Sunday 21st

I felt very sick today. After thirty minutes at church, the nausea became so strong that I decided to leave. I make a speedy exit, legged it home and spend the rest of the morning with my head by a bucket. But funnily enough I didn't actually vomit and after a couple of hours sleep I felt much better.

So now its early evening and I'm at Shokolat typing up my blog, being eaten alive by mosquitoes. It's pitch black outside and in, due to a rather lengthy power cut. There's a Dutch woman talking very loudly on the phone. It's not the most beautiful of languages I have to say. But hats off to them, they do manage to fit an exceptional number of Os into every word.

Feeling much better now that I’ve had some vitamins. If you're ever in town, I'd recommend the tropical smoothie.

I’m getting used to going out on my own, but I have to admit that I wish I had some close friends to relax with. People I can just be myself with, that speak English, that I have something in common with. Now that Jen is in Canada, I’m the only Muzungu I know. That's great, because the Rwandese are a beautiful people and I want to get to know them as best I can while I’m here, but it's not easy to get close to people, especially with the language barrier and us having such different life experiences. But we will press on and have have victory in the area. Amen?
I really wanted to order the goat curry for dinner, but I’m still feeling a bit squiffy and I don't think it would be wise considering the modern to squat toilet ratio. Enough said. So I’ve gone for the chicken chapattis. A nice traditional Rwandan meal.

Well, second bite in and I’ve spilled it all down my top. But it's OK because I don't know anyone here! And again. I think there's more on my belly than in it. Oh great, another power cut. It's so dark. A guy just tried to leave without paying but they caught him. And with the electricity has gone the free wifi. So it's all fun and games here in Kigali. It just came back. No, it's gone again. Maybe the bazungu have shorted the system with all their laptops. There are quite a lot of us in here. I don't even think they're trying to fix it now.

But credit to Rwanda, their electricy supply is usually superb. We have a couple of black outs a week but they don't last long. I've been very impressed. And the staff and customers at Shololat are handling it very well. Well done us.