A bit of apprehension for this trip as I get to Entebbe
Airport mid-morning , not too sure how
ready I am for a week of African transportation and two climbs, both of which
are described as strenuous. Been procrastinating on how to get to Goma from
Kigali Airport by nightfall (5hrs by road and a lengthy border crossing, I’ve
been told). I get to Entebbe airport and see a United Nations flight checking
in for Goma – perhaps I should have got to know some of our UN and Safair
pilots that stayed at the Protea Hotel better. The distinctive lack of green
backs in my back pocket doesn’t help, either. This trip has been planned to
meet basic travel needs and very little cash is available for emergencies.
My back pack weighs a ton, though volume wise it’s no bigger
than anything I’ve carried before – put it on the scale, but it’s only 16kg.
There was a time when 16kg was lightweight; perhaps I am getting to old for
this kind of lark!
Great flight as usual with Rwanda Air, its only 50 minutes.
Pay my $30 visa fee and get zapped for Ebola on arrival, pick up my v heavy
pack and head outside to find cheapest transport available to get me across
town to Nyabugogo Taxi/Bus Station. The bodas (motorcycle taxis) are very
scarce by Uganda standards, and eventually one shows up after some walking
around. Perhaps it’s just the airport – because as I travel around – they are
actually everywhere. Now these bikes look good – 200cc recent model Japanese
makes – unlike the 50cc Chinese / Indian models that wreak havoc in Kampala.
Helmets compulsory – even for passengers, and only one passenger, how difficult
would it be to introduce this in UG and save so many lives. Off we go at what
seems like a very fast rate. The roads are in very good condition, clean, very
clean, and the traffic very courteous – but they all seem to travel so fast
compared to the snail paced, gridlocked, potholed filled roads of Uganda. I tap
on shoulder of my driver and gesture to him a bit slower please.
Get to Nyabugogo Station, and suddenly am surrounded by
people showing me how to get to Gsenyi, the border town with DRC on shores Lake
Kivi. With time on my mind, get into a mini bus that’s about to leave in 5
minutes and sit in the centre isle on a very uncomfortable – about to break -
fold out chair. Stuff my back pack is under the seat which gives it (the seat)
some support, as there was no room in the back compartment for it.
Road out of Kigali is uphill and winding, following the
ridges of the many hills. This is the land of 1000 hills. The roads are very
clean and well maintained – no stacks of rotting garbage – no litter – it is a
very well maintained country. Eucalyptus trees line the side of the roads – a
little reassuring I think, should we ever go off the road, as the drops down
from these hills are very steep.
Don’t get me wrong, the taxi and bus drivers are about as
reckless and fast as anywhere else on the African continent. We pass many
police on side of the road – our driver slows right down to a snail’s pace when
he spots them – only to speed up immediately when passed. A few stops on the way for ladies to squat on
the grass verge and relieve themselves. We make a long steady decent past tea
plantations with Lake Kivi in the distance, it looks beautiful.
Lake Kivi is part of the Albertine
Rift, which in turn is the western end of the bigger East African Rift Valley
system.One of the deepest lakes in the world – it holds a dark secret. Apart
from being a dumping ground for many genocide victims,Lake Kivu is one of three lakes in Africa identified as having huge
quantities of dissolved gases, held at pressure in its depths by the vast
weight of water overhead. Two of the others, Lakes Monoun and Nyos, both in Cameroon experienced
a ‘limnic eruption’ or 'lake overturn', a catastrophic release of suffocating
carbon dioxide probably triggered by landslides. Lake Nyos overturn was
particularly lethal, killing nearly two thousand people in the area around the
lake. Kivu is 2,000 times bigger than Lake Nyos and also contains dissolved
methane as an additional hazard to the tonnes of carbon dioxide. Nearly two million people, including the population of Goma,
live in the vicinity of Lake Kivu and could be in danger from a limnic eruption
triggered by one of the nearby volcanoes and the earthquakes associated with
them. CO2 is much heavier than oxegen, and if released by an explosion of
methane from its depths it would rise to the surface and sit on ground
dispelling the air we need to breath, and asphyxiating all those in the
vicinity within minutes.
Certain parts are very dangeroius to swim, as
very small amounts of gases are realised at times in mini limnic eruptions, and
sit on the surface of the water, so if planning to swim stick to the areas
where the local kids are swimming.
Around 3hrs after leaving Kigali we approach Rubavu the
local name for Gisenyi on the shores of Lake Kivu. From a distance it almost
looks like a tent city as the multitude of newly built (after 2002 eruption) houses
with shiny corrugated apex shaped roofs catch the late afternoon sunlight.
At first glances Gisenyi looks like a typical rough frontier
town – general disorder around, the main street is a mish mash of wheeler and
dealers, dusty streets with a throng of humankind on the move. I find out later
this is confined to around the central transport terminus and commercial area,
as the rest of the town, particularly as you make your way down to the hotels
and sizable holiday homes along the lake – it is in fact a beautiful and very
clean town. This was instantiated after my return from Goma - actually how
civilised and European looking Gisenyi actually is.
