A few weeks back I did a video about a trip I took to Idjwi Island with my friend Maia. Whilst going through the photos, I discovered one I'd taken of a strange rock. I thought it might be some sort of carving, so sent it to the Trust for African Rock Art. It appears it might be Batwa hieroglyphs. The chair of TARA sent back some photos of Batwa rock art in Gabon, and the similarity with Knowth in Ireland really got me thinking about other rock art connections.
The other week, I spent the day at WAG animal rescue in Kigali, to see what life is like for shelter dogs in Rwanda. Also, if you like the song on the moto at the beginning of this video, check out my cousin, Sali.
Aaaah, the noise issue has been hilarious. And, by hilarious, I mean bloody painful. Apparently, just after I left for the UK, they stopped for a while. My neighbour said it had been really quiet. Then, about three nights after I got back they really went for it. My brain was bleeding out my nose. But, it seems to have calmed down again now.
[Update: the day after writing this, they went all night again - it's like that scene in Walking Dead where Daryl gets locked in a cell by Negan and they keep playing Easy Street. Just when you think you can sleep again - you're wrong.]
Other than that, being back has been okay. You can hear me puffing and panting in that video, partly because I put on a stone whilst I was in the UK and partly because it takes about a month to readjust to the altitude. It really takes the wind out of you.
I turned 41 shortly after getting back. It wasn't a great birthday. Not because of the age, but I'd planned a meal with my friends and then the heavens opened. I mean, it was biblical. No one could go anywhere. What was worse was that I had no chocolate or alcohol in the house. I had a bottle of gin but no lemons or tonic. I couldn't go out to get anything. My friends Harris and Rob ordered a big bottle of whiskey, but because of the rain it couldn't be delivered. Then the electricity went out - taking the internet with it. Thankfully, a tray of cupcakes made it just before the rain started and a huge bunch of red roses from Solvejg.
Cupcakes from Harris & Rob
It wasn't great. But we made up for it a few days later. My friends took me to a lovely restaurant for a slap-up meal, and the flowers and booze arrived.
Cucina at Marriott Hotel
I also received a beautiful bottle of gin, with glasses to go with it.
The start of the year is major birthday season. There was mine, then Jo, Chantal and Solvejg. So lots of good food, booze and laughs.
Hands down, the best cheesecake in Kigali. From Marriott.
Also had a lovely welcome-home brunch at Solvejg's house. Cocktails provided by Chantal. Solv has a wonderful view of the city from her garden.
So, things are bumbling along. I've been experiencing a boom of creativity. Currently editing my latest novel and getting really into video editing. Using my YouTube channel for practice. So far I've done videos about food, travel and language. I'm playing about and trying to improve. I managed to smuggle a Blue Yeti mic home with me and it's amazing. I've got my first VO gig and hoping to do more recordings. I can't replace the day job yet, but it's fun and I'm learning a lot.
Met up with my lovely Aunty Patsy who was passing through from Wales on her way to my mum's place for the annual family gathering. It was kept to just immediate family this year to keep the numbers down and allow people to socially distance. Her dog Oakie is an absolute sweetheart and we took her for a wander around Gloucester Docks.
I used to have a cat called Sula.
Stood in a very long queue on a grey, winter's day to get my booster jab. So I'm now triple vaxxed, but the UK system was built by Kafka and therefore I can't put my vaccinations from Rwanda on my medical records here unless I drive an hour to Peterborough to show them to someone... By the time I'm next in the country they'll hopefully have figured out a more sensible system. That or it won't matter anymore because my booster will be out of date.
Plenty of brooding British skies and pink sunsets. Gingerbread, hot chocolate and log fires.
Caught up with my fabulous cousin, Tamsin, who lives in the Hague. We rarely get to see each other, but when we do it's always a boozy, fun-filled time. We went to The Red Lion at Great Bowdon, which has an amazing outside seating area with heating and blankets. Seriously recommended.
Had a crazy Christmas Day with mum, Merrick, my brother Will and his partner, Anne-Marie. Plenty to drink and a huge roast. Mum asked what we'd all like, and we each gave a different answer, so she did all three: ham, chicken and duck à l'orange. There was yorkshire puds, stuffing and veg. Couldn't move for a week.
I did see a handful of snowflakes, but it's been unbelievably warm. I think it's the warmest Christmas and New Year on record or something? Temperatures of sixteen degrees at times! Unbelievable. But I did get one moment of mid-winter Narnia on the way to see my brother.
Tamsin's dad, my mother's brother, has a shed company in Market Harborough with a really unusual showroom. We went to drop off a birthday gift so took a look around. He's lined the main road that runs past the top of the office with loads of carved animals: gorillas, gazelles, a giraffe. Kids love it as they walk past, it's a bit of a local landmark.
Went over to see my brother and his new cat, Lyra. She's a little walking ball of floof. Admired his fish tank and he took me to his local caf the best sausage, bacon and egg breakfast bap in the world at his local caf. It was a bit of a comedy of errors because I got a flat tyre on the way to pick him up from his girlfriend's, where he was staying because he'd lost his house keys the night before. So, with a hideous hangover, he helped me reinflate my tyre with a bicycle pump and get it to his friend's garage, and I stood patiently whilst he drilled a hole through his lock and broke into his own house. You can't say we don't have fun.
After changing the tyre, his friend, Ben, gave Kitty a look over. She's still low on milage and her engine is in excellent condition, but there's some serious welding and rust removal needs doing underneath. Likely to be quite expensive, so waiting to find out how much. There aren't many of her type on the road anymore, and I still love driving her. Lot of sentimental value as we went been all the way to Poland together. Waiting to see what the damage will be.
Ben's friend Rory also took a look. He's a welding specialist with the most gorgeous dog called Doug the Pug, who sat on my foot the entire time. He's a little cuddle monster.
Satisfied my junkfood craving with fish and chips and a Domino's Pizza. You get lovely pizza in Rwanda, but it's usually traditional Italian stone-baked. Sometimes, you just want a cheese-filled-crust abomination, dripping with fat and garlic herb sauce.
Seriously going to miss crumpets and teacakes. Never seen either of those in Rwanda.
English Teacake with Blackberry Jam
Talking of teacakes, I went for an absolutely lovely afternoon tea with my mum at Rushton Hall. A lovely way to end the holiday.
