20th September 08

Date: 20th September 08
Location: Kabale, Rwanda
Weather: Started fine the chucked it down with loads of thunder…the equator rocks. 22°c
Status: Into another country today, so off we go!

Up at first light and then had a quick breakfast in yet another awesome location, although it’s a funny place this Bethanie Hotel…1970’s style décor and architecture on the shores of the lake! As we ate breakfast the local taxi boat arrived complete with singing paddler.

We visited the genocide museum in Kabala located on the site of the local church and it was a moving experience to say the least. In April 1994 11,500 people were buried in a mass grave in the site and to mark the location a monument has been erected complete with human skulls lined up in the window of it. Makes you think a bit I can tell you, its amazing how calm and welcoming the country is now which makes it so hard to understand how this atrocity happened.

The road to Kigala was a twisting, winding track through the hills which took a couple of hours to complete, we pulled into the curio’s market to spend the last of the local currency and bought a few African masks and spoons for friends after a good hour of haggling and bargaining.

As we left the capital the heavens opened and drenched the road in front of us turning it into a puddle filled mess, it was only then that I realised it was the first real consistent, grey skied rains that I’d been in since driving through France nine months ago! Not bad going then 

Arrived at the border and did the formalities, chatted to a couple of cool guys from Jinga who I swapped details with in case I decide to call them when we arrive there. Bought our Uganda visas for $50 and drove the final 25kms to the town of Kabala, got some local currency and headed to Bunyonyi Overland camp on the shore of another great freshwater lake.

The cost of renting a room as opposed to camping was negligible so we split the cost between us and had a room overlooking the lake. Pretty tired so cooked dinner in the room to save cash and went to bed.

End of day location: Kabala, Uganda
Distance covered: 218kms