In a few minutes I was to see what a real rough border town
would look like, but now I’m at the bus station looking for a boda to take me
over. Flag one down and when I say Goma
he asks why and points to a small blue hut that marks Rwanda customs
immigration office, barely 500mtrs down the road – Goma on other side he says –
Ive already spotted the white red barrier gate marking the border. So I walk up
to the neat clean office and get stamped out of Rwanda and walk over to the Democratic
Republic of Congo. Don’t you love these acronyms that most African nations use
– Democratic? - Definitely not. A Republic? - Barely. The Congo? – Yes
definitely. The officer who stamped me out on the Rwanda side had said that I
may not get into DRC – I reminded him I do have a visa and ask why not – he had
lifted his eyebrows and replied it’s “just like that” The difference through
the boom gate is immediate – there is a queue of 2-300 hundred people on the
other side of the road waiting to get into Rwanda from DRC, – and on this side
of the road about a hundred are milling around trying to get into DRC – with no
particular order or system.
Being the only Mzungu for miles (in fact haven’t seen one
since the airport) does help - I stand out like a sore thumb and am quickly
ushered up to a small hut with a uniformed officer at a desk. Get the usual
“what you doing, where you going, how long are you here for” questions, asks a
few repeated questions about coming here to work, (somehow I doubt it) Show my
visa and yellow fever card, he’s flicking through my passport looking for
something.
A youngster out of uniform appears looks at my vaccination
card and tells me my hepatitis needs updating
(It doesn’t, as it is only 3 years old) give me $10, he demands, with my
vaccination card in his hand. I refuse telling him first that the jab is not
out of date and what’s more I don’t need hepatitis for DRC – only Yellow Fever.
The official officer is by this stage slowly, hand writing my details in an A1 journal.
The out of uniform guy demands $10 again – I say no, it is not out of date – he
asks again – I don’t reply, he hands back my vaccination card.
Exchange
Rates
CF900 =
US$1
RF700
=US$1
The Immigration officer is ever so slowly completing my
details in the journal and now he asks for something to help ‘facilitate’ this
transaction. Ask him what needs to be facilitated? – I have my visa and yellow
fever - the only requirements. He keeps flicking, flicking then reluctantly
stamps me in and gives me back my passport, and says ’’you are welcome”.
That was two pretty piss poor attempts at getting money out
of the only Mzungu in town. You will have to do better next time my friends, if
you want to fleece this guy!!
Immediately I see the difference – if a thought Gisenyi was
rough well – it’s a paradise compared to this Wild West town. That is exactly
what it looks like grey black dust covers everything, big wide grey black dusty
streets and instead of cowboys riding around on horse with 6 shot colts on
their sides, we have blue uniformed UN solders riding on back of Unimogs with rifles at the ready. On the opposite side
of the dusty road the queue to get into Rwanda still stretches down the road.
Get a boda and try what the Lonely Planet describes as nice old
colonial hotel. The UN vehicles parked outside confirm my original thoughts –
too many Mzungus around this place - therefore expensive - $50 room, and it’s
full anyway. Try the Hotel Bassion du Congo further down the road; get a tiny,
tiny room in the roof with smelly toilet, damp walls and no hot water - for $30
without breakfast. But even the UN is using it, so choices must be limited. It’s getting late now – the sun’s going down,
don’t want to be walking around here too much after dark, besides it’s started
to rain lightly. Accommodation is very expensive in this town – and I didn’t
even look anywhere near the lake front - that’s what happens when the UN comes
to town.
Start talking to Justin at reception about getting to Kibati
at the boundary to Park National des Virungas, about 15kms north. Arrange a motorcycle
taxi for the morning at 6 am. Order tilapia fillet for dinner and a Skol beer –
a whole tilapia arrives after an age. Joseph tells me about Chez Dego down on
the lake front, plenty of beer, music, mzungus and mamoushka, he offers to get
me a motorcycle taxi; I decline politely, and head off to bed. It’s a very hot
and noisy night with little sleep.
Tuesday 16 Dec 2014
An early morning sunrise over the distant hills ensures I am
awake very early. Black instant coffee and Provita biscuits and peanut butter
for breakfast (for this morning and all
others to follow).Get a motorcycle taxi and head out of town to Kibati –
Nyiragongo looms straight up ahead on a clear beautiful day. Steep sides with a
large flat top – it does look impressive and very steep!! Mostly smooth
volcanic ash / gravel road to the Park Rangers post at Kibati. Pass a South
African Army Engineers unit on the way – helping re build the roads I presume –
best Sappers in Africa says the board at the gate, you better believe it,
probably the only ones. Get to Kibati ranger post, the place is empty – I’m a little
surprised- the guard asks me for my reservation from the Nat Park office in
Goma (didn’t know there was an office in town – let alone the prior reservation
procedure – no mention of it in any reference) They phone the said office and
get hold of someone who speaks English.
He tells me the park was closed 2 days ago for security
reasons – a security sweep is what I make out from the bad phone reception -
and opening only at end of the week. Contemplate waiting for it to reopen – but
they tell me all bookings made during the closure have been accommodated in the
period after the park is re-opened and the trek is fully booked until next
week. FFS !!! Try to negotiate a way into the park – but it’s not going to
happen.
I’m v pissed off – at my own lack of organisation, at the “security set up “, perhaps for not making a booking, and at my own
bad luck – closed just 2 days ago !!
