Butare and Beyond

We escaped a close one and luckily neither Michael nor I got sick from the Chinese Food. This morning started off with Morning Report at CHUB with the anesthesia residents and anesthesia techs. The anesthesia techs presented most of the cases from the week.  It gave Theogene a chance to do some teaching to both the residents and the techs.  Overall it was a productive session.  After morning report, Gaston (R1)  gave an excellent powerpoint presentation on the Anesthesia Machine. Even though he has never seen many of the various parts of the machine, he did a good job explaining to the other residents how the machine works. He even went over the machine checkout list.  I suggested that perhaps he should revise the machine checkout list for Rwanda and then publish it.  Because of the lack of the antiquated equipment and lack of equipment, many things on the checkout list are irrelevant.

Around noon we headed out as the weekend had started.  It has been a long (but productive week) and we were ready for some R&R.  We couldn't go back to our hotel to meet Isaac (our driver to Nyungwe ) until we first stopped off and got some more of that yummy soft serve frozen yogurt.  Completely hit the spot after last night.  We checked out of hotel Credo and we were on our way.  The country side was just as I had remembered, lots of rolling hills with terraced landscaping.  There is definitely a reason why Rwanda is called The Land of a Thousand HIlls.  We arrived in Nyungwe National Park just in time to go to the Canopy Walk.  The canopy walkway opened in 2010. There are only three canopy walks in Africa: One in Ghana, the second in South Africa, and the third in Rwanda.  Basically it is a walkway suspended between giant trees above the forest canopy.  It offered incredible views  but definitely not for those afraid of heights.  Unfortunately I don't think my pictures will do it justice; however, you will be able to get a good idea of what it looks like. The hike wasn't necessarily challenging but the walkway definitely provided a thrill for both Michael and I.

Road to Nyungwe Top View Hotel

We then headed off to our hotel.  We had to travel up the craziest, narrow, windy road to get to it. Thank goodness Isaac was a good driver as there was absolutely no way I could have managed it.  However, it was worth it.  Nyungwe Top View Hill Hotel, as its name implies, sits on top of a hill and overlooks the entire valley all the way to Lake Kiev. The rooms were very nice with a real African flavor.  I did almost set my room on fire when my surge protector melted.  Other than that, the room was amazing.