Kid
|
Kid in Rwanda.....Anyone who thinks I was nuts to hesitate coming to Rwanda......you were right. I was nuts.
When Jack Hanna called inviting me to join his team, flying to Rwanda to film a show on the whole country......but especially the Gorillas high in the mountain jungles where Dian Fossey studied them......I hesitated, as many of you know.
Mistake.
Within the first 6 hours of arrival, we had flown on the President's private deluxe Chinook helicopter.....on an hour sightseeing flight.....all around the ENTIRE country...jungles/mountains/countryside/lakes.....met with the nations top surgeons...had a private dinner with this amazing man, President Paul Kagame....with me seated between the Minister of Health and Minister of Higher Education.
And this was only the beginning.....and amazingly the LEAST interesting day of our 14 days so far!!! Honest!!
Every dang day has brought us to the most amazing places....the most wonderful treks and hikes and driving safaris.....and to the most beautiful natural habitats.....in this BEAUTIFUL, CLEAN, SAFE and FRIENDLY country imaginable. Forget ALL that you heard or feared of Rwanda. It is heaven on Earth.
Imagine......having a HUGE passenger boat brought overland by tow......JUST to carry us across a lake that NEVER has had a boat this size on it before......JUST so we could make our way to a tiny village, where a WILD African Elephant has become the village pet!!
The elephant was the largest Jack Hanna or Julie Scardina have EVER seen. Big statement!
On arrival at the village bay....the elephant was floating just offshore. Boys swam out and coaxed this monster slowly to shore with bananas. As he inched his way out of the water.....his bulk was breath-taking!!! We were in awe....as the entire village came out to stand beneath him. After whole rolls of film and memory cards were used up.....we finally stood there....and had to pinch ourselves to make sure we weren't dreaming. We weren't. I took Julie's photo as the little pixie reached up and touched his tongue.
A thrill? Just a small one compared to what was to come.
The chimp treks were the single toughest hikes/climbs of my life. Chasing the film crews through the jungle rainforests made me thankful for those 30 pre-trip days of 6 miles daily at 530am. I was ready. But those STRAIGHT UP AND STRAIGHT DOWN slopes of steep mountain jungle were nothing short of frightening!!! The chimps were elusive......but we captured them......on film and in our hearts. I may never be able to watch the Zoo chimps again after seeing the guys in their natural habitat. Oh Gawd!!
Yesterday, on the steep slopes of Rwanda's most densely forest-covered volcanoes.....I was backed into a corner between and on top of thick bushes......as a wild, curious, teenaged, endangered Mountain Gorilla slowly climbed on top of me. My trekking group stood in shock, watching the slow-motioned event unfold. I felt no fear. I knew she was just curious....as much, but certainly not more than I was....having her there. The guide let her remain there long enough to satisfy her, then coaxed her off and back to the frolicking family nearby......complete with suckling baby. We could not have been any closer. My "happy button" could not have been pushed harder.
Tonight we ate with Frederick, the young man who had his arms chopped off and left for dead, during the Rwanda Genocide in 1994.....1 million people butchered in 3 months. He was featured on ABC's 20/20 years ago.The artificial arms placed in the Columbus Ohio Hospital are working beautifully and he has inspired millions back here at home in Rwanda.
Where ever Jack and Julie go, people stop cold, mouths agap, recognized by admiring fans. This entire country is at his service and has gone to amazingly extreme measures to make our visit memorable. Never before has a LIVE satellite feed been tried DIRECTLY from the mountainous jungles, mere feet from the Gorillas. I hope you all caught the broadcasts. Jack and Julie are perfect ambassadors of good will. In fact our entire crew is made up of the most perfect people. I love them all.
Tomorrow we go the genocide orphanage. One hour ago, Francois.....one of the amazingly generous group members along with us, announced he would buy new mattresses for the entire home of 120 remaining orphans there. We meet with Roz Carr. 93 years old. Google her.....and get out the tissues.
This......is but a tiny teeny weeny sampling of 2 extraordinary weeks. Just when we think it couldn't get any better or AMAZING.....it does.
And I still have a week to go!
Happily.....in Rwanda.....a place of pure magic,
Kid/Sandy 
|
