The first sight of Rwanda reminded me of the genocide in 1994; something that a country should not be known for. I was greeted by a friendly Congolese driver who told me that he had two nationalities - Congolese and Rwandan. The road from Kigali to Gisyenyi was very twisty- it beats the Snake Pass any day for driving pleasure. I loved seeing the red soil again and bustling towns. It is true - Rwanda is a country of a thousand hills and has breathtaking views. I could see banana gardens planted on almost vertical slopes and people walking almost carelessly along the side of steep hills. Tea gardens on the hills reminded me of Sylhet in Bangladesh - then beyond the hills a great shadow of a volcano appeared – this is the first time I am seeing a volcano!!
A view on my way to Goma near Gisyeni
I was a bit tense when we arrived at the border of DRC - to my surprise the ‘officers’ on both side of the borders were quick and pleasant to deal with. I was in Goma. My first impressions were that it all looked a bit grim with volcanic rock everywhere - I am sure there is more than my eyes could see.
