You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
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Apr 11, 2005 02:00 PM Walking through the border - to Tanzania
No boat from Bujumbura... I decided to use land solution:
by crowded matatu along the Lake Tanganika to Mabanda.
Then shared taxi to the border village Mugina. On the outskirts of Mabanda there is Burundian post - you need to get exit stamp here. They left you from the taxi at the Mugina market place... If you do not want to pay the porter put your pack on your back and walk: 1 km to the last Burundian soldier, then 2 km uphill to the real border line /nobody but pole there/ and again uphill less then 1 km to Tanzanian border post.
It takes a lot of sweat but at the same time you will see and photograph beautiful mountain panoramas...
From Tanzanian post /visa on arrival - 30 USD for 15 days transit/ walk again to the village of Manyovu - ca 2 km.
There at the market place wait for matatu... Direct road to Kigoma on your map is unpassable - go via Kasulu - it will be still breath-taking journey - by junk car on 10-years old tyres down the muddy, slippery hills... -wow!
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Apr 10, 2005 02:00 PM Bujumbura - the boat is broken!!!
I am in the capital city of Burundi - Bujumbura on the Tanganika Lake. A lot of UN soldiers here... Curfew at night...
Goods in the shops and imported food are very expensive...
Stay in the safe hotel Le Doyen for 20000 burundi francs;;
Very bad news: I planed to take from here the boat to Tanzania, but the boat since few months is broken!!!
There is another cargo ship but they do not know when it will depart... Bad luck...
Maybe I will be forced to take unsafe and bumpy road route....
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Apr 08, 2005 02:00 PM Kigali on the hills...
I am in the capital of Rwanda. It is worth to recommend this place to all travellers who want to escape from the usual heat and humidity of Black Africa. Kigali lies in the mountains - located on the hills - it is not easy to explore on foot but you can always jump on the matatu - minibus which cost just 100 franks per ride. On the black market in front of the post office they pay 560 franks per USD. There is plenty of internet places who charge 500 franks per hour. I stay at Kigali Hotel - run down institution but safe and inexpensive - they charge 6500 fr per room with a bath. Sorry cold water only and sometimes water shortages but you will have omlette breakfast included...
It is must to visit Genocide Memorial at Gisozi quarter - mototaxi cost 400 fr. You will find there a lot of info on the history of Rwanda. Entry is free...
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Apr 07, 2005 02:00 PM The beauty of Lake Kivu... - Rwanda
Rwanda is green and hilly... It is worth to go to the west of country where the mountains meet the waters of the huge lake Kivu. Landscapes are beautiful. I saw them from once-a-day bus fro Gisenyi to Kibuye. There vere more then 100 people on the bus /I was the only tourist/ and it took 5.5 hours on the bumpy, gravel road. Up and down... But what a views!
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Apr 06, 2005 02:00 PM My gorillas... not in the mist!
Yes, this is the place many people dream about...
In Rwanda, on the slopes of the Virunga volcanos you will find
few families o mountain gorillas...
It cost a lot to see them in their natural environement
but I decided that it is worth to pay the price once in your life...
I was very lucky - the family of 10 come out of the jungle to eat the bark of eucalyptus trees...
I saw them /and photographed/ on the open space in their full glory... Unforgetable... they walk sometimes just 1 m from me!
The rangers speak english and are very knowledgeable...
The time of the visit is limited to one hour - at the end the family went back to the jungle I took also few pics in dense forest...
What a day!
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Apr 05, 2005 02:00 PM Motocycle to the border...
In the Ugandan town of Kabale I stayed in the Visitours Hotel - they offer to the visitor the most expensive room they have. Ask for the room with shared bath - it will cost you less /6000/.
Kabale lies only 24 km from the border with Rwanda and there is no problem to find transport to the border crossing on the main highway - the ride cost 6000 TSH. But I made a chice of more adventours route - by once-a-day bus to Kisoro via mountain, gravel road climbing to the clouds with spectacular views - almost 3 hours for 6000 TSH.
Kisoro is not interesting. The motobike-taxis wait there to take you to the border crossing Cyanika - they charged 7000 for the bumpy, 11-km ride.
Formalities are simple for tourists, no extra payments. You can change the rest of your tanzanian currency to franks. Just take care - let they not cheat you - 1 TSH is worth 0.33 franks!!.
Picturesque volcanos are in the clouds above you!
Welcome to the new country - RWANDA !!!
Minibus will wait for you to take you for 400 fr to the nearest town - Ruhengeri... Enjoy!
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Apr 04, 2005 02:00 PM Uganda - 50 bananas for 1 USD!
It took me long 7 hours by bus to move from Kampala south - to the town of Kabale - it is about 400 km. Bus was a nice junk, but the people very friendly... Bus is departing when full - no timetable. The price of the ticket is negotiable - ask local people for the local price first. I paid 15 000 TSH. We drove through banana country - on the stops people always offer food through the windows - the bottle of mineral water /0.5l/ cost 500 - and this is also the cost of the bunch of bananas - 17 pieces. 1 USD is worth 1750 Tsh so for 1 USD you can get 50 bananas... Bon apetit!
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Apr 03, 2005 02:00 PM At the sources of the Nile river...
It took me full day to move from the Muchirson Park to Jinja.
Hitchhiking, taking two crowded minibuses /matatu/ one by one...
Yes, I am at the sources of the Nile...
Tomorrow at the morning I plan to visit famous Nile river rapids - just 11 km from the town.
You can get there by motocycle taxi - they call it boda-boda - it will cost 2000-3000 depending of my bargaining power. It is worth to be there before 9 am - you will avoid entry fee - another 3000!
And then - new destination - Rwanda!
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Apr 02, 2005 02:00 PM New magnificent falls to my collection...
It is far way from Kampala to Muchirson Falls National Park in the north of Uganda. Take a public bus to Wanseko /12000 USH/ and try to hitch into the park on the country road... That's what I did.
The best solution will be to take 3-days tour oferred by Red Chili Company - 135 USD all incl but food - they will take you by their transport from the capital to their camp in the park...and back.
From their camp I took a boat /15 USD round trip/ by Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. From the boat you can see them from ca 1 km distance. To get closer come with morning boat - go by mouintain path to the top of the gorge and come back for the boat pick up in the afternoon. It is hot and sweaty walk but the view of the thumbling Nile cramped in the 6-m wide gorge in magnificent!!! The fall is only 45 m hight but vERY powerful - worth the effort!
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Mar 31, 2005 02:00 PM Greetings from Uganda!
It was morning when I landed in Entebbe - small town on Lake Victoria where main airport of Uganda is located. You can get the visa on arrival here... Then look for the transport to the capital - Kampala.
Do not take white - yellow taxis - they cost a lot. For just 1000 Shillings the white-blue shared taxi will take you to the Entebbe taxi park and from this place another - similar to Kampala. 2000 in total - only slightly more then 1 USD...
Kampala: on the hills, crowded and smoggy with strong sun - after 2 hours walking around I got a headache... But the people here are so different to the West Africans - open, friendly and helpful - and they speak english! Welcome to Uganda!
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