So Monday morning arrived and with the morning came the decision , do I stay or do I go ? So I thought I would pack the scooter and see how that went and then make a call . The crossing to Uganda was not far and my first stop being Lake Bunyonyi was only about a 125 kilometres away , so I could take my time saddling up Victoria , drinking premium Rwandan filter while I decided what Monday should bring . I was sorely tempted to stay , Philip had told me about a fantastic Italian restaurant that we had not yet tried , so I was torn between the road , a tender and tasty veal dish washed down with a bottle of Chianti . The choices one has to make. When I saw Victoria all dressed up I knew it was time to go and living in a luxury home environment was making me soft and turning Victoria back into a city girl. Lack of unleaded aside.
I popped into town to go and thank my gracious host , now friend Philip , who had been so kind and generous with his time , his home and his kindness . Then it was off to the border and on to the lake for my first night in Uganda. The road out of Kigali was a little busy but in no time whatsoever Solo , Vic and those special playlists Tim had mixed for me put rubber to asphalt and soon Rwanda was flying by.
A last look at the green of Rwanda before crossing the border.
The road was great all the way to the border with a few patches being repaired , and then the line that divides arrived , a very easy crossing once again , I was out of the country of valleys and mountains and riding across the little bridge to Uganda. This has to be my best crossing in my entire life , the border officials came out directed me to the office to have my carne stamped , once that was done my temporary licence for Uganda was issued and then the staff directed me to immigration , where I was shown to a parking spot outside the office . I filled in my arrival form and proceeded to take up my position in the queue . Documents ready I waited for my turn , only two people to go , when a couple of guys pushed in front of me and suddenly I was eight from the front , so I tapped the front guy on the shoulder to ask him and his friends to move back and get in the queue , the customs officer was so incensed by this behaviour he made them all apologise to those that they had pushed past and then told them to go and wait at the back until he called them. Does that ever happen? All stamped and legal I was back on the scooter , once again only about 30 minutes for both sides .
The Ugandan side just after the border
From the very first kilometre we hit dust , mud and slow road works , All the cleaning , all the washing and all that work was un done within the first 15 minutes of arriving in Uganda , The trucks , cars and construction vehicles just covered Victoria and I in dust , when that subsided it was replaced by mud caused by the trucks spraying water on the road to limit the dust , and so we rode all the way from the border to the lake off road. Victoria looking a little like she did in Namibia.
Looks a little different to Kigali , Kabale does.
Kabale my first town in Uganda and busy it was , a return to my Africa and the sights and sounds we had become accustomed to throughout our journey. Africa was back.
The road to Lake Bunyonyi
My first glimpse of the lake.
The road out of town up to the lake is really beautiful as you climb up into the mountains passing all manner of road side life and commerce and then down the mountain pass to the lake that lies below.
From my tent
Overland Victoria back after a brief encounter with city life.
So we arrived safe , sound and dusted on the shores of the lake to clean up and explore , and to decide where to and what tomorrow will bring. So I thank Rwanda for such a wonderful experience and I thank Uganda for such a warm welcome.
Until we meet again
