The Treloar Herald

Day 53 - Stage 36 - Kigali to Kayonza (75 km)

Sunday, 5 March: The start of the next Section, which will see us cycling a total of 703km with 7'532m of accent and & 7'687m of descent, it's not going to be an easy Section!

After a two day rest period, we left the City of Kigali, Africa's cleanest and neatest City. All the riders who had taken time off to see the Mountain Gorillas were all in agreement, that it was one of the greatest highlights of their tour so far.

We started on a mean cobblestoned hill, I was the first to leave, which allowed me to walk up the hill, then to wait for Judith to catch me up, discretion is the better part of valor!

We cycled through the morning rush hour traffic, fortunately we were trying to get out of the City while most people were trying to get in. To their credit, all of the robots (traffic lights) worked, and major intersections were manned by Traffic Policemen, a real pleasure for a change.

The day's ride consisted mainly of long down hills and long corresponding uphills, because it was a relatively short distance, lunch was at the end of the ride, in Camp.

Generally the locals were friendly, and shouted greetings or encouragement to us at regular intervals. We cycled a lot of the way with Liz, who ensured we had two coke stops in quick succession, I wonder if a person can overdose on cola?

Judith also managed to do some retail therapy along the way, and bought herself a new pair of slip slops, which Liz graciously carried for her in her backpack.

During the ride, my new rear wheel behaved itself, and it seems as if my first major mechanical failure has finally been sorted out.

Riding the cobblestone road

Local Rwandan cyclist

Kyle not feeling well and waiting for pick-up assistance

Coke Stop no. 1

Coke Stop no. 2

Statues in one of the Villages en route

Church of Marie Reine De La Paix
(Built by the Belgian Colonialists)

Judith getting some retail therapy en route

We camped at the Woman's Opportunity Center, which specializes in providing skills training to local woman. This included skills such as brick making, sewing, beading, weaving and pottery in order to generate income. While basic English lessons and business skills are also provided.

It looked like it was going to rain, so we pitched the tent inside one of the classrooms, quite a mean feat, since the tent only just fitted, but at least we would sleep dry in the event of rain.

There was a Coffee Shop on the premises and it was well frequented by the riders, especially since they offered real cappuccinos. While the Gift shop alongside the Coffee Shop did some brisk sales, the multi-coloured long pants on offer, seemed to be a big crowd-pleaser.

Charles went into Kayonza Town and brought me back two Rwandan beers I hadn't tasted yet, to ensure I stayed on course for EFDB (Every Flippin Different Beer)

Tomorrow we cycle to the Rwanda/Tanzania Border, and enter our next African Country.

Cheers,

Mike T

Welcome to Kayonza

Women's Opportunity Centre (WOC)

The WOC Classrooms

All the riders who camped pitched their tents in the Centre's grounds...

...except the Treloar's who camped inside the classroom!

The multi-colored long pants proved very popular with a number of riders

Gatanu Beer - One of those which Charles so kindly bought for me in Town

Riders' Briefing with an attentive audience

Briefing Board. Tomorrow's ride... Stage 37

Members of Team Carbo-Load getting in some practice

Days 51+52 - in Kigali, Rwanda (Cont...)

Hi All,

Some of our pictures failed to load & post in the last blog post...

So, in continuing with the Kigali story...
here are the other photos!

Cheers,
Mike T

The Genocide Burial Site we visited

Sandstone paleo ripple marks seen in Museum rock wall

Dendrites seen in Museum rock wall

Riders relaxing and watching some soccer on the TV at the Backpackers

Off to the Ethiopian Restaurant

Judith and Rob enjoying their meal

Philip enjoying eating Ethiopian

Kigali City by day

Kigali City by night

Liz and Judith at the Mediterranean Coffee Shop

Days 51+52 - In Kigali, Rwanda

2-3 March: TDA booked out all of the accommodation at the Discover Rwanda Youth Hostel, and we spent two great rest days in Kigali, the Capital of Rwanda. It's not our first visit to Kigali, but it was definitely more rewarding than our initial visit to the City a few years back.

Good Rwandan coffee & black forest cake

Day 51: Backpackers offer a continental breakfast, so we enjoyed great fresh bread baked on the premises (must be the French influence) and a good cup of Rwandan coffee.

After breakfast a group of us took a taxi to the nearest Mall, to draw money, do some necessary grocery shopping and to frequent a Coffee Shop (Cappuccino & Black Forest Cake).

Eleven of us take a couple of taxis to the Kigali Genocide Memorial Museum, where we spend the best part of the morning going through the extensive display at the Museum.

In April of 1994, the Hutu ethnic group turned on their fellow Rwandans the Tutsis, and slaughtered approximately 1 million Tutsis, with another million displaced (refugees) out of a total of 7 million Rwandans. This happened while the West, especially the United Nations (UN) just stood casually on the sidelines and allowed it all to happen.

The Genocide Museum was definitely worth the visit, and is a testament to the firm belief of the current Government, that this dark period and episode of Rwandan history will never be forgotten, nor allowed to be repeated. But at the same time, preaching and ensuring that there is genuine reconciliation and forgiveness between the two ethnic groups.

