Bujumbura

My first visit to Burundi started off not so well. Or better said, did not start.

I was supposed to fly on Monday 12.30. So we went to the airport. A surprised custom officer told us to check with the office if there is a plane. So we went to check, no plane today, this was known for three days, why the travel agent gave us a ticket that morning was a puzzle to them as well. So back to the office.

Booked the plane for the next day, 15.45. So as good citizens we were there an hour early. It became clear quite quickly that the plane would not make it in time. First they told us 17.00, then 18.00. We asked, but were not allowed to leave the airport. Our colleague in Burundi then told us that the Bujumbura airport told them there would not be a plane. A fellow traveler, from a Dutch Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) known by my colleague, phoned his contact. Confusing messages; plane is in Goma, plane will go to Nairobi, plane is waiting for ministers to finish talks....

Just as we decided that we would leave if the plane was not there within half an hour, it arrived. So we left around 19.00. In the dark, so we did not see much on the way. The landing was not smooth either.

We had a lovely dinner on the hill with a good view. The hotel was a nice cozy place, run by an Indian man. The room were small, but clean, with big bathrooms. Unfortunately I got the worst room of all; close to the kitchen. It was probably the managers room, as there was a collection of odd things scattered around the room; a set of drills, some business cards, a light bolb, a broken remote control. This was not a problem, the problem was that the kitchen was making a lot of noise till after 12 and the cooks alarm was going of at 4 am. On top of that I had a fight with the airco, it was aimed right at the bed, creating a cold draft. Some sticky tape fixed this, not bad for a boy who hasn't been a scout or soldier.

Bujumbura is noticeably warmer than Kigali, so I did not wear my tie. We had a lot to do that day; meeting a few people, checking out the new office, looking for new office furniture....

In short the differences between Kigali and Bujumbura:
Buj is warmer, has more mosquito's and flies, more slum's, more people washing themselves in the gutters.
Buj has better tasting papayas and had mangos, not seen yet in Kigali.
Buj looks like Miami without colours, not that I've been in Miami. Another comparisment could be, like the sixties.
The roads are better in Kigali, Kigali is cleaner calmer, more relaxed.

In one word; Bujumbura is more Africa.

Anyway, back that night, again in the dark, so still no good view from the air ;(

Probably more news next time, as I should be going to Bujumbura regularly.