Nothing to do but head back down to Goma – now the Boda
driver wants double money for return trip ( not that he was ever going to get a
return passenger from upo here) Give him 10000 Francs ( $US11) I’m V pissed off. Find the
national Park Office and talk again to the guy from the phone – he just
confirms everything we already know.
Security in South
Eastern DRC. That can be best described at most times as uncertain – although the
volcano and gorillas are open to tourism MOST of the time now. Political
violence is common in the Eastern part of the country. The M23 rebels, who in
late 2008 killed 7 gorillas on the slopes of Mt??), and in 2010 took control of
Goma for a while. The remnants of Interahamwe extremists, who were responsible
for the genocide in Rwanda, still enjoy santurary in the mountains. Add the Mai
Mai and the Banymulenge rebels, and 300,000 refugees into the
mix and you have a lethal cocktail.
May as well have a quick look around the town, so find an
English speaking guide, and two bodas
( one for me one for guide)only one passenger per bike remember, and
compulsory helmets. Justin back at the
hotel is happy to see me at least. Head of up North side of town to Hotel
Karaba, nice spot on lake with big sweeping gardens down to water’s edge. Local
fisherman net tiny fish from the lake – then seem to spend an age picking them
out of the huge nets. Pass by reconstructed homes with silver iron roofs
shining in the sunlight.
Goma - A modern day Pompeii Most
people in Goma are far more concerned about violence than the threat of a
volcanic eruption. Goma presents not one, not two but three major risks:
rebels, volcanoes and a deadly dangerous gas bubble.
Mt Nyiragongo
Stratovolcano 3470 m (11,384 ft)
DRCongo, -1.52°S / 29.25°E
DRCongo, -1.52°S / 29.25°E
Mt Nyiragongos lava lake summit elevation 3470 m The Great Rift Valley is being pulled apart,
leading to earthquakes and the formation of volcanoes, deep lakes, no more so than in the Western end of the Virunga massif.
One of the most active volcanos in Africa.Between 1894 and 1977 the crater
contained an active lava lake. On 10 January 1977, the crater walls fractured,
and the lava lake drained in less than an hour. The lava flowed down the flanks
of the volcano at speeds of up to 60 miles per hour on the upper slopes,
overwhelming villages and killing at least 70 people. The hazards posed by
eruptions like this are unique to Nyiragongo. Nowhere else in the world does
such a steep-sided stratovolcano contain a lake of such fluid lava. In January 2002, Nyiragongo erupted, sending a stream
of lava up to one kilometre wide and up to two metres deep through the center of the
city as far as the shores of Lake Kivi. The summit is 2000 m above the level of Lake
Kivu. Two other peaks in the complex are Baruta (3100 m) and Shaheru (2800 m).
From 1928 to 1977 there was a long active lava lake in the summit crater. In
1982 there was a lava pond which rapidly cooled. The fissure eruption at the
volcano in 1977 was related to regional tectonic activity.
A major eruption began
at Nyiragongo Volcano on Thursday 17th January 2002 with lava flows reaching
the city of Goma. The 2002 eruption of Nyiragongo displaced 500,000 people.
Agencies monitoring the volcano were able to give a warning and most of
the population of Goma evacuated to Gisenyi, in one of the biggest UN manned operations in its time. The lava destroyed 40%
of the city (more than 4,500 houses and buildings). Dispite reconstruction and rebuilding, stilltoday many parts of the town
have a empty, dusty, dirty wild west feel to it. There were some fatalities
caused by the lava and by emissions of carbon dioxide, which causes asphyxiation. The lava also covered over
the northern runway of Goma International
Airport, isolating the terminal and apron. About 147 people died in the eruption
from asphyxiation by. Six months after the start of the 2002 eruption, Nyiragongo
volcano erupted again. Lava lakes reformed in the crater in eruptions in
1982–1983 and 1994. Another major eruption of the volcano began on January 17,
2002, after several months of increased seismic and fumarolic activity. A 13 km fissure opened in the south flank of the volcano,
spreading in a few hours from 2800 m to 1550 m elevation, reaching
the outskirts of the city of Goma the provincial capital on the northern shore
of Lake Kivu. Lava streamed from three spatter cones at
the end of the fissure and flowed in a stream 200 to 1000 m wide and up to
2 m deep through Goma. Whereas most lava flows move rather slowly and rarely pose a danger
to human life, Nyiragongo's lava flows may race downhill at up to 60 miles
per hour (up to 100 km/h). Warnings had been given and 400,000 people were
evacuated from the city across the Rwandan border into neighbouring Gisenyi during the eruption. 2013 Eruptions
Nyiragongo remains active in January 2013 with satellite images showing hotspots over the volcano, and sulphur dioxide plumes. An lava lake remains active in the summit crater.
Nyiragongo remains active in January 2013 with satellite images showing hotspots over the volcano, and sulphur dioxide plumes. An lava lake remains active in the summit crater.
