A bunny with very little brain

Apr 11th

Slept so soundly that not even the school alarm bell at 4.45 nor the thud of running feet at 5.00 could wake me! Just had the soothing noises of earnest singing, slightly off key, and the odd mutterings about muzungus. Just as well I didn’t understand what they were saying about us. Épi, though, had a rough night. Too many spuds and matookes for supper, I say……

Breakfasted in style on cold roast potatoes from last night, bland biscuits and tea and peanuts (notice the 5 star luxury chez Tiga). Even Suerte was down to a few stale bread rolls and a mouldy cabbage – and them to last him most of next week, too. Stupid rabbit – he started by eating the most blackened, revolting looking cabbage leaves. Truly a bunny with no brain. He’s getting used to me, though, and eating out of my hand – another day and he’d be letting me stroke him. Come to think of it, at one time he was trying to nibble my hand. Are rabbits carnivorous? I think he deserves a photo for the blog, so I’ve taken one. When Tiga eventually puts him in the cooking pot I’ll print a copy of the picture for her lounge wall.

Enough about the rabbit. We spent a while sweeping out the house (how is it possible to tramp so much grit into the place in just 2 days?), then set off for Samira’s to link up with Soraya and hand back the key. The long march uphill past recreation ground, stinky prison and sullen army base feels nearly as familiar now as walking to and from work in Gitarama. Showed Épi round Samira’s; her garden is looking really good, too, but there’s a problem with the water supply to her house. When she gets back from Kibuye she’ll have to get it sorted quickly!

Said our farewells to Soraya; neither of us feel sure that she’ll continue with her VSO placement; she seems so depressed and it’s possible she’s already made up her mind to leave. We both hope not – when someone as close to you as Soraya decides to go, we all feel the loss.

Back in Butare we mooched round the craft shop and then back to the Lebanese supermarket for a quick snack. The “fruit cocktail” drinks (i.e. yoghourt and fruit smoothies) really are quite something!

So far we’d been lucky with transport, but that all changed on the way home. We got the slowest matata in history, stopping for long breaks all along the route and even deviating into Nyanza town in a desperate attempt to find more custom. Still, being dropped outside your front door has its advantages.

Tom had a tremendous supper cooking, and before we’d finished eating Geert dropped by to collect his boots and waterproofs. Wanlam over in the east hasn’t been well, and still hasn’t had confirmation as to whether his daughter has been accepted for Bangalore University.

Épi’s very apprehensive about her family trip to Kibuye tomorrow, not least because they’re planning to stay up all Saturday night. So early night for everyone.

Best thing – nice to be back home, after a week of gadding, with a hot meal from Tom.
Worst thing – long, slow matata ride in the heat of the day. Not even having the two front seats could make it pleasant. Still, once again I marvel at how green and fertile this countryside is. Truly this place could be the Garden of Eden if only the people could all live in peace and harmony.