Page 19 - 2017 RWANDA

TREK # 2

All that first afternoon and into the evening, we kept assuring ourselves

that we would skip the next day's gorilla trek. Our fellow travelers,
Mayumi, Mark, Jim, and Lawrence, as well as Nadia (Africa Easy's

owner), kept telling us during dinner that we just had to do it again,

urging us to reconsider our hasty decision. But we went to our suite

that night still saying we would not be doing it!

The next day dawned beautifully and everyone we met and saw at

breakfast was in a high state of excitement, ready to trek again! So, I
am sure you are not surprised—we agreed to do it again!

And are we ever glad that we did! "Special Family" we observed on this

day really was special in so many ways. Plus, the trek was shorter, if

steeper. And the drive to the trailhead was shorter as well. Plus our

guide this time was one of the few female guides, Loyce. How could we

not go with her name so close to mine?

As we drove to this different trailhead, we passed the area where the

"Naming Ceremony" had taken place and we were amazed to see that
the fields had sprouted beautiful and colorful flowers overnight. The

closer we came to those fields, the clearer we could see. It was not

flowers at all that reflected their colors. It was thousands of paper cups,

plates, drink cans, napkins and other detritus left by the happy

celebrants. Though the sight could have been dismaying, it was not
because many people, men, women, and children were busily at work

in those fields picking up all the debris and leftovers from the

celebration!

This time we also noticed the cultivated fields we passed that looked

like cotton fields—full of real white flowers rather than cotton bolls.