Wet Weeks which go on forever!

Sunday

The Rainy season seems to have gone on forever this time. If you think that living in Africa is always hot and sunny think again!! For the last few weeks it has been cold and rainy and once you get wet and the cold penetrates there is no way of getting warm again – no fires or heaters to dry your clothes – and ‘No!’ no sun either. The only solution is to get home and get under the quilt – ‘When the going gets tough, the tough snuggle into bed under the mosquito net!’ 

But we are blessed because we have a nice dry home and more dry clothes to change into.

The week started with our marathon film-fest of 'Pride and Prejudice' all day Sunday. Friends came round to the Hacienda with food and drinks and we hunkered down for the day. (I must admit I nipped out for a while down to the local bar to watch Man City v Newcastle – Yay!) But most of Sunday was spent indoors knitting:)

Monday

Landslides

On Monday we were back on the road up to the northern sector of Rongi where the roads and tracks were treacherous, with landslides and mud everywhere. But our drivers are brilliant – they are  local guys who know these hills better than anyone and I feel safe with them. Of course sometimes we have to get off and walk, but that’s ok.

We stayed again in the Priests’ house and realised that we have been visiting them for over one year now! We have made good friends there and we often share a Primus with them and engage in very interesting discussions. We actually look forward to our visits and we are used to the damp beds now.

The Guys

The quality of the photos is exactly how the atmosphere is here at the moment – we live constantly in a mist of wet air and rain. Everything is damp. The big birds in the photo were taking refuge from the torrential rain and gathered in the tree, as the rain stopped they began to fly away. They soared high into the sky, but still beneath the low cloud, and were soon lost to sight.

Big Birds

Soaring

Three days later I had to go to Kigali again and so was quickly transported from rural rural Rwanda to the bustling and exciting urban area of Nyabugogo. I love it there!! There is so much happening and the whole world seem to jostle along nicely together! Even the tarmac roads are covered in mud from the rains and the River Nyaburongo has overflowed its boundaries – the flood plain is completely flooded, destroying some crops and threatening to engulf the road bridge leading into Kigali from Muhanga. If the rains continue in this way, Kigali will be cut off from the south of the country.

Nyabugogo, Kigali

On the way back from Kigali today (Thursday) our bus got a puncture (it happens! Ntakibazo). So, we all got off the bus and waited by the roadside for other buses to pick us up. I was happy because we stopped by a roadside stall selling bananas, onions and the local brew in bottles. I have noticed this stall before and the family who lives there. I went to say ‘Muraho’ to the family and ‘Bite (pronounced beetay, Hi) ’ to the children, then got out my sketch book and started to draw. The children all came round to watch and wanted me to draw them into the picture. It was a wonderful experience and brightened up what was threatening to be a drab day!! After about 20 minutes a bus came long and I had to jump on board, ‘Umuzungu, come, come!’

And it’s not even weekend yet!