Day 4 The princess and the peas

Like a fairy tale princess I wake up under a mosquito net, which might have come from IKEA children's department.  I'm glad of it, the rainy season has returned and with the tropical storms come the mosquitos.

The climate has changed dramatically since the Genocide.  One  casuality of the war was the "desictaion of the the trees". Rwanda is a landlocked country, but the geography of the Great Lakes and surrounding volcancos provided a plentiful rain fall twice a year.  The fertile soil produced three or four high quality harvests of  'imboga' (vegetables).  In the last few years the unpredicatibility of the seasons has meant the planting of "Irish" potatoes, peas and beans has been delayed. Food is wasted or never grown.

"It's been the rainy season since July" (it's now November) I was told by a Rwandan Development Consultant "it's not good for the people".

It's not good for me either, although it's never cold by UK standards an umbrella is a must carry necessity.  Tourism is a growth industry and the unpredictability of the rains deter foreigners.  It's a serious economic issue for the country.  With the roaming habits of gorillas not obeying human border controls, the whims of the ecotourists they bring may take currency to a neighbouring country.

What ever the weather, I'm just happy to be in a country where there is no translation for the word 'postcard'. Just as long as I have my mosquito net.