19th April 2009 Update
An increase in volcanic seismic activity has been detected at Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since January 2009, recurrent seismic swarms have been detected at Rusayo seismic station. The volcanic earthquakes have come mainly from Nyiragongo volcano, which contains an active lava lake. According to a report by scientists from the volcano observatory in Goma the same signs that preceded the 1977 and 2002 eruptions have been identified. Activity at Nyiragongo is ongoing, but currently confined to the crater, where another lava lake has formed about 250 metres below the level of the 1994 lava lake. In 2005, volcanic activity again threatened the city
An increase in volcanic seismic activity has been detected at Nyiragongo volcano in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Since January 2009, recurrent seismic swarms have been detected at Rusayo seismic station. The volcanic earthquakes have come mainly from Nyiragongo volcano, which contains an active lava lake. According to a report by scientists from the volcano observatory in Goma the same signs that preceded the 1977 and 2002 eruptions have been identified. Activity at Nyiragongo is ongoing, but currently confined to the crater, where another lava lake has formed about 250 metres below the level of the 1994 lava lake. In 2005, volcanic activity again threatened the city
UN personal are
everywhere. Every NGO, UN agency, church group, and child welfare, medical or
educational institute are here. Helping push up the prices everywhere and pumping
money into the local economy, but not necessary saving any souls. White UN
planes come and go regularly from the small airport which is virtually in the
middle of the town. Very little English anywhere – French and local lingo abound.
Police army and blue uniformed UN personal with weapons at the ready are
everywhere. Roads are made out of fine
grey volcanic dust and it gets everywhere and covers everything.
Virunga
National Park reopens, new expeditions to Nyiragongo planned for summer 2014
Wednesday Feb 26, 2014 16:59 PM
After a pause of 2 years,
Congo's Virunga National Park opens again this month. The Virunga National
Park, founded in 1925, is Africa's oldest and one oldest national park and home
to some of the last surviving mountain gorillas, but also two of the world's
most interesting and most active volcanoes, Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira.
We all hope that the situation continues to stabilize and we can again offer expeditions to these volcanoes, probably already this summer (planned for July 2014).
We all hope that the situation continues to stabilize and we can again offer expeditions to these volcanoes, probably already this summer (planned for July 2014).
Typical eruption style: Large effusive eruptions; persistent lava lake in the summit crater.
Nyiragongo volcano eruptions: 1884, 1894, 1898, 1899, 1900, 1901, 1902, 1905, 1906, 1908(?), 1911, 1918, 1920-21, 1927-77, 1977, 1982, 1994-96, 2002 (17 Jan.), 2002-ongoing (lava lake)
See some huge volcanic rocks piled up on side of the road,
signal driver to stop, jump off and take out my camera. Before I’ve even opened
up the camera two young guys in army uniforms jump out op the roadside scrub
start screaming and gesturing with their arms stop, stop. Oh no here comes shit
– I Apparently behind the few hundred
metres of piled rock is the airport – and I’ve done the inconceivable in any
African country - taken a picture in proximity of the airport – with view to
blow it up!! Only problem is that I haven’t taken any picture yet – in fact my
camera is still in its bag. The situation quickly escalates with shouting and
accusations flying about, mainly levelled at my guide in the local lingo. They
get quick to the point – they want $100 or they will call their commanding
officer – I say no to the money and tell them to call the officer. All the
while trying to show them that no picture was even taken and that we will be on
our way immediately.
Commander arrives and again due to language directs most of
the verbal against the guide. There is no way out of this we’ve been shouting
(rather the army guys have been shouting) the poor guide been shaking in his
boots with a tirade of abuse directed his way, and I’ve been apologising
profusely. But that’s not going to help, eventually some facilitation has to
take place – I show him the $30 I have in my wallet, years of travel tells you
only keep small notes available for show – the bigger more important ones are
hidden on you well out of sight. He takes it and promptly tells me I can now take
pictures of the rocks – but not of the airport. The younger guys protest at the
lack of money for them and he screams at them and they jump to attention and
salute as he walks off.
We continue. The guide is a bit shaken but still keen to
show me around, wants his sightseeing money. Stop at the original lava flows, now
overgrown with weeds, but it’s obvious the destruction that this eruption had
caused, a lot of rebuilding taking place.
Take a ride out to a part on the lake with big properties and great lake
views. Kids push huge big wooden two wheel bicycles (solid wooden wheels) around
laden with 2 – 300 kgs of goods. They look like a giant wooden scooter with a
plank to reinforce the steering column. If the bicycle is empty the kid kneels
down on it and pushes of on the road with his other foot, whilst the kneeling
foot is up against a rubber pad (
piece of Tyre )in turn up against the
back wheel to act as a brake. Hugely
cumbersome - but very effective.
Now with a day in hand – and this place has really pissed me
off, its time to get out of here. The Boda drivers want more money because of
the extra hour spent over the photo incident. Pay them original agreed fee and
wave them off. Pick up pack at hotel and walk down to border crossing. No
queues today?? Mzungu gets ushered into immigration hut ahead of the few others
waiting. Bespectacled officer flicks through my passport over and over whilst
staring at me. I keep my eyes right back on him, I’m not in the mood for any
more shit. He tells me once I’ve left I can’t come back as I have a single
entry visa – I assure him I’m well aware of that. Finally stamps me out of the
country. Walk across into Rwanda, Ebola check, $30 visa and walk through.
Suddenly Gisenyi looks like a peaceful holiday resort town on the side of the
lake compared to its counterpart next door. The difference is immediate - this
country, this town is clean and civilised. At the taxi rank grab a window seat
as I’m early, but soon we are off to Musanze.
