Bristol

Ah - quintessentially British pint and packet of salt 'n' vinegar crisps. Enjoyed at The Anchor in Epney, beneath brooding skies.

I'm definitely struggling with the weather. It was 27c when I left Kigali, and it was 13c when I arrived. A little bit chilly.

I've been stoking my tummy with all things British. Sausage and chips, and dad's vegy breakfast. Also had a full English at Sainsbury's.

I landed on Sunday, spent Monday recovering, then dad dropped me down to Bristol to meet up with Maia and Taia. Maia is in the process of moving to Bristol. I brought a suitcase of her stuff back, but she's about to leave for Spain so we're keeping hold of it until she returns.

For now, she's staying in an Airbnb - and it has unicorn horns! 

Discovered a very nice café down the road called Wainwrights which was selling Rwandan coffee! Their salmon sandwich was to die for. £4 for a mountain of fish and cream cheese. Nomnomnom.

Then it was off for a wander along the docks. Saw Brunel's SS Great Britain across the water.

And stopped for prosecco at a lovely waterside café called The Broken Dock, where they gave Taia a bag of pain au chocolat they were clearing out. We scoffed a couple as we walked by the river and saved the rest for breakfast.

Minty

"To err is human, to arr is pirate."

We ended up outside a museum called We The Curious. This is something that struck me about the UK. Parts of it look so rundown for a developed country, lot of dereliction, but there's an insatiable British appetite for whimsy. That's the best word I can think of to describe it - a love of art and folly just for the sake of it. Kigali looks much cleaner and better kempt than many parts of the UK, but there's no random art or random crazy. It's really nice to see when you haven't for such a long time.

 

 

 

 

Then we took a walk over Pero's Bridge which is covered in love locks, which is when people attach a padlock with the names of lovers or a romantic message. 

 

  

 

And, of course, ice-cream was an absolute must. Mr Whippy 99 with flake and raspberry sauce.

 

  

Then it was on to The Apple, a floating cider bar off Welsh Back with lots of seating on the dock. Every kind of cider you could ever imagine.

Stayed up talking with Maia until 2 a.m. when all the wine was finished. Then went back for more salmon sandwich and a look around the charity shops in the morning. Discovered this little walkway through an abandoned churchyard.

The Airbnb place was kind of quirky. There was a stuffed moose head above my bed, and some entertaining signs in the kitchen.

Sad to be getting on the train back to Gloucester as I'm not sure when I'll see Maia and Taia again. Going to miss them a lot. Kigali just ain't the same without them.