Variety.

 

Our biggest ongoing challenge at the moment is the Internet. Sometimes there is no connection at all, others you watch the circle going round and round but never achieving anything and occasionally you find it working......then the power goes off. This evening is the first good signal since Friday.

For two days we felt as though we were in Britain. We woke to find it really cold and for the first time in Africa I put on my fleece and kept it on all day. In the afternoon it poured with rain so long and hard that Mike had to use the pick-up truck to ferry some staff home. The roads were muddy rivers. An ordinary car would have got stuck. The following day was also cold and I was informed that the staff had put the previous day's rain down to my wearing a jumper all day - what power I exert, I can make it rain! I informed them that I was not taking off my jumper and freezing just to prove it would rain anyway. It poured that day as well but since then has gone the other way and been hotter than usual.

There have been a variety of activities. Mike drove the pick-up and helped Festo get in wood to replace the rotten decking where the toddlers play. The wood caused the one remaining latch to break that held the back panel up. It cost 75p to re-solder!

He also got the tyres pumped up at the only air pump. The pump was a hose with no valve attachment so they had to pull the valves out of the tyres and shove the hose in as best they could. How long before our valves no longer fit the tyres?

 

 

 

It seems to be tourist season for the Germans and Scandinavians at the moment. It is always enjoyable to show visitors around and the babies enjoy the cuddles. We are now on the local tour guide 'things to see in Kisoro' list.

 

 

 

 

With the arrival of better weather and a Saturday off, Mike decided to try climbing Gahinga, the third highest volcano. It took 4 hours to get up and 3 to come down. It was a real achievement - though he is now not so sure about tackling Muhabura which is even higher. At points he had to scale rickety ladders which made him feel very exposed and unsafe. He wasn't too stiff this morning so he did very well indeed.

 

 

His guides complete with rifle to scare away animals - mostly rogue buffalo. They did see some golden monkeys in the trees when in the bamboo forest. Occasionally elephants have been spotted but there are very few left.

 

 

 

 

Looking into the crater at the top.

The wisps are cloud, not steam!

 

 

 

 

 

The maize stalks were cut down and the view from our kitchen window is beautifully African. Women tilling the land and behind them school children dancing to drum music. In no time the maize will grow again and our view will be stalks once more.

 

 

 

The Medical Centre has been quieter this week. We had a premature baby in 2 days ago who sadly died this morning. She arrived 6 hours after delivery and was very cold. Another prem arrived today. She is 1.7 kg so a better weight but she was sent home from hospital after delivery. The neighbour thought the baby didn't look good so the family went back to the hospital who then referred them to us. The baby was blue when she arrived and with an unrecordable temperature. She has warmed up but is causing concern. There is the possibility of a bowel blockage but to take her out of the incubator and back to the hospital to wait for a scan would be too risky. It is hoped that by tomorrow there will be a clearer picture of the problem - or a resolution of the problem!