Heart skips a beat as we come into Musanze, directly in
front of me is Subinyo, Gahinga and Muhabura seen from the Rwanda side for my
first time. And to the left is Bisoke and Mikeno with its jagged edges -
beautiful. Recognise a few spots from the guide book. A man with a 20 foot pole
over his shoulder steps out into the road and we nearly hit the pole hanging
over his shoulder.
From Musanze grab a boda and head 12 kms up toward the
mountains to Kinigi Guest house - in Kinigi, with a still very solid pack on my
back. I had phoned ahead to check availability and prices (after struggling to
find anything in Goma). No problem $7 for a dorm room which I have to myself,
and have access to a suite across the hall for ablutions – very cool deal –
could even just sleep in the suite – who would know?
Soupe Du Legume, Filet au sauce Poirve vert for dinner –
huge portions!! Retire to lounge as rain comes down on the tin roof – and
contemplate tomorrows plan for climbing Bisoke
Mt Bisoke
|
Summit located in Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the
border with Rwanda
|
|
|
Location
|
|
|
August 1957
|
|
Next morning take my small pack and gear I need for Bisoke,
and walk the 500 metres to Nat park HQ. Very handy. The day is clear and
mountains look stunning – the three on the Uganda / Rwanda border Muhabura,
Gahinga, Sabyinyo, on the right – whilst Bisoke and Karisimbi on the DRC /
Rwanda border in front of me to the right. Sabinyo (jagged teeth) stands right
out in front of us against a blue sky, looks daunting. It’s the only mountain
where hikes do not take place fronm the Rwandan side – apparently someone fell
off the very steep ridges a few years back and died and has been considered too
dangerous since.
List of mountains in the Virunga
mountain range
|
Name of
mountain
|
Location
|
Elevation in
Metres
|
Elevation in
Feet
|
|
4,507
|
14,790
|
||
|
4,437
|
14,560
|
||
|
4,127
|
13,540
|
||
|
3,711
|
12,180
|
||
|
3,674
|
12,050
|
||
|
3,474
|
11,400
|
||
|
3,470
|
11,400
|
||
|
3,058
|
10,031
|
Walk down to Virunga Park HQ, pay $75, get my guide and
register for the climb. There are about 20 people milling around and more
arriving. They are all doing Gorillas, with one couple doing golden monkeys, I
ask if anyone else is doing a climb – they tell me only me so far. This
presents a problem, as I need to get myself and my guide Emmanuel to the start
of the climb, on the park boundary some 18 kms away, and to be collected at end
of the climb. Cars can be rented for $80, but that is pretty excessive. I had known about this but had hoped to find
others going in the same direction, so far no one. I race back to the lodge and
find the hotel driver who I had sounded out last night – we agree on something
far less than $80 and in Rwandan Francs and head back to the park – for the
guide and off to the starting point. It needs to be a sturdy vehicle as the
last 5 kms are pretty rough over rock.
As it is we break down 2 kms from starting point, and as the
day has started to cloud over, get out and walk to boundary. Someone else in no
uniform has tagged along offering walking sticks, and I think he’s hoping to be
a porter, no need as I only have small pack – he comes with us to the top
nevertheless. Guide and myself, are meet with 5 armed Park rangers, at park
boundary I ask guide if all are coming to the top, he says yes “heavy
protection for one mzungu”.
The climb is steep and slippery (Emmanuel says this is still
dry). It’s a slow climb stopping every few metres to catch my breath. The
Kilimanjaro theory of Pole Pole. The
guide and rangers are showing no strain what’s so ever. A few ridges and crests
but otherwise its straight up. Wet underfoot but I haven’t slipped yet, and no
bog as in the Ruwenzori. The cloud has cleared from the top and the sun shining
through. We see Gorilla shit, mountain buffalo tracks and hear bush antelope
snorting, but see no Gorillas – they can be sighted on the track as this is the
area of the ??? habituated groups. But once sighted you would be lucky to get
your guide to get any closer – as that is designated a separate activity from
the crater lake climb and needs to be paid for as such. This is confirmed as we
pass the turnoff to Dian Fosseys grave and those of some of her closet primates
companions. I ask if we can take detour to see them – the answer is no as that
is a separate activity and needs to be started from scratch another day from
the Park HQ. Nor is it possible to do a round trip from the summit of Bisoke
across the saddle and up to the summit of Karisimbi and back down. No that’s
two trips two separate days and two park fees. They sure know how to milk the golden cow.
There is no snow on this mountain just heavy cloud and fog.
At 3700mtrs above sea level it’s the 4th highest mountain in the
range of eight. A perfect cone shape with a big flat top which sits a deep crater
lake. We climb up through typical rainforest on the lower slopes which keep us
protected from the sun to more lighter alpine scrub, but we’re never really out
in the open. Two and half hours of Pole Pole we reach the top and have about 5
minutes of clear crater lake ( but no view off the Mountain) it looks beautiful
and desolate – snap a few pics before the cloud come in and slight rain starts
– forcing us to make an early retreat back down. Consider myself very lucky to
see the whole lake – have heard of people getting to the top and not being able
to see anything. The light drizzle stops as soon as it started, and in an hour
and half we are back down. I think we travelled up pretty quick as I was the
only one in the group. Say good bye to security contingent after a few photos,
and head back across the fields of poly flowers.
