him say that he couldn’t but my disappointment soon turned to happiness when he said he had to organize my trip south and that he would be guiding me for the next 4 days. I had a farewell dinner with Lynn and Fran that evening and got some rest before the next leg of the journey.

Part 2 and more photos and video from Volcanoes National Park coming soon. :)