One negative of living abroad. We don't see our family very much.
My family had a family weekend. Some of my cousins I haven't seen for quiet a while now, I would have like to be there.
Because every summer there is the big reshuffle of jobs it is also hard to plan holidays. We had to plan ours from end of June to the beginning July, we wanted to go in August. Because we want to go to the UK as well as the Netherlands time is very limited, so it looks like we will have to wait to see most of them.
At least there is Skype and email.
Lon Zomer and Hazel O'Dea - their life abroad
Saturday, 31 May 2008
Sunday, 25 May 2008
twelve years...
Last night Lon and I went out to celebrate the 12th anniversary of my leaving the UK to join Lon in the Netherlands.
We decided to go to the Milles Collines (aka Hotel Rwanda) as its one of Kigali's swishest joints, complete with pianist tinkling away in the back ground. Its called the Panorama restaurant and has an unparalleled view over the city, due for a refurb the decor is decidedly amateur 80's and the service was timely and efficient - it all felt decidedly out of place until we were given the coffees ordered by the only other occupied table - phew we are in Africa!
We had a lovely meal, but we couldn't help thinking about the hotels history.
We decided to go to the Milles Collines (aka Hotel Rwanda) as its one of Kigali's swishest joints, complete with pianist tinkling away in the back ground. Its called the Panorama restaurant and has an unparalleled view over the city, due for a refurb the decor is decidedly amateur 80's and the service was timely and efficient - it all felt decidedly out of place until we were given the coffees ordered by the only other occupied table - phew we are in Africa!
We had a lovely meal, but we couldn't help thinking about the hotels history.
Friday, 23 May 2008
Gorillas
The embassy decided we needed some team-building. Somebody brought up the gorillas as a possibility, I didn't think it was likely to get approval, but it did. So Monday we went by four cars (three embassy cars and one private car) to the north. We left at 15.00 to arrive before dinner. We checked in at the gorillas nest, luckily not a real one, just the name of the hotel. The hotel consists of a main building and about ten small buildings of two rooms each. We shared rooms, so I shared a room with Jaco, (who is going to Bujumbura in July). We checked in and had a buffet dinner. After dinner we sat down for a small enjoyable drink.
We had to get up early, too early, breakfast started at 6.15. After our nice buffet breakfast we went to the ORTPN (tourist bureau) office nearby. There we had to sign a form including our next of kin (why?!?). We were divided in 3 groups, plus two who had to go with 'strangers'. Guess which group I was in? So me and Deo (my local colleague) went with the strangers. Even though I think some of my colleagues are strange, these were stranger; an american couple, who made more photos of each other than of the gorillas, preferably a photo with one of them with a gorilla, you need propf! An Israeli, at least he lives there and his guy New York friend and a South African who works here for a Dubai company which is going to build some hotels (too much money, risky investment). And weirdest of them all a Dutchman who lives in Kigali, o yeah that's me.
Deo and I got a lift with the South African in a hire pick up that didn't pass the MOT. The driver came from the area, so spent more time waving than driving. The road was rather bad, stony, so I don't know if you can call it driving, this is known as an 'african massage'. We walk past the last pyrethreum plant to get into the national park, marked by a two feet tall stone wall. Here we picked up two armed guards, because there are all sorts of animals in the park. We walk for about an hour, mainly uphill past prickly plants. Then we had to stop and leave our bags behind. Just behind the bush was our first glimpse of a gorilla.
The first one we saw was the alpha male, the silverback. He was just having a nap. Strangely enough he didn't mind being woken by tourists. He ambled away to a more quiet spot.
We saw number two, the blackback, the alpha female and a couple of young kids. One of the kids was play next to us, rolling around and trying to play with us, but we are not allowed to touch them, because of human germs etc. The other young one sat in the tree and played making a nest, he must have seen his mother do it.
After an hour it was time to go, we had a very good time. We walked back for an hour, much more enjoyable downhill.