We visited the Memorial Garden, where approximately 250 000 bodies are buried in an open grave. Open in the sense, that any future bodies which are still being discovered periodically throughout the country, are reburied in the Memorial Gardens.

After going through the various Exhibitions and Garden, we have lunch at the Museum Cafe, and all are in agreement that the visit to the Museum has been one of the highlights of our trip so far.

Back to the Backpackers, for a peaceful evening, with quite a few of the riders either out on a tour visiting the Mountain Gorillas, or preparing for a tour to the Gorillas in the morning. Judith and I not going on a Gorilla Tour, as we had previously seen them in Uganda a few years ago.

Genocide Museum Entrance

Genocide Museum Amphitheater

Exhibit at Museum Reception

'Wanted' Poster

Just part of the Wall of Remembrance

Riders at the Kigali Genocide Memorial

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Day 52: Another Backpackers continental breakfast (I could get used to this freshly baked bread).

Phone and speak to Sean the Bike Mechanic at the Rwanda Cycling Club (Rwanda National Team) about my rear wheel failure and the possibility of a rear wheel rebuild. Receive some great news, he tells me he can build me a suitable rear wheel and can have it delivered to me later in the day, I am ecstatic, that it can be done in such a short time period!

Spend most of the morning relaxing on the veranda, and we go off to an Ethiopian Restaurant situated within walking distance, for lunch with Philip, Murray, Rob and ourselves.

Later in the afternoon, my new rim arrives by kind assistance of Peter, one of the riders who went to see the Gorillas. Murray helps me to fit my old rear cluster and hydraulic brake rotor to the new wheel, and I am now fully equipped to continue cycling on my own bike without the assistance of Sharita's rear wheel.

Judith, Liz and I went to a Mediterranean Coffee Shop later in the evening for coffee, smoothies and cake, before having an early evening. Have to get up early to pack our bags and get ready for the next section of cycling.

One more day's cycling in Rwanda, before crossing into Tanzania.

Cheers,

Mike T

Discussing the pro's and con's of Rwanda's home grown coffee beans before buying a suitable blend.

Riders enjoying the ambiance of the Mall Coffee Shop

Murray enjoying his thick strawberry milkshake at the Coffee Shop

Backpackers in Kigali

Day 50 - Stage 35 - Lake Bunyonyi to Kigali (116 km)

Friday, 3 March: Today we crossed from Southern Uganda into Rwanda, our 5th African country, but not before we had to cycle out from Lake Bunyonyi over the hill and down and back into Kabale Town. In Rwanda we will have to cycle on the right hand side of the road again.

Being a rest day yesterday, Riders Briefing is held prior to an early breakfast. Its going to be a long day, with a Border crossing included.

We leave Lake Bunyonyi and immediately have our first dirt road ascent, quite a mean climb up the hill, followed by a fast descent to the tar road. Cycle back into Kabale Town, then turn onto the main road to the Border. Cycle most of the way in heavy mist (advantageous since you can't see the hills waiting for you).

We arrive at the Ugandan/Rwandan Border, clear Uganda without any hassles, in Rwanda we are not so lucky. We have to hand your passport in, then you get an invoice, which you take to the Bank of Kigali where you pay USD$30 for a visa, get a receipt which you then take back to the original window and wait for your passport to be stamped with an entry visa and entry stamp.

It takes at least two hours for Judith and I to enter Rwanda, we arrived at the Border within the first half of riders, but left last, which is not advantageous when you are a relatively slow rider and need to get to the lunch truck as soon as possible and it's about 30km away from the Border.

The ride to the lunch truck was very picturesque and we were accompanied by many of the local taxi/transport cyclists. Cycling is big in Rwanda. My new rear wheel behaved itself up to the Border, however on the way to the lunch truck it developed an irritating wobble and associated noise. Helen the Sweep Rider said it sounded like a steam engine!

We reach the lunch truck last and are just in time to witness two local lads grab a couple of loaves of bread, while Wynand was being distracted by the crowd. They run off with it down the hill, much to the delight of the local spectators. Rwanda is definitely different to Uganda.

Judith is not feeling well, and she decides to take the lunch truck, I join her. My replacement rear wheel is not behaving itself, and we are running late.

We are the only passengers on the truck, all the other non-riders have taken the Main Truck into Kigali. We both fall asleep almost immediately, they do stop and wake us up to see a waterfall en route, but we soon go back to sleep, and only wake up at our destination, Discover Rwanda Backpackers. Definitely not the triumphant entry into Kigali we had planned, and a big self-induced disappointment from our side.

We fetch and move our bags to our allocated room (we have kindly been given a double room) and we join the majority of the riders for beers on the Terrace. Another Country, another set of different beers to be tasted, if I want to keep my EFB Status.

We will be staying at the Backpackers for the next three nights, this will enable a lot of the riders the opportunity to see the Mountain Gorillas in Rwanda. We have previously seen the Gorillas, so we will not be taking up this opportunity.

We make sure to switch our watches back by one hour (back to RSA time).

Cheers,

Mike T