September 13, 2015
To Rusumo Falls: Falls Guesthouse: last day in Rwanda
"Rwanda is very...disciplined" says the owner of the guesthouse at the Rwanda-Tanzania border. That's a good description of the feel of the country. Patrick says.."like the Germany of Africa". Rwanda is becoming a country ruled by laws. A few days ago we posted our impressions of Rwanda, and need to add a few more.
When crossing the border from Uganda into Rwanda, the first thing noticed is how clean the roadsides are of trash. Then after going through a few villages during the day and at night...there is no loud music. Actually rarely any music at all except for Sunday morning Church services when the beautiful African harmonizing is heard.
After six weeks in Africa, our patience is wearing thin with the constant Muzungu, Muzungu...give me money...hearing the footsteps of children running along side or just behind to keep up...the bicycle taxi guys riding along side and staring or passing then slowing down, or when we stop, they stop and wait.
Remembering our first time in Africa in 1994, hearing " Muzungu, Muzungu, give me ten Tambala", the pleasure of hearing this from children...was enough to name our first cat Muzungu and our second cat Tambala (a money unit in Malawi). Oh, how it's different now, more persistence by the children and less tolerance by travellers and it's only a matter of time that the children will start throwing rocks as in other areas of the world. Unless and hopefully, Rwanda Development Board is successful in its education for adults to stop this behavior by children.
The hills were not a steep today, but there still were plenty of them. We were not all that certain there would be a guesthouse at the border, and very happy to see Falls Guesthouse just below the border crossing in Rwanda.
This gives another day to use up the Rwandan Franc and less to exchange for the Tanzania Shilling. Even better connected with the Guesthouse is a restaurant/bar. We ordered the one item on the menu...brochettes and fries...and two hours later we got the food which was very tasty.
After all, this is Africa, expectations are different.
Today's ride: 93 km (58 miles)
Total: 6,865 km (4,263 miles)
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