The car refused to start, surprise, so a man had to push for quite a while before we returned over the 'road'. Arriving at gorillas nest we thanked the nice south-african man for the lift and refreshed and put our other clothes on again. We were quickly joint by the rest of my colleagues and had our lunch, they had a very good idea: A buffet!! The lunch buffet hardly differs from the dinner one, the breakfast is more different, specially because they had 'POLADGE' I had to check what it was before I understood it was porridge.
So with a car full of sleepy people (not the driver) we returned to Kigali. We arrived around half past four, so nice and early. Just enough time to have a cup of coffee with my sister and brother in law and drop them of at the airport.
As we say in Dutch: 'tired and satisfied'.
We had to get up early, too early, breakfast started at 6.15. After our nice buffet breakfast we went to the ORTPN (tourist bureau) office nearby. There we had to sign a form including our next of kin (why?!?). We were divided in 3 groups, plus two who had to go with 'strangers'. Guess which group I was in? So me and Deo (my local colleague) went with the strangers. Even though I think some of my colleagues are strange, these were stranger; an american couple, who made more photos of each other than of the gorillas, preferably a photo with one of them with a gorilla, you need propf! An Israeli, at least he lives there and his guy New York friend and a South African who works here for a Dubai company which is going to build some hotels (too much money, risky investment). And weirdest of them all a Dutchman who lives in Kigali, o yeah that's me.
Deo and I got a lift with the South African in a hire pick up that didn't pass the MOT. The driver came from the area, so spent more time waving than driving. The road was rather bad, stony, so I don't know if you can call it driving, this is known as an 'african massage'. We walk past the last pyrethreum plant to get into the national park, marked by a two feet tall stone wall. Here we picked up two armed guards, because there are all sorts of animals in the park. We walk for about an hour, mainly uphill past prickly plants. Then we had to stop and leave our bags behind. Just behind the bush was our first glimpse of a gorilla.
The first one we saw was the alpha male, the silverback. He was just having a nap. Strangely enough he didn't mind being woken by tourists. He ambled away to a more quiet spot.
We saw number two, the blackback, the alpha female and a couple of young kids. One of the kids was play next to us, rolling around and trying to play with us, but we are not allowed to touch them, because of human germs etc. The other young one sat in the tree and played making a nest, he must have seen his mother do it.
After an hour it was time to go, we had a very good time. We walked back for an hour, much more enjoyable downhill.
The car refused to start, surprise, so a man had to push for quite a while before we returned over the 'road'. Arriving at gorillas nest we thanked the nice south-african man for the lift and refreshed and put our other clothes on again. We were quickly joint by the rest of my colleagues and had our lunch, they had a very good idea: A buffet!! The lunch buffet hardly differs from the dinner one, the breakfast is more different, specially because they had 'POLADGE' I had to check what it was before I understood it was porridge.
So with a car full of sleepy people (not the driver) we returned to Kigali. We arrived around half past four, so nice and early. Just enough time to have a cup of coffee with my sister and brother in law and drop them of at the airport.
As we say in Dutch: 'tired and satisfied'.
Saturday, 17 May 2008
Akagera
Picture a national park in Africa. Most people would think about lions eating dears, wilderbeast in there thousants, but not in Rwanda. Akagera national park is in the east of the country, bordering Tanzania. The most common animal found in this park is the horsefly. The horsefly doesn't mind insect repellent and doesn't fly away if you wave your hand, you really have to flick it away, or kill it. After our stay the population of horseflies went down with about 10, the number of horseflies which had human-lunch went up with about ten and the inside of the car had some horsefly bodies in various poses on windows and floor. The stings remain itchy for days and the spots are rather big.
We stayed in Akagera lodge and left early in order to make the most of our day. The giraffes and zebras were quickly spoted. We also came across some buffelos and waterbucks. At some point two klipspringers blocked the road, but refused to give us a nice show of their jumping. The hippos seemed to have a party under water, so we only saw some noses. At the fishing vilage, were often hipos can be spotted, we stopped and got out the car. Hazel began yelling 'baboon, baboon!!' We were not impressed as we seen baboons before. What she meant was 'there is a baboon in the car!' The baboon came out of nowhere and was in the car before we all were out. The driver and guide yelled at it, but this didn't help. The baboon helped himself to some peanuts and bananas and went of. He stopped just 20 meters further to enjoy his lunch. We could come really close to it, it wasn't bothered, as if it knew we were not going to hurt it.
