Wild Goose Chase

So, Nat, what have you been up to lately?  Well, let me tell you…

• Woke up at 7:30am
• Brushed teeth
• Made a PB&B&J (second B = banana)
• Ate the PB&B&J and threw back a malaria pill
• Made a regular PB&J and threw it in my makeshift lunchbox along with banana.
• Counted and cursed my leftover 75,500 Rwandan Francs ($130 USD) that I figured I’d be able to change at the airport in Tanzania upon arriving. False.
• Got dressed, brushed teeth, washed face, put hair in piggy-braids and hit the streets on a mission.
• Stopped in Money Exchange Bureau #1 to ask about changing Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped in Bank #1 to ask about changing Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped in Bank #2 to ask about changing Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped in Money Exchange Bureau #2 to ask about changing Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped in Money Exchange Bureau #3 to ask about changing Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped in Bank #3 to beg them to change my Rwandan Francs.  No
• Stopped in Bank #4 and groveled at their feet to change my Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped in Travel Agency #1 to ask about any clients traveling to Rwanda.  No.
• Stopped in Travel Agency #2 to ask about any clients traveling to Rwanda.  No.
• Stopped in Bank #5 to beg about changing Rwandan Francs.  No.  But you have branches in Rwanda, isn’t there any way you can trade currency back and forth?  No.
• Stopped in Postal Courier to ask about any slight chance of changing Rwandan Francs.  How much do you have? 75,000.  That’s a lot.  I know.  I could maybe do a little bit of it, but probably not. Try asking Precision Air.
• Stopped in Money Exchange Bureau #4 to beg for help in changing my Rwandan Francs.  No.
• Stopped various groups of tourists around town to ask if they or anyone they know is traveling to Rwanda.  No.
• Stopped in Internet Café to ask around about people traveling to Rwanda.  No, but you just missed a family that left yesterday.  SOB! Try the Hoff Hostel up the street.
• Stopped in Travel Agency #3 to ask about any clients traveling to Rwanda.  No.
• Stopped in the Hoff Hostel (complete with awesome cardboard cutout of  David Hasselhoff a la Baywatch out front) to ask about any guests traveling to Rwanda.  Yes.  Really??!! I am meeting him in 1 hour at the YMCA. 
• Stopped in the YMCA, ate PB&J and banana for lunch while waiting/anticipating.
• Guy from Hoff Hostel found me to tell me the other guy left for Rwanda that morning. Grrr…
• Stopped in Travel Agency #4 at the YMCA to please, please, please tell me they have clients traveling to Rwanda.  No, but there is a girl from Rwanda that might be coming here tonight.  Another lead!  I will leave you my contact info, please let me know if she can help. Ok.
• Stopped in Bank #6 as last-ditch effort to ask about changing Rwandan Francs. No.
• Stopped in Precision Air Office to tell sob story and ask if I could ride their shuttle to the airport Wednesday morning before the flight to Rwanda to find people to exchange my Rwandan Francs with.  Ok, be here at 5:30am on Weds, but it will cost you 10,000 each way.  Fine.
• Stopped in Coffee Shop for tea & biscuits, apparently thinking I’m British.
• Ate dinner leftovers from the night before and recounted ridiculous day
• Stopped in Internet Café at 6:30pm to check email for any leads, meet up with new Norwegian friends & post exhilarating day to blog.

To be continued…