Chapter Twenty: Papa's not a rolling stone
Stress Sources Subdued
12.16.2021 - 12.16.2021
View Morocco + Uganda + Rwanda on paulej4's travel map.
As the rigors of completing this journey--now in its twenty-first day--continue to take a toll on my body, I opt to do, well, nothing. On offer were many hikes but going up another mountainside today or descending down to a lake when I must then ascend again; well, it wears me out just thinking about it. The bait of a gorilla family might cause me to bite but simply seeing a body of water from the shore is not enough to motivate me to make it happen. Daughter Megan used to explain how she could "catch up" on her sleep; I, inspired by her, today am going to "catch up" to my stamina. I had many other things I could have done but all represented an expenditure of energy that I frankly do not possess.
At 8:00, however, sleep was over so I made my way up the stone pathway to the main lodge where a table for one had been setoverlooking the sunrise side of the ridge and Lake Bulera. Anxious for coffee I attempted to explain to my solicitous server that I would prefer to delay giving her my breakfast order but a language gap blocked me. The Virunga breakfast with poached eggs, please. After a half hour or so, new friends Fiona, Safi and Matt arrive on the outside patio and we struggle to exchange photographs and videos, frustrated for some unknown reason by airdrop but later successful with shared albums. That process should have been much easier than it was. That trio checks out today to continue their lengthy and complicated journey. I will miss their great company. Fiona, with her work at the World Health Organization, has lived an adventurous life (including meeting an Egyptian in Alexandria, falling in love and marrying) and her stories, commonplace to them but including feeing a military coup, etc., are enthralling to me.
There are many spots to sit and relax at Virunga Lodge and I later find one on the other side of the ridge overlooking Lake Ruhondo.The 360 degree view from the lodge is wonderful; you can see for miles and miles and miles to and past the Virunga volcanoes. But as I write, I note the battery indicator on my MacBook Air is nearly empty. That's a problem because the power is out. My Kindle is fully charged so I can expand my reading time from the bedside table to the veranda easy chair.
Kalisimbi Volcanic mountain offers up a perfect picture of the demarcation between agriculture and forest. I have, in the past few days, traversed stark boundaries such as this one multiple times. You can see from this mountain side panorama that the slope is steep, representing challenges going up and challenges coming down. Populate that slope with mud and rocks and roots and vines provides "Papa" with all the energy withdrawal he requires and, perhaps, sends him into overdraft.
Later I learn from overhearing a conversation that I was probably not meant to hear that two tourists who made the gorilla trek yesterday received bad news: their COVID test results came back positive. They had tested negative only a few days prior. I've no idea of the wrench that will thrown into the machinery that is travel in Africa. My, oh my, I surely hope that--in the final week of this adventure--I can dodge that bullet. I am fully vaccinated, boosted, conscious of social distancing and mask-wearing but still, the peril stalks. COVID is the travel apex predator and I don't wish to be tripped up and devoured by it.
From the lodge lounge where the wifi lives, I've sent a couple of WhatsApp messages to Sam inquiring as to my status now that 24 hours have passed but he is not replying. In all fairness, when I decided to take a day off today that meant that Sam also had the day off--at least he didn't have any place to which he had to deliver me. But delivering information, well, that is possibly a different matter. I wish he would get back with me. I first texted just before 1:00pm. I texted again just before 2:00pm. That was a half hour ago and the only sound I am hearing from my iPhone is some soothing background music playing through my headphones as I lounge, write this and read a Lightweight Lincoln Lawyer page-turner.
Then, I finally figure out that I can check my status; it isn't in Sam's job description. Rwanda has a government sponsored and operated "Rwanda Biomedical Centre" online portal for COVID-19 test results All tests taken in Rwanda are uploaded to this portal through a unique ID number I was assigned when I applied for permission to enter the country. I just took a look at it and the test I took yesterday has now been posted as "negative." That is good news. Very good news. I would be forbidden to check in to my next (and final) lodge unless I tested negative within 48 hours of arrival. So now I am two for two in Rwanda. My smile can join with the increasing number of smiles I see on the faces of local people. I am relieved of physical stress by virtue of not climbing a mountain and I am relieved of mental stress by virtue of having a recent negative test result. See ya, stress. Bon Voyage.
New guests arrive. They have a baby and a toddler in tow. Here is the mark of a great lodge. The manager inquires, "Papa, would you prefer to dine in the lounge tonight? We can set you up at the chess table and you'll have a fine quiet dinner."
"Why, yes. That's sounds splendid."