So in short, it is not the best park in Africa, but we have a good baboon-story to tell.
We stayed in Akagera lodge and left early in order to make the most of our day. The giraffes and zebras were quickly spoted. We also came across some buffelos and waterbucks. At some point two klipspringers blocked the road, but refused to give us a nice show of their jumping. The hippos seemed to have a party under water, so we only saw some noses. At the fishing vilage, were often hipos can be spotted, we stopped and got out the car. Hazel began yelling 'baboon, baboon!!' We were not impressed as we seen baboons before. What she meant was 'there is a baboon in the car!' The baboon came out of nowhere and was in the car before we all were out. The driver and guide yelled at it, but this didn't help. The baboon helped himself to some peanuts and bananas and went of. He stopped just 20 meters further to enjoy his lunch. We could come really close to it, it wasn't bothered, as if it knew we were not going to hurt it.
So in short, it is not the best park in Africa, but we have a good baboon-story to tell.
Wikwiheba Mwana
Because Wouter ran the marathon and collected 3.500 Euro by doing so, we had to go to the project and hand over the money. This sounds easier than it proved to be. We hired a car via a colleague. We left our house before 11.00. Unfortunately we left Kigali only after 13.00. This is not because Kigali is that big, at the border of Kigali the car did not seem to function anymore. Fortunately this happened just in front of a garage (maybe they have a secret device built in the road). After topping up the oil it still didn't work. Changing the fuel filter also didn't work. So after several attempts and hopeful moments we almost gave up and the car decided to work. The drive to Ngarama was beautiful, but sometimes lumpy. It was a lovely day, except for when we arrived, it poured down and only stopped just before we had to leave. There were several members of the board present, including a doctor. There were a couple that also spoke english. They received the symbolic cheque. Just before we left madam Mediatrice asked what she should do to get the money, we forgot to tell that we already put it in the bank for them. Suddenly she became even happier and gave Wouter some gifts to show her gratitude.
With the car a lot emptier we left towards Akagera, as it was past four o'clock we knew we were going to arrive in the dark, but that's not a big deal, because we were not driving ourselves. In the flat marshland area the driver didn't trust the bridge (rightly so) and drove around it. Unfortunately the rain made it a bit slippery and muddy. Luckely in Rwanda there are allways people around, so some men helped us push the car out of the mud. Of course they demanded money, so the drive changed some money into smalls and gave one man a hand full of small notes making him responsable, this worked and we could drive away.
The rest of the drive was uneventfull, but we had our fair share for the day.
With the car a lot emptier we left towards Akagera, as it was past four o'clock we knew we were going to arrive in the dark, but that's not a big deal, because we were not driving ourselves. In the flat marshland area the driver didn't trust the bridge (rightly so) and drove around it. Unfortunately the rain made it a bit slippery and muddy. Luckely in Rwanda there are allways people around, so some men helped us push the car out of the mud. Of course they demanded money, so the drive changed some money into smalls and gave one man a hand full of small notes making him responsable, this worked and we could drive away.
The rest of the drive was uneventfull, but we had our fair share for the day.
Kigali Peace Marathon
Sunday 11 May was the Kigali Peace Marathon. Wouter was running the marathon in order to sponsor a project of children with a mental handicap in Rwanda. We arrived early to make sure Wouter had a good warming up. The race should begin at 8.00 so we were there at 7.15. Soon it became clear that the start was delayed, Rwandan time. After the national anthem the first run could start, 5 km 'run for fun'. This was quickly proceeded by the start of the half marathon and finally at nearly 9.30 the marathon. This one and a half hour delay did mean it was even warmer. It was a nice and sunny day, hard work for the supporters sitting in the sun. We sat at the covered part of the stadium. The first runners of the run for fun were quickly back and the first ones all collapsed at the finishing line, not a nice sight. We were impressed by the kids on flip flops and bare feet.
