RWANDA
THE GREAT ESC-APE
After its genocide, Rwanda has risen to become the best place to live in Africa, according to a recent survey. Jo Kromberg thinks it’ s a top travel destination too.
I
’ ve seen many wonderful places, met many formidable, inspirational people and found myself in many unusual situations. But never have I been to a place quite like Rwanda. It’ s the rainy season, and the midday view from the air reveals the capital Kigali as an emerald green, hilly and wet place. Rwandair sets us down perfectly after an easy three-and-a-half-hour journey from Johannesburg.
Kigali is beautiful, with verdant tropical hills, wellmaintained roads and fascinating Art Deco buildings. And it’ s clean. In fact, Rwanda has the enviable distinction of being the cleanest country in Africa. This is because, as our driver Amos tells us proudly, every last Saturday of the month sees one and all take to the streets to clean up the place. Everyone, including the president.“ Do you like your president?” I ask Amos innocently.“ Oh my God! Of course,” he replies approvingly. Somehow taking the Lord’ s name in vain doesn’ t seem like such a mortal sin if it is expressed in your third or fourth language. President Paul Kagame has restored pride and prosperity in a country that experienced genocide just over two decades ago. But more about that later. In the meantime, we play a game called Spot The Rubbish. Nobody wins.
Into the heat
The weather is pleasantly balmy as we enter the five-star Kigali Serena Hotel. It is a delightful place, indistinguishable in luxury, service and food from any five-star hotel in the world. The tropical heat slaps us across the jowls the next morning at the Kigali Memorial Centre, built on a site where over 250 000 people are buried. My mind cannot compute the atrocities that took
48 Travel Update | issue 9