If you don't go far, you'll be old 2

Chapter 10 Burundi: Only as big as a sesame seed

Burundi is almost negligible on the world time map, but she is like a tender girl, making you willing to throw yourself into your arms.

tiny place
On the world map, Burundi is only the size of a sesame seed, so small that the country’s name cannot be written on the map, you can only find her in the serial number column.

A tiny place, but the lion opened his mouth wide.The smallest and poorest of the five East African countries is the country with the most expensive visa, with a one-month visa of US$90 or a three-day transit visa of US$40.I just wanted to go to Tanzania through Burundi, and I chose a more affordable transit visa.It is naturally cheaper to enter Tanzania directly from Rwanda, but after all, I have an irresistible curiosity about this small country where the UN peacekeeping force once stationed.

After taking out the "huge" visa fee and looking at my increasingly dry wallet, I sighed deeply. These banknotes that have flown away cannot be returned.But within 5 minutes, I found a good reason to comfort myself: five East African countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi) are working towards 2015 to merge into a unified federal country with a common constitution, President, parliament and currency.At that time, the visas will probably be combined into one, so the visas for several countries in East Africa in my hand will become souvenirs that are on the verge of disappearing?Thinking of this, I immediately feel better.Stepping on the pace and humming a song, the world is weak and weak!

Surrounded by Rwanda, Tanzania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi is one of the poorest countries in the world. The civil strife that began in 1993 killed hundreds of thousands of people in Burundi, turned millions of people into refugees, and caused a sharp recession in the economy.Corrupt officials, frequent turmoil, and a civil war that lasted for more than a decade once pushed this charming small East African country to the brink of collapse.The UN peacekeeping force entered Burundi in 10 and withdrew most of it in 2004.However, civil strife broke out again a few years later in Burundi, which failed to live up to expectations.What is even more embarrassing is that Burundi has sent peacekeeping troops to Somalia since 2006, and the "peacekeeping" countries have to be busy with "peacekeeping" other countries.

After suffering from a generation-long ethnic conflict, peace came to Burundi, and the people living in dire straits were finally able to bid farewell to that gloomy history.How long peace will last in this racially divided country is anyone's guess.Wars always have a chance to come back, I only hope that peace can stay here a little longer, a little longer.It also gives those beautiful mountains and long lakes a little more chance to show their faces, so that they will not be buried in unknown corners of the African continent.

Burundi is no exception to the "car window touts" that people in East Africa are keen on.Clever children can always seize the short time when the long-distance car stops, and rush to the window of the car with fruits and vegetables to sell them.Passengers are also happy to sit on the car seat to buy ingredients for today's dinner, and they don't even have to go to the vegetable market.Bags of fruits and vegetables are handed in from the small car window, and banknotes are handed out from the window. It is a convenient mobile vegetable market.I also followed suit and bought a handful of bananas from the car window.Man, this plate of bananas is big enough to deserve the word "giant", and weighs like two bricks, and it's hard to lift with one hand.There are at least fourteen large bananas on this heavy plate, and the price is about 7 yuan. I ate it for two days, almost as a meal.Because I ate too many bananas in a row, I finally wiped out the last one with the feeling of "never eating bananas again".

Bujumbura, the capital located on the shore of Lake Tanganyika, is the most depressed capital of a country I have ever seen. The long-term tribal scuffle has seriously hindered the development of the capital.The busiest part of the city center doesn't even look like a small town in Kenya.The shopping mall is empty, there are not as many customers as the salespersons, and most of the shelves are not filled, as if they have just been swept away by thieves.If I replace the black skin all over the street with yellow skin, I will think that I have accidentally traveled to China during the planned economy period.Although the UN peacekeeping force has long since withdrawn from Burundi, you can still easily spot their traces, such as the UN flag on the posters on the white walls along the street.

When I had nothing to do, I went to study the price tags, and found that the prices here are not cheap, but the national income level is surprisingly low.How should one live? "Eat beans all the time," says a Burundian boy with a shrug.Poor people often can't afford anything else, they can only eat dry food with beans.I just wanted to laugh a few times, but I couldn't laugh.I had to remind myself that this was probably not a joke.

The price of a small plastic bottle of Coke is equivalent to 10 yuan. Comparing the income of local people, it seems that plastic bottles of Coke can be used as a tool for petty bourgeoisie to flirt here.It is said that this is because the plastic bottles of Coke are imported from neighboring countries.Burundi only produces glass bottles locally, which are recycled, cheap and beautiful, and are the favorite of the working people.

Motorcycle rentals that shuttle through the streets of Rwanda’s cities are still common here, but with a few less rules.In dusty, overcrowded Bujumbura, the smell of a motorbike is terrifying.The speed of the car is fast, just like a movie scene, and the car body jumps from left to right and from right to left nimbly.The wind scraped my face like a knife, and the only sound in my ears was the roar of the motor.In the back seat, I was like a frightened little girl clutching the driver's coat tightly, silently praying that God would not take my arms and legs, let me save my own life... a 15-minute motorcycle trip On the rental tour, I felt as if I had died eight times.