After an hour Wouter came past, it was clear he probably could not make his four rounds in four hours. We were impressed when he finally came into the stadium for the last time. We borrowed the flag of the Luxemburg's supporters and they applauded loudly, not knowing he is Dutch. Hopefully nobody will notice on the photo the slightly paler blue. His time was 4.15, which is rather good. In his words several records: his fastest African marathon, his slowest marathon ever, his hottest marathon. Even though he did put on some suncream, he now looks like a Feyenoord supporter (red and white).
Wouter was soon fit again. So we can talk about a successful and enjoyable day. And we shouldn't forget he managed to raise 3.500 Euro for the children of Wikwiheba Mwana, for details see his blog http://rouwhorst.blogspot.com/
After an hour Wouter came past, it was clear he probably could not make his four rounds in four hours. We were impressed when he finally came into the stadium for the last time. We borrowed the flag of the Luxemburg's supporters and they applauded loudly, not knowing he is Dutch. Hopefully nobody will notice on the photo the slightly paler blue. His time was 4.15, which is rather good. In his words several records: his fastest African marathon, his slowest marathon ever, his hottest marathon. Even though he did put on some suncream, he now looks like a Feyenoord supporter (red and white).
Wouter was soon fit again. So we can talk about a successful and enjoyable day. And we shouldn't forget he managed to raise 3.500 Euro for the children of Wikwiheba Mwana, for details see his blog http://rouwhorst.blogspot.com/
Saturday, 3 May 2008
Long live the queen
Busy week. Last Saturday there was a tennis tournament for Dutchies. A Dutchman won! ;) We celebrated with a BBQ at my collegeague's house round the corner from us. Met some nice people, among which a Dutchman that works for Germans (GTZ) and lives round the corner (the other corner).
Wednesday was queensday. This day is the birthday of our late queen and is our traditional national holiday. For embassy staff this means decorating the party tent and terras of the residence. So after blowing up hundreds of balloons we went home to get our nice suits on. The party started at 18.00. A couple of speaches at 19.00 and after that a party with live music and good food. We had pancakes, kroketten, bitterballen, cheese, kaassouflees, haring and some Rwandees goodies. Sorry some things just do not translate. We left reasonably early 10 ish, but apperantly it went on till after midnight.
Today there was the international foodfair. Yeah, food. Several countries had a stall with food from there own country. Hazel made some cucumber sandwiches for the UK stall. The UK stall also had scones and Pimm's. The Dutch had pancakes, cheese, applepie and poffertjes (mini pancakes).
Luckely we have Monday of because it's Dutch liberation day.
Wednesday was queensday. This day is the birthday of our late queen and is our traditional national holiday. For embassy staff this means decorating the party tent and terras of the residence. So after blowing up hundreds of balloons we went home to get our nice suits on. The party started at 18.00. A couple of speaches at 19.00 and after that a party with live music and good food. We had pancakes, kroketten, bitterballen, cheese, kaassouflees, haring and some Rwandees goodies. Sorry some things just do not translate. We left reasonably early 10 ish, but apperantly it went on till after midnight.
Today there was the international foodfair. Yeah, food. Several countries had a stall with food from there own country. Hazel made some cucumber sandwiches for the UK stall. The UK stall also had scones and Pimm's. The Dutch had pancakes, cheese, applepie and poffertjes (mini pancakes).
Luckely we have Monday of because it's Dutch liberation day.
Burundi fights
Something that hardly made the press in 'The West'. The fighting in Burundi intensified. The fighting was very close to the centre of Bujumbura this time. Is always it is not very clear who started it. More and more I get the feeling it will last forever. Every so often there is news of a breakthrough but shortly after that one of the parties will have an excuse to start fighting again and blame the other party.
So at the moment I am happy that I don't have to go there. On the other hand I do feel sorry for the guys over there.
For the family: don't worry it stays in Burundi, apparently the fighting seems restricted to a belt around Bujumbura (the rest of the country is so poor, it can not support the resistance).
So at the moment I am happy that I don't have to go there. On the other hand I do feel sorry for the guys over there.
For the family: don't worry it stays in Burundi, apparently the fighting seems restricted to a belt around Bujumbura (the rest of the country is so poor, it can not support the resistance).
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