Poly flowers
These are
picked and dried and currently sold off to Canada for processing into
insectides. There was a problem in the 70s when this flower was worth so much
that forests were being destroyed to make way for crops of flower. But that
seems to have halted with the declaration of the World heritage Site. There are
plans to build a processing plant in the region and keep the money local, but
don’t see any evidence of this yet.
Meet the driver with the car that is working and have a bone
charring ride back to the lodge. Chat to a young Norwegian couple who a gorilla
grouped very far away – so they could get a bit of a trek in as well. And a Dutch
guy cycling his way around Rwanda has checked in with the same problem as me – doesn’t
have his own transport, but reassure him there will be plenty of others going
and a lift won’t be difficult. Tilappia brochette and salad, and two quarts of
ice cold Primus beer for dinner. Only four of us and a local Rwandan in the
Lodge. Beautiful gentle rain, and a brill hot shower, no problems with hot
water here. Contemplate another crater,
Lake Nyeze for $30, or golden monkeys for $100.
Thursday 18 Dec 2014
Most of the rain seems to happen at night around here, and
the mornings are generally clear. No exception this morning as Subinyo stands majestic
against a blue sky.
Feeling pretty stiff and sore from yesterday so as I still
have a day in hand decide to take it easy.
I seem to be having a problem with a couple of $100 notes -
pre 2006 – nobody wants to take them – far too valuable to forget about and
they form a key part of my mega budget – so leave them with a young guy at
reception to see what he can come up with.
Peanut butter and Provitas again for breakfast, then head
out for a walk around the country side.
Head left out of lodge gate to small village of Kazu up the
road. Within minutes (as always in Africa ) I have a crowd of kids around me
“Mzungu, Mzungu, Mzungu.” Two kids Ally and Barrack hang on longer than the
others and seem generally keen on practising their English. We walk through
eucalyptus plantations to the small town of Kinigi and go and check out the
market. As expected I am the centre of attention. Buy some pineapples to eat
and some local beautiful bright coloured cloth to take back to SA. We walk out
across fields and do a big rural loop before heading back to Kinigi. They tell
me all about their village life and school. The emphasis has changed from French
to English in schools. All lessons are in English and only one French lesson a
week, as a result the younger generation are more fluent in English than
French. We pass a guy cutting down in the slow process of – as he’s using a
small axe) a large mature tree. I share my concern with my two boys – they tell
me you are supposed to get permission from the land owner first – then they are
obliged to plant two for everyone you cut down. Don’t know if that is ever
implemented, but I checked and it is government policy. Not that young saplings
could ever replace a fully grown trees. It’s an ongoing issue in third world
countries, where wood and charcoal is the only source of cooking and heat. This
may account for the large number of eucalyptus and pine we see planted.
I’m expecting some request for money as we get back to the
village – there is a request, but it’s not for money, it’s for a school English
dictionary that is in the local little general everything shop, for RF 500
($7). I’m not keen on giving them money
but very happy to buy them a dictionary. So we check out the shop, looks like
the dictionary has gone. Instead of giving them the money (which is likely to
be spent on something else anyway) to buy a dictionary I take their names and
tell them I’ll send the dictionaries to the lodge from Uganda.
Barrack is apparently in trouble with his mother for going
out with Mzungu instead of doing his share of work around the house.
Get back to lodge mid-afternoon to see the Dutch cyclist is
still around and another Dutch pair (a son with his 60+ mother) backpacking
around Uganda and Rwanda – very courageous of her! Another American couple and
the Rwandan guy make up 7 pax in house tonight. Get together with Dutch mum /
son team and cyclist – he wants to do Golden Monkeys and they want to do Crater
lake Ngenze – and I want to do both – but it’s the usual story of none of us
have vehicles. So after dinner of Tilapia brochette again and a couple of
Primus beers – delicious, we decide to pool a car and do monkeys. Try to get
hold of our hotel driver, but seems to be bit of confusion with our waiter who
booked a car outside of the hotel for the Dutch pair – not allowed – and my
driver who apparently has gone AWOL, and has been ordered back by management. The waiter who booked the car from outside is
now shaking in his boots, fearing he will lose his job – so we take the
managers word that Dismis our hotel driver will be back in time from his
unauthorised excursion to take us tomorrow.
All in all - a good evening.
Friday 19 Dec 2014
Up early as usual - with a bit of flu – it’s all this cool
clean mountain air. So meet Dutch cyclist and Dutch pair after breakfast and
Dismis is there with the hotel bakkie. Agree on RWF 40000($52) for all of us, a
far cry from the $80 it took me to get to Bisoke starting point, alone. But as
we find out the drive to the monkeys as a fraction of the distance, and nowhere
near as rough. This transportation business to from the parks activities is a
scam and needs looking into. I say so to my guy at reception (who by the way
has changed my out of date US$ 100 notes into RWF’s at a very good rate only
slightly less than market rate). He agrees and says we (me and him) should do
something about it (i.e., I buy a 4x4, I set up a company and he will drive).
Meet at Park HQ and it’s only us. Pick up our guide, a student who is on field
studies and head off, a short drive to park boundary – meet to armed escorts
and head off into the hills.
