Goodbye Allison and East Africa

Trip Start Sep 08, 2007

Trip End Apr 30, 2008

Loading Map

Map your own trip!

Map Options

Show trip route

Hide lines

Where I stayed

The Panari Hotel Nairobi

(Nairobi hotels)

Flag of Kenya Nairobi, Kenya
Friday, February 29, 2008

After the Gorilla adventure Allison and I headed back to Kigali for a last bit of sight-seeing. We stayed at a great little hotel and my stomach slowly started to get better once I had started myself on the antibiotics I'd taken (hopefully I won't need anymore as that was it!).

We said goodbye to our Aussie friends who were off to Jo'Burg and headed out to see some of the churches that had been the sites of some of the grisliest events during the genocide. I'm not going to go into a great deal of detail about this part, nor am I posting pictures as I don't feel it's appropriate (nor did I take any for that matter, for the same reason). I will say though that it's very difficult to reconcile the events of such horror with a country that seems to be developing so fast and so different from what it must have been. Even seeing line upon line of skulls, it's difficult to imagine that it actually happened - I'm not sure if that it was almost too museum-like for me, but I had trouble truly fathoming that 10,000 had been slaughtered by their own people in a single night at a church

Matatu bus back to Kigali!

. It was horrifying to imagine, and yet something I think everyone should bear witness too. It was definitely a somber morning for us, but I think Al and I were greatful to have been able to go together.

We left Kigali the next day and headed to Nairobi to stay once again at the Panari hotel. It was only this time that we realized how luxurious the hotel was - it had a skating rink for heaven's sake! We had a great dinner, relaxed in the pool, and just enjoyed each other's company until I had to head to the airport the next morning. It was really really sad to have to say goodbye to my travelling companion of almost three weeks, but I was also undeniably excited about Cape Town in South Africa - so it goes with travelling one supposes. Anyway, onto the next stop!