Up early and ready at nine for motorbike training. At half nine we were told that the first session would be motorcycle maintenance etc but that no one had brought a bike to demonstrate this on! So we eventually started at 10:30 and it was semi-interesting for someone like me who knows absolutely nothing about motorbikes – how to change gear, how to start, where the spark plug is and how to change it and so on. Then the volunteers who had had training had a trial spin for observation and I went along to watch. I promised not to bring a camera, which was a pity as there was a cricket match going on where we were practising – one team in yellow who all looked Indian who were beating the crap out of a mainly if not totally Rwandan team. It was quite interesting watching Amy, Tom, Andy and Heloïse practising and all the various things the instructor said to them. At the same time, that doesn’t mean this is for me. It’s very tempting and would give me a little more independence but it reminds me a little of when I read a book on how to swim thinking that that was all I needed to do! So, softly softly!!
Got back for lunch and then Jane said she was bringing people on an excursion to the market which is an hour’s walk. It is incredibly hot today so I cried off (I’m not sure everyone figured out that an hour’s walk there is an hour’s walk back!) and anyway it’s over 34 degrees today. Much better to stay here and type and then head off to the Internet cafe.
I’m also going to try and load some pictures – I will need to reduce the resolution so let me know if they are too small or indistinct (there is a comment button at the bottom of each blog entry). Do check out the photos of the avocados – as big as melons!!!
The 'cow-dance'
Still room for five more on the bus!
Bruce Upton, me and George (George is the one I have challenged to a cookery competition and Bruce is the one with the fantastic blog I mentioned earlier).
Avocados - though they are harder to make out than I expected.
Ivana, Tinks and Tina
Hayley telling us she is really a sunflower and that is why bees are attracted to her!Meanwhile Chelsea thrashed Man City - more good news!!!
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OK – that seemed to go OK (you be the judge). Not sure the avocados are very clear but I might take some more pictures. Stayed two hours in the Internet cafe as the download speeds are really slow and there was a power cut at the end (I only had three minutes left anyway). The only problem is that the dictionary I downloaded still doesn’t work! I managed to get it loaded onto the Palm pilot this time but the machine crashes every time I turn on the programme. Ah well, maybe I’ll just have to get a new one altogether.
Most of the volunteers who went into the market have stayed in town for a dance and drama display commemmorating the genocide but I really don’t feel like heading in! Only about seven of us here for dinner – Berthe, Suzanne and her partner, Danielle, Andy, Tom and me - but it was really nice. I told Danielle that in Irish the words for ‘rat’ and ‘French’ are the same – she said she had often been called a frog before but never a rat (this all started when one of our Quebec friends used the phrase c’est vache! which none of us had ever heard before leading to a general discussion of phrases with animals in them). We also discussed the throwing the cow from the battlements scene in Monty Python and the Holy Grail and the possibility of doing the dead parrot sketch in Kinyarwandan.
Then I went back to the verandah outside my room and played the flute and tin whistle for a while (well, tried to play the flute – it’s taking me a while to get the breath control right so it was mostly tin whistle). Not sure if I mentioned that before, actually: I bought a feadóg mór on eBay just before I left and have it with me. It’s made of African blackwood and was made by Walt Sweet in the USA. One of my ambitions is to have figured out how to play it tolerably well by the time I get back!
The others got back late and had had a wonderful time – the drama and dance display was fantastic and the group is off to tour the UK shortly: not to be missed. I will post details of the tour for my UK friends and there is a possibility they might visit Belfast. Kind of sorry I missed it but in the next two years I will have plenty of opportunity.
Full moon tonight and the end of Ramadan – lots of chanting, singing and prayers in the distance. Free day tomorrow because of the elections!! Yippeee!!
Thank you very much to all those who have supported my ongoing fundraising effort. I will be continuing my fundraising for VSO for a few more months so, if you would like to contribute, please go to www.mycharity.ie/event/ruairi.
2 comments:
Hi Ruairi, Photos are great... looks very colourful and everyone looks happy! You are certainly being kept busy... keep the photos coming. Take care,
Jennifer. X
rnice to see your keeping up with the football and go on and get the moterbike
from ross shubrick
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