Some of you may know that I don't really make New Year's resolutions, but prefer a guiding motto for the year. For 2008 I've chosen...Stick with it. For many reasons...I am training for the hilly and high-altitude Kigali half-marathon, the CFA exam...but it applies equally to my blog. Since I last posted, I've:
had 3 friends visit for Christmas. A tour of the country was in order, with new sights such as the monkeys in Nyungwe national forest being really fun - but a tough hike.
less of a hike but with much more than just a monkey was Volcanoes National Park...home of the Mountain Gorillas made famous by Dian Fossey and Gorillas in the Mist. AMAZING. You get up at 7am, go to the office at the base of the volcanoes, get assigned into groups of 8 tourists and then are sent over terrrrrible roads in a 4x4 to the base of your volcano. My tribe was Umubano (friendship), consisting of ten gorillas, one being the male silverback - the leader. huge! and scary. but cool. the best part was the babies playing...just like little kids, poking each other, running around, getting scolded by the mom. The hike was beautiful, and the experience amazing. Pictures soon.
New Year's in Zanzibar - Zanzibar...one of those places like Timbuktu or Kathmandu - such a cool name you don't even know its a real place. Zanzibar is an island off the coast of Tanzania, but was ruled for a long time by Oman, so is a real mix of Arab and African culture. Its known as the spice island because there are many plantations, and it was the center of the Indian Ocean spice trade for quite awhile. Meaning great food...not to mention great beaches, and great sunsets. Not to mention a great painting I got to add to my African art collection.
and finally...more friends! Two more visitors in January meant another circuit of the country, but the most memorable experience had to be the Saturday night in Cadillac...one of Kigali's (hottest, funniest, craziest, most surreal, you pick the adjective) clubs. In the words of a teenage boy who was quite enamored of the muzungus...Did you had fun?!?!
And in the coming weeks I will be traveling to Ghana for fun, and Burkina Faso and Uganda for work, so stick with my blog and I hope to write more in-depth posts about these adventures...
p.s. Special thanks to Chris, Heike, Arwen, Andrea and Meredith for visiting us here - it was fantastic to see/host/hang out with you all, and spread the word to everyone else that they too must come!
