Travel update, from Rwanda. Finally.

Sunday, December 5, 2010
Kigali, Rwanda

So I'm finally sitting down to write a blog post again (my last "travel logistics" one didn't count).
I guess being on the go these past few weeks has left me with less time for reflection, and therefore less time to think about a good blog post. But my travels are winding down now, so perhaps I'll try to squeeze in a couple more thoughtful bits of writing before my return to Canada.

I'm currently in the Rwandan capital of Kigali, where I have stayed for the past two nights, sharing a room with a friendly fellow traveller named Kati, from Finland. Most of you will certainly have heard of Rwanda because of the events that happened here 16 years ago, but now this country (or at least the parts I have been to) feel friendly and safe, as well as cleaner and more modern than Uganda. I visited the genocide memorial yesterday, and while Rwandans are moving on from their terrible past they certainly aren't forgetting, neither are they trying to hide or ignore what happened. Having the story of it all laid out before you is staggering, but learning more about what happened in Rwanda in 1994 feels to me like a necessary component of any trip to this country. The people of the memorial centre are doing the best they can to educate Rwandans and international visitors so that this type of tragedy will not happen again, anywhere. A daunting, perhaps unachievable task, but that doesn't mean we can't try.

My travels around Rwanda and Uganda these past two weeks have seen me: climb two mountains, soak in two hotsprings, swim in two lakes, travel on 5 different modes of transportation, speak greetings in 6 different languages (don't ask me to remember them all!), visit 7 cities, and share meals with 15 other travellers from around the world. It's been good.

I'm now beginning to feel less enthusiastic about packing and unpacking my bag on a near daily basis, and am beginning to mentally prepare for my journey home. I'm looking forward to sharing some of my photographs and stories at a series of "slideshow" events that I will be putting on when I get back. I'm also looking forward to lettuce. and cheese.

I'm staying at the Procure St. Famille tonight, a hostel run by the Catholic Church. Maybe having dinner with some french-speaking nuns. I'm sure it will be interesting. Then I'm off very early tomorrow morning on my journey back to Kasana. I'm hoping for, but never expecting, a smooth trip.