Virunga is about three hours drive from Kigali. The roads are excellent and all along are pavements or bikeways, safe places for the many people on foot or on their bicycles. We saw many people toiling with huge loads.

We saw cyclists swishing by, locals with doors, sacks of potatoes and water cans on their bikes. We also admired the local bee hives – logs attached to trees !

Everywhere was green, full of small subsistence farming on vertical slopes. Every last vestige of land is used and people are incredibly hardworking.

The country side was rich and lush. Small crops of bananas, beans, cassava and potatoes carefully tended.

Virunga Lodge is perched on the top of a hill with view overlooking the two lakes of the area which are also an important source of hydro electric power.

In the afternoon we went for a visit to the village – in no time we had a couple of adorable little ones next to us who accompanied us on our walk to the community library. Then school was out for the day and we were surrounded. They loved practising their English and holding our hands.

A beautiful sunset, a fire burning in our fireplace and tiny hot water bottles in our beds.