The motorcycle took me to the shore of Lake Tanganyika to take a look at the second oldest lake in the world.At first glance, the beauty of the blue sky, white clouds, green mountains and green water cannot hide the limelight of the countless garbage on the lake shore, which is a bit disappointing.This look that has not been cleaned for too long reminds me of the beach in Chennai, India, which is also full of garbage.I once talked about India with a gray-haired American grandfather backpacker. At that time, I thought that India might be the best in the world in terms of mess, but the American grandfather shook his head and told me: Many places in Africa are like that.

Maybe, the American grandpa also came to Burundi, stood in the same position, and saw Lake Tanganyika.The fate of travel is always wonderful.

Strike up
According to the map, I found almost the only budget hotel in Bujumbura introduced in the travel guide.The price list in front of me told me that the cheapest room cost $60 a night.Resisting the cry of "what kind of budget hotel is this" deep in my heart, I looked at the polite and smiling front desk clerk, so I had to find an excuse to leave quickly.The instruction book is not a panacea, and many times you still have to find out by yourself.Under the guidance of passers-by, I found a suitable place to stay. The spacious single room costs less than 10 dollars, and there is a big bed enough for four people, and it is only a 10-minute walk from the city center.

Throw yourself into the bathroom, wash from head to toe, put on your favorite long gauze dress, and walk into the small restaurant next door to the hotel, ready to have an elegant dinner.When the food arrives, I can almost hear the sprinting horns of the starving cells in my body.And all I did was pretend to be calm, took a sip of soda, and picked up the knife and fork calmly.It's been too long to be wild, and occasionally I want to pack myself into a lady of the family.

While eating slowly, the woman's sixth sense told me that there are some unusual wavelengths around.Scanning the surroundings from the corner of the eye, the target was the black guy across the dining table, smiling shyly at me.

In a country where Orientals are considered rare animals, I was used to being watched like a gorilla.But this wavelength is obviously not only curious and fresh, but also seems to have some romantic feelings mixed in.No wonder such a small restaurant always likes to play some ditties played by the saxophone.

Accompanied by the slow blues, he got up and walked gently in front of me.I ate dinner at a leisurely pace, imagining a hundred possible opening lines for him, trying to figure out the right rejection line in my mind.The air seemed to stand still, and the time and space were slightly awkward. I was sure I heard the ticking sound coming from his watch.Finally, he opened his mouth and said the one hundred and first opening remark in a deep voice.

That is a sentence in French.

I almost forgot that Burundi, like Rwanda, is a French-speaking country.

Just like the power cut in the middle of a key scene in a movie, even the saxophone in the background seems to be out of tune.Reluctantly, I explained to him my awkwardness in French in English.Obviously, he, who knew nothing about English, didn't understand me.

He sat down and persistently tried to communicate with me in French, and I could only speak a few words in English from time to time to show my confusion.The second hand was ticking.Looking at this young man in front of me trying to express something to me, I didn't know what to do other than open my eyes and act innocent.

He finally found out that this oriental girl did not have an innate talent for French, and he was a little discouraged. He calmed down, stretched out his palm to signal me to wait, and turned around to ask the waitress who could speak English to be his interpreter.The three chatted a little bit without a word, and when the black girl went to entertain other guests, the communication bridge was broken again.

Maybe it's time to leave.I used body language to show him my intention to leave. He looked at me seriously and moved his lips quickly, as if he was trying to say something, but unfortunately I still couldn't understand.I motioned for the black girl to come to the checkout, and he grabbed the young waitress like a life-saving straw and asked her to pass on his words.

"He said he liked you," said the black girl.

It turned out that he was confessing to me in French.

"...Please tell him that I am leaving Burundi tomorrow and going to Tanzania."

He showed a disappointed expression, lowered his head and thought for a moment, and then said something to the black girl.

"He said he was going to Tanzania with you."

This time it was my turn to be surprised.

He nodded and grinned, rubbing his hands back and forth on his thighs, his white teeth gleaming against his dark skin.I didn't even know where to start to say no, so I kept saying sorry.

His eyes were full of disappointment, as if he was looking for the last possibility.And my answer is still sorry.He pursed his lips and looked at me regretfully.

I finally convinced him that I would not change my determination to go to Tanzania alone tomorrow.He stood up hesitantly, nodded at me, and walked away lonely.I dawdled for a while, making sure he had gone far, and finally got up to pay the bill.

"No, he's done it for you." The black girl shrugged.

I was a little embarrassed when the money I handed over was returned, but I didn't want to cry.

The bright night sky shines on the land of Burundi and on the heart of a solo traveler.Tomorrow, I will continue my journey alone.

(End of this chapter)