It’s a short drive to the park boundary, and a 20 minute
walk before we get to the park boundary and we meet up with our 2 armed guards,
and another 20 minutes until we get to the monkeys amongst a thicket of tall
bamboo– feel I’ve cheated myself out of a decent hill climb. They are beautiful
creatures jumping around between bamboo and the taller trees. Any thoughts of
them being too high or too far to see or photograph are quickly dispelled as
they run right past you and play around, within half a metre albeit for a
second or two only. But they are
extremely quick and the vegetation is dense. Fantastic photo opps. But you can
only really capture them on film by sitting in one place with camera set up and
wait for their curiosity to get the better of them – so that is what I do. Telephoto
and Tripod being a necessity. In patches the sun shines through the bamboo and
catches the fluffy light brown tufts on their cheeks and on their backs – this
is when the gold colouring really shows through. They are everywhere running
around – over a 100 in this troupe I’m told. Occasionally have to move my
position as they move up and down the hill. Mum with babies clinging to their
underbelly, and a big alpha male comes into view, one of only two in this
group. Cheerful and playful, an absolute pleasure just to watch.
The
golden monkey is a species of Old World monkey found in the Virunga volcanic
mountains of Central Africa, including four national parks: Mgahinga, in
south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga and
Kahuzi-Biéga, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. It is restricted to
highland forest, especially near bamboo.
The
golden monkey is a species of Old World monkey found in the Virunga volcanic
mountains of Central Africa, including four national parks: Mgahinga, in
south-west Uganda; Volcanoes, in north-west Rwanda; and Virunga and Kahuzi …
Scientific name:
Cercopithecus kandti
One hour later and it’s time to go. Back at the hotel, $100
lighter for a 2 and 1/2hr venture – but well worth it, as photos look great.
Chill out the rest of the afternoon – few beers, (a bottle of Virunga craft
beer, it says – like Guinness) a nap and later fillet steak and rice for
dinner. Only the 4 of us in house tonight, but an Israeli guy joins us later,
pretty shattered directly from Tel Aviv, via Addis, and a taxi from Kigali.
He’s doing monkeys tomorrow – long way for monkeys, I think.
Inevitably, as I always find with older people from Europe -
the evening’s conversation turns to political situation in Israel - and South
Africa.
Saturday 20 Dec 2014
Arrange for Dismis to take us, me and the Dutch couple ( the
cyclist left much earlier )to Mzunze Taxi rank – where we will take a mini bus
back to Kigali. RWF 1700 to Kigali in a bigger more modern mini bus, with only
one toilet stop – it’s a quick 2 hr trip. The scenery as usual is stunning,
terraced hills, mountains, winding road beautiful condition with good rain
runoff, it seems mostly downhill to Kigali. Thought of our cyclist having to
travel up these hills on his way around the country.
We all comment on how careful our bus driver is, slow and
careful - as most of the trip seems to be downhill. Certainly the last hour
into Kigali seems like we’re coming off one big ridge. But the driving outside is very different –
big trucks and other buses overtake on blind corners and hurtle down the hills,
as crazy as Uganda. Arrive very safe and sound at NY bus station and get the
usual come ons fron the motorcycle taxis. Bid farewell to the Dutch mum and son
pair, and head out to Rwanda Youth Hostel as recommended by our cyclist. I had
phoned ahead this time to see if they had space – they do – but at $16 pp for a
dorm room (with Breakfast), it’s pretty hefty, and non-negotiable (breakfast is
free, I’m told – so no price reduction over that). One question begs – regards breakfast?
Rwanda produces some of the best coffee in the world – so why when you ask for
a coffee in most places you get a jar of Nescafe? A couple of other phone calls confirm that
accommodation in Kigali is pricey at the best of times, so decide to stay put.
Have a dorm room to myself again – and again endless hot water – something that
seems in ample supply wherever I’ve been in Rwanda. It’s outside of city centre
by 20 mins by motor cycle, in a well off embassy, NGO area. Not really the
typical Rwanda city buzz I was looking for – but it’s full of all sorts and
everyone is very friendly.
Kigali is a great clean organised city – as far as organised
African cities go. Roads in good condition – no rubbish strewn around. But it’s
very hilly – more so than Kampala. Motorcycle taxis take you everywhere for RWF
1000 max. Only one passenger and helmets are compulsory. Traffic lights work
and no smog!! I’m very impressed.
It’s still only midday – so time to get out and see a few
things. Firstly the Kigali Memorial Centre.
The entrance is free to this memorial to the genocide of
1994, and so it should be. That way
everybody has a chance to see what never should never have happened. Why did Rwanda decent in 100 days of utter
bloodthirsty chaos? The memorial explains it the best it can, but there is no
real reason as to why Hutus turned onto, and massacred 800,000 Tutis and fellow
Hutus in 3 months. It wasn’t the shooting down of an aeroplane that killed the
Hutu President at the time – as always it was deeply embebed in centuries of
ethnic and colonial divisions.
And why were 800,000 people dead before anybody else in the
world even responded, despite being warned beforehand that something was
dangerously about to go wrong?
I spend hours going back and over the exhibits and the
storyline, trying to figure it out. The sections on the killings are graphic –
as are the actual video and news clips, they need to be. This was no war of
greed over land, money, oil, or political power, this was a specific detailed
plan worked out by one race to exterminate another. That is what separates
genocide from war – a detailed master plan with one aim – to remove one race of
mankind completely - and with finality from the face of this earth. The section on children who fell to the killer’s
machetes is particularly moving. The whole memorial and gardens are built over a
big mass graveyard that is home to 250,000 souls.
