I am writing this letter from Volcanoes Residence in Musanze’s affluent Mukizungu neighborhood. I have had breakfast but I am not done drinking coffee. This area’s spring-like weather encourages regular consumption of my favorite aromatic beverages.
I have fifteen minutes to write this letter. If you notice some typos here and there, please bear with me. It’s 9 o’clock in the morning. I don’t want to see any electronic devices on this table by 9:16 a.m. The only things allowed here after my 9:15 deadline are my coffee utensils. Maybe, I will pick a book I was reading last night and sniff more pages.
Last night, I perused through a few chapters of a book titled The Birds of East Africa. I didn’t pay attention to its author’s name. If I decide to resume reading this publication, at 9:16, I will make sure I memorize the author’s name for future references.
I am not a birding expert. My birding game needs a lot of work. One thing is certain though; I love the music these adorable creatures produce. Birds are gifted musicians. Their melodies are absolutely sensational.
As mentioned above, I am not a birding expert — far from one. The good news is, I have started paying attention to these talented animals. While canoeing along the meandering course of Mukungwa River, I caught a glimpse into the busy life of birds. I was amazed by their impressive work ethic, attention to detail and resilient spirit.
Elsewhere, I once saw two birds chilling on a branch of a tree. This happened in Nyungwe forest. My guide informed me that the two birds were a couple from the Turaco species. "Turaco couples always roll together. They are inseparable." He told me.
The love birds were minding their own business. They didn’t seem to notice our presence until one of us started producing Turaco sounds using a bird sound app installed on the gadget he was biting. That sound attracted their attention. They stared at him and looked puzzled.
The first time I poked my nose into other birds’ affairs, I saw security guards, engineers and interior designers. Yes, birds have important jobs too. Some of them do what you do for a living. Their skills are probably more refined than yours. No offense.
The birds I encountered in Nyungwe got surprised to hear a human being speaking their language. Wouldn’t you be perplexed to hear an eagle speaking your mother tongue? There are more similarities between you and wild animals than you can ever imagine. As I always say, wildlife will never stop amazing me.
This letter wasn’t supposed to be about birds. My plan was to write something about my cycling experience in Musanze. Unfortunately, the book mentioned above changed the subject of this morning’s story. Speaking of this book, maybe I should read more chapters. After all, it’s 9:15.
The author is visiting all 30 districts of Rwanda. His tour of Musanze is sponsored by Ikaze Rwanda Tours & Travel, The Peakspot Lodge, My Hill Ecolodge, Ndaza Escape, Crema Cafe, Migano Hotel, Volcanoes Residence and Beyond the Gorillas Experience (BGE).
