What Time Is It?

3/9/08 – Kigali, Rwanda, Africa –

Does anybody know what time it is?
Does anbody really care?
If so, I can't imagine why.
We've all got time enough to fly.
- Chicago, first album, 1968

I know what these guys were talking about. Time enough to fly means it can take a long time to
get there, but the journey is worth it. Rwanda - and how I will experience this next week - is proof already to me.

Flight in was uneventful……sort of……had the camera stolen. Right where I was sitting, while I dozed in a chair in the Amsterdam airport during last two hours of that leg. Thank goodness they didn’t take my laptop or other bag. But, that means until I get another one to use, no pictures, at least not visual ones. But as for word pictures -

Wow! MUCH more than I thought. A San-Francisco-like setting; rolling hills with buildings of all shapes and sizes everywhere. Many paved roads, many hard dirt. It’s the rainy season right now, so the 4-wheel drive we have will probably come in handy on the dirt and mud.

Was greeted at the airport by Phil & Andrew; airport sits on a bluff east of town, so the drive in took 10-15 minutes. They first took me the home they’ve been staying at for the last week; then we went to our new corporate condo (we skipped the Novatel). Condo is in a 6-story building (we’re 4th floor, with balcony) – 3 BR, 1 full bath (w/ tub/shower and separate toilet room, kitcen, dining area adjacent to small living room that walks out to the balcony, where you can see a very long distrance – reminds me of when I lived in Hawaii (Manoa Valley, above the university, overlooking Waikiki and Honolulu). Able to see across the valley to the far hillside, and all the buildings in between. Uhh…did I say this was nice set of digs?

Cook arrives at 6pm to start dinner – she supposedly specializes in Asian and Italian, has been working last 2-3 years for various Government officials (who go in and out of office every year), and other visiting business people doing business with the government. So I think I’m going to eat well while here, just eat smartly and carefully. Uhh….did I say this was an all-expenses paid trip?

Buildings are everywhere. While there are certainly signs of zoning, or at least common usage, for the most part its anything anywhere. Houses, apartments, condo’s in volume; many are new (< 3 years old) so the modernization is evident. But the ramble shacks and old single-story cylinder block homes, some with metal roofs. No “yards” or fencing, just one home next to another, sometimes space, sometimes not. Full developments of new housing is very visible – out one window, I can see 100+ units, all 3 stories (probably apartments); out the balcony, I can see lush mini-forests, interspersed with custom homes and hotels/condo’s/apartments, most built as one at a time, so architecture is all over the map, as are colors, though earth tones are everywhere – nothing loud or improper. Adds charm……Uhhh….did I say its 77 degrees, with about 85 humidity? And NOW the sky is blue..

On the way in from the airport, at a stop light, with windows open for air (very humid), heard voices singing, rare combination of African and Christian, but make no mistake. About 50 yards past the roundabout with lights (first one I’ve ever seen), a clearing and a sign for a Presbyterian church, and a long 2-lane road leading back to the actual (large building) church. Sweeeet……

Passed by the government buildings, which also sit high on a hill, with a mix of modern and older buildings to form a government complex, with signs and plaques identifying the various ministries of government.
Winded up a hill on paved cobblestone streets about a mile to this gated, guarded (complete with shoulder-strapped rifle) condo complex, where I write this from the dining table with an Ethernet connection, but it requires a specific password, which nobody is here to give to me (they went to eat, I’m not hungry), so I’m just composing in MS-Word. It rained here for about 20 minutes, just like the tropics – then it stopped, and sun is trying to break through low clouds. But everything is crystal clear, and smells good outside, as civilization noises return (honks, buses, cars, trucks, airplanes).

So far, no sign of mosquitoes, but all three bedrooms have mosquito nets over the bed. How good it will be sleep on a mattress tonight. Over last two days, have slept maybe 6 hours total, so am about to finish this and catch 40 winks……

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9pm, Kigale-time, Sunday night, 3-9-08

Just woke up from what seems like only a few hours but was really four hours of nap time. Zonked out thoroughly, feel physically just fine, but mentally a bit frayed on the edges....

Connectivity this week should be a piece of cake....in fact, about to get even better......but that's another story....

A little hungry - Phil left a not that there's no cook tonight and he went out for dinner....wonder where that leaves me. OK 'cuz I got bottled water and trail mix......

Dark now, just went out on the balcony and "felt" the city/country/continent. Sounds of vehicles, and humans. Lots of singing - African spirituals, puctuated with loud shouts & drums. Very cool.