Three points stay in my mind as I leave that may give an
insight into how it ever got that far.
Firstly, the turning point in colonial time when political
and church leaders gave the previously disadvantaged Hutus greater political
leverage over the better educated and previously preferred Tutsis. They
suddenly became power hungry.
Secondly the huge arms build up provided by the French government
to the Hutu lead government during the civil war – barely a year before the massacre.
The Rwandan Army (Hutu dominated) now had everything it needed to carry out the
massacre.
Thirdly, the French Commander of UNAMIR, Lt General Romeo
Dallaire- who were in Rwanda on a very weak mandate, to keep the truce after
the civil war, faxed his superiors at the UN Headquarters saying he had knowledge through an informant of a planned
massacre on a huge scale. He requested his mandate be extended and said he only
needs 5000 men to avert any war. His plea was ignored, sighting the constraints
of the Arusha accord that had ended the civil war, and the UN Force was
withdrawn on schedule.
The complete ignorance of the political beaurocrats and
their refusal to grab the magnitude of the situation, resulted in only 250 UNAMIR
solders remaining behind (from an original force of ? ) and being confined to
barracks when the massacre broke out.
Timeline to disaster
Those thoughts stay with me for the rest of the day and it’s
pretty surreal as I walk into Hotel des Mille Collines, the inspiration for the
movie Hotel Rwanda. Now a Kempinski 5 star luxury hotel with well healed
tourists sipping cocktails around a sparkling blue pool. But back in 1994 it
was owned by Sabena airlines, and when the genocide started the European
management were evacuated and the manager of the local smaller Hotel des
Diplomats, Paul Rusesabagina, was given the keys. Paul opened the hotel doors to
the flood of Tutsis and Hutus fleeing the violence. Bribing the Interahamwe
with money and alcohol he manages to keep these refuges feed and hidden. It’s an amazing story of courage and
unselfishness in a desperate, desperate situation. Paul was eventually
evacuated along with his family in a UN convoy, and fled to Belgium, as the
Interahamwe seized the hotel. Its 5 star business as usual at the hotel today
and you need to sit and take some time before the magnitude of his humanitarian
effort sinks in. I meet our Dutch our
Dutch couple there – a RWF6000 non resident entrance, very surreal. Get the
movie and watch it – you will never forget it.
Off to the outskirts of town to Camp Belgium or Camp Kigali
as it is also called, to the Gizisi Memorial. This is another very vivid
reminder of the atrocities committed by the Hutu Interahamwe. At the start of
the massacre 11 Belgium peace keeping solders, all junior ranked young NCOs, found themselves cornered in a Rwandan army
barracks by advancing Interahamwe, bravely holding out for several hours with
only hand guns the soldiers were eventually captured, lined up 2 by 2 in the
corner of a small room and executed. The memorial outside of 11 pillars draped
in flowers is another moving tribute. The camp has since been dismantled and a
development now stands in its place. But the small building with bullet pock
marks and sentry post still stands – and the inside is completely bare except
for the bullet holes in the corner of the room where the executions took place.
On the way back we go past the Hotel des Diplomates – the
hotel of Paul Rusesabagina fame, not far from Gizisi Memorial. It’s had a
checked history but has turned the corner and is now a Serena, and Kigali’s
only 5 star hotel, after the Agha Khan put some serious money into it.
Back to the centre of town and stop of at Union Trade Centre
(UTC) new shopping mall on top of the hill, get a razor from Nakumart, I
haven’t shaved for a week and look very rough. The Bourbon cafe is full of the
usual smug looking Mzungus enjoying the good life, over there machine coffee,
no Nescafe here.
Back at the hostel, take some time and take in the enormity
of the history I have seen today.
Meet a couple of NGO/ volunteer types over a dinner
Spaghetti bolognaise, one who spent 6 months in SA as a Peace Corp volunteer.
There are a lot of them about, and I get an intro into American football and
baseball.
Part of the evening turns inevitably to politics. It seems
Rwanda relations with its colonial father, Belgium have cooled. Possibly over
the fallout from the genocide, or perhaps more to do with Rwandas entry into
the east African Community. But English is the language of the youth now, with
French only spoken amongst the older generation.
Sunday 21 Dec
Departure for the airport 20 mins from Hostel will be around
4pm. So I have a relaxing day. But after a bit of a sleep in and my free
breakfast, with instant Nescafe, I want some exercise. Take a walk outside the
hostel down to the bottom of the valley for a couple of hours, where the real
people live. Its Sunday and small buildings swell with people in church singing
their hearts out with beautiful African choral music, such simple yet complete
devotion. A quick rain shower sees me running back to the hostel, where I run
into a young American lone traveller, who has who has arrived from Goma and has
just done the Nyiragongo Volcano. I am gob smacked. He tells me kids and
families do it – and that there are always people booked so you’re usually in a
group (which also means it not usually a sprint to the top – as I felt with my
solo effort up Bisoke) He shows be incredible photos and a film of him on the
rim with the sun coming upo and lava down below – incredible. An hour later
another volcano climber checks in – he did it 2 weeks ago. So now I’m very
curious, as to why the park was closed sometime within the past two weeks and
then reopened only a week or so later? Still on my list to do – more than ever
now!
