Arrived Kigali, Rwanda

Woke up at 6:00 am to get ready for the trip. Went down for a buffet breakfast. Left for the airport at 11:30 am arriving 11:52 am. Check in was smooth. Luggage were scanned at the entrance into MMA. Not much queue at the RwandAir checkin counter. No queue at the immigration counter just before the security scanners.

Flight took off at 13:45 hrs naija time and after traveling for 4 hrs we landed at Kigali airport at 20:45 hrs local time (19:45 hrs naija time). Joined the visa queue, no visa form to fill. On getting to the immigration official I was asked nature of my visit, duration of stay and where I plan to stay and if I have any local contact, thereafter I was asked to pay $30 for the visa which was then stamped onto my passport.

Met an old colleague, Norbert on the Visa queue. Says he runs a business here and visits 6 times a year. He was a bit guarded with information so I didn’t press him for more info.

Taxi driver was at the arrival hall waiting for me with my name on a cardboard paper.

Changed $200 to RFW 170,000 and then wasted a lot of time buying an MTN sim card. Paid RFW 600 (RFW 200 for sim, RFW 200 for 1 week 1.5GB data and RFW 200 for voice calls). Phone refused to recognize the sim card and kept showing emergency call all night till next morning.

Asked the driver what he would charge to drive me around the next day and he called out RFW 60,000 after much discussions he agreed for RFW 45,000. I insisted for RFW 30,000 not sure he accepted but he said he would come for me at 10:00 am next morning. Eventually got to the hotel quite late almost 10:30 pm, went to the restaurant order a rice and beef meal with a bottle of sprite. The room is very big and spacious but looks old and worn out.Read more