The Kroghs in Kigali!: The End of the Gorilla Trek Day... cont.

About 12:30, I think-- after our hour had ended with the Ugenda Gorilla family we headed down the mountain. It was certainly easier going down... but it was still quite a ways. But now our minds were filled with the amazing animals that we had just witnessed. So after a brief rest we took off down.....

This picture is about 1/2 way down and our destination is the group of little
white building way off in the distance.

Making good progress along this little narrow foot/rock path.
The only problem was that there were so many rocks you had to watch your footsteps all the time instead of the scenery.

As you can see we are sort of spread out!
The guide is way on down this section of this hill!

This picture gives you a little better idea of
how steep portions of the trek were.

These little folk greeted us when we got all the way to the bottom...
Those are some strong abs! Note their winter coats. It is sunny but quite
cool in the Volcano National Park.

All of us back together and Bruce talking to the guide about his glasses.
We still haven't reached the white buildings--where our car is.

Looking back at where we had come from.

Mount Bisoke is an active volcano in the Virunga Mountains of the Albertine Rift, the western branch of the East African Rift. It straddles the border of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, but the summit is located in Rwanda. Wikipedia

Elevation: 12,175 feet (3,711m)

Getting back down into the village with lots of little well-wishers along the way.
Sweet little faces greet you everywhere in Rwanda!

Even some goats were there to greet us with their very happy-to-see-us owners!
They were so happy to shake hands and say "Muraho". (hello)

We gave up our walking sticks, put our socks back under our jeans,
took off our coats and got into the car.
Did I tell you earlier we pulled our socks up and tucked our jeans
into them so that "ants couldn't get up our pants?"
We looked funny but it was a good idea.
Then we headed back to where we would get our awards
for completing the trek.

Check out this huge blade that the men were pulling back and forth vertically...
to saw a log in two. After this kind of work they probably really "saw logs" at night!
( Snoring, I mean)

This is one of the neighborhood watering pumps where people come for miles on foot to get water for the day. Large families are allowed up to 5 containers a day. This is
also a good picture of the road they get to walk on and that we get to drive on.
Rough shod is putting it mildly.

The Conquerors!

Nelda, Amy and Kristi! YOU DID IT!!!

Just noticed they put June 4th instead of July 4th????

This is what our certificates look like!

Yes, we got them, too! Ordinarily, i think these things are silly!
But this one... I'm pretty proud of! Is it OK to admit that?

Our last picture from the Mountain Gorilla View Hotel.

Kristi getting her last shot before we get in the car to drive to
Gisenyi... A town on a lake Kivu and near the Congo Border.

This was our last picture of the Volcano Range looking over this valley.
Can you see their silhouettes in the background?

Sweet little village tucked down in the valley.
One of the things Nelda commented on was the fact that there are people
walking everywhere here and that there are villages developed on all
levels of the hills and valleys. It is amazing.

We even turned around and went back to get this picture. These were
tall columns of CARROTS getting ready to take to market, we discovered later.
Probably designed in such a fashion so they can be carried by bicycle!

We also got these pictures when we turned around, too!
This is a huge refugee camp of both Congolese and Rwandans.

These were just taken
as we drove by so they
aren't too good... but
it gives you a glimpse
of what it is like.

At least there are some
buildings.

There was one area with at least a 1/2 acre of laundry drying!

Thanks for getting this pics, Amy!