It’s a tradition for our family to take time off and travel for the holiday. Studies have shown that taking time off from the job and the normal hustling and bustling of the city has physical and mental health benefits. People who go on holiday are more motivated upon returning to work. They have lower stress levels and generally have a positive outlook on life. Moreso, holidays are a good time for families to reconnect more intimately and create new memories.
Charity begins at home, so down through the year, my wife and I first familiarize our children with important places in Nigeria. Our local vacation covered the far reaches of the nation, We have crossed many borders, from the Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls in the Oriade local government area of Osun State to the amazing Ikogosi Warm Springs located in Ekiti State and down South-South to Obudu Mountain Resort on the Obudu Plateau in Cross-River.
Despite all these local trips, my best holiday ever was in 2019 when the family visited Rwanda – the land of a thousand hills. This vacation was special for several reasons, my wife and I started planning much early in 2018. We contacted our travel agency to ensure we enjoy subsidized rates for our hotels, air tickets, and places of visit. We went online to identify possible sites to visit in Rwanda as the children wanted to experience the beauty and cleanliness of the city.
On Monday the 5th of August, we set out for our flight to Kigali through Rwanda Air. The children were excited as this was their first international trip. They had informed their cousins and friends about the trip and had plans to take pictures and get souvenirs to share with them upon their return. The five-hour flight allowed me to have a nap while the children were engrossed in watching cartoons on board through the PA systems. We landed safely around nine in the evening and waiting for us was the representative of the travel agency.
During the three days in Kigali, we had the opportunity to visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial Centre located in the heart of Kigali City. We learnt about the genocide that happened in 1994 which claimed the lives of over one million victims. We watched video clips of the genocide against the Tutsi people and saw pictures. It was such a humbling and sobering experience for the family.
We also had the opportunity to visit the Akagera National Park, which is about two hours from the city. The National Park occupies approximately 1,100 km² of land with diverse wildlife and environments. Through the help of our travel agency, we were able to get a good discount for the trip around the park which cost fifty dollars each. The family spotted and took pictures of the black rhino, giraffes, and lions in the park.
On the third day, we visited the Niyo Arts Centre. The centre is known for its vast array of beautiful African art. Rwandan creative artist all come to the centre to share and display their painting, scripture, music, drumming and dance. We went round the gallery and bought some beautiful art products as souvenirs.
Rwanda is such a beautiful and clean country with hospitable people. The country has prioritized the tourism sector as a major revenue generation sector for the country and people are living up to this. Our holiday in Rwanda was full of fun and excitement. The family had lots of time together to bond and create new experiences that we all cherish for a long time.
