Hippos, Herds, and a Hubby

Darkness had begun to fall by the time we made our way to dinner. The restaurant at the lodge was all open in the front.  No walls, just an open A-frame.  It was very rustic and quaint.  You could heard the sounds of the night all around us. A relaxing way to end our day. We didn't linger after dinner because of how tired we were from our long journey, plus we had to rise early to go out on Lake Mbura.

On our way back to our bungalows, two employees escorted us with flashlights and to aid us should we run into any hippos. Another cool thing I learned, at night hippos emerge from the water to graze.  Who knew?!?!  I never knew this!!!  Sure enough, blocking our path, near the volleyball net, in gray and pink glory stood a ginormous hippo.  It was about as wide and long as my 12 passenger van, not quite as tall though. I was speechless.  Our guides were able to shoo it away by yelling at it and throwing rocks, and the hippo just moseyed off as though we were flies pestering it.

Of all the places we had stayed, the beds in our bungalow were so comfortable.  I slept well for the first time since we had arrived in Uganda.  We were up early for breakfast and then driven over to the boat launch. We waited for another group to join us and while we waited, we stood by the lake watching weaver birds building their nests in a tree hanging over the water.  It was fascinating!  There must have been over a hundred chirruping and fluttering about, soaring back and forth with materials. They were incredibly focused, which stood to reason, these were the males all building their nests in order to attract a mate. They went about their business with great precision and skill.

There was a young man (a munzungu even!) already at the boat launch when we arrived and we struck up a conversation as we stood there. He told us that he was a university student from Denmark who had spent the last month hiking through Uganda. He would stay at hostels or sometimes with friends he made along the way, he would call home once a week to let his family know he was okay. He was really enjoying the sights and sounds of Uganda, and the night before he had camped in a tent by the lake. He said that in the middle of the night he could hear a hippo near his tent grazing. Amazing, simply amazing!  I think I would have had a heart attack.

It was a calm, overcast day, the water was smooth. The rest of our group arrived and we floated out onto the lake. Our captain pointed out many bird species and told us about the lake. It wasn't long before we came upon a pod (you could even use herd, school, or bloat. Bloat? Seriously???) of hippos. It was the most incredible thing I have ever seen.  They stood there, submerged in the water, with their ears and eyes above the surface, staring at us. Then some would dive under while there were ripples of bubbles coming from another spot and VOILA, another hippo would surface!  We learned that when a cow gives birth, she goes off alone and stays away from the pod for three months.

We went around the lake hoping to see some alligators and we only managed to see a baby one, about the size of a loaf of Italien bread.  Back at shore, we rode to get our belongings at the lodge and pay our bill.  Then we were off, a small continuation of our safari on the long road out of the park. When we had gone a couple of miles we began to see longhorn cattle. Huge herds of them. Cows are not sacred in Uganda, but they are extremely valuable. This particular part of the country had hundreds of herds, with cattle numbering in the thousands. These cattle were majestic looking beasts. It was incredible to see a few men driving these huge herds across plains, hillsides, and roads.

The next stop was a couple of schools. These schools were ones that Brunswick Coastal RC had partenered with Kijjansi RC to put up water tanks at. One of the schools Enid had attended as a child.  She was instrumental in overseeing this project.  When we arrived at the first school, a primary school, it was quiet, the students had been dismissed. We had a meeting with the teachers and board members and were given a report. When that was finished, we took a brief look at the campus. Here and there were little sign staked in the ground with morals written on them, such as:  

At one particular sign, Curt said, "Jen, go lay down by that sign!"

"What?!  No way!  Why me? Why not Mary?"

Ismael intervened. "Come with me, my Queen" He took me but the hand and we both posed behind the sign. The result was hilarious!

One of the elder board members came over, alarmed that we were laughing at the sign. He felt we should have taken in more seriously. I felt like a little kid being scolded by the principal!  But I'd do it again. (Very naughty of me, I know...)

The secondary school was just around the corner, and when we arrived all the children, and their parents were waiting to greet us.  The children all lined both sides of the road, clapping. I went over and said hello and tried to shake their hands.  Probably a lame move, but again, there was that internal struggle with being held in high esteem when I felt incredibly undeserving.

I was pleasantly surprised to finally meet Allan, Enid's husband. They had both come for this meeting. We weren't able to get aquatinted just yet, but we would later in the evening.

We toured the campus first before going into an assembly.  Then the dancing started. This time the songs were even more personal. In two of the songs, Enid's name was mentioned repeatedly. In another song, Mary Tenenat, a member of Brunswick Coastal who partenered with Enid on the water project, was mentioned. The songs were heartfelt, and the dancing was wonderful.

Afterward, we were invited to enjoy some roasted goat skewers with the staff, board members, and parents. We were not particularly hungry since we had only eaten a short time earlier. I lucked out though and got liver on my skewer.  (Sincerely, I like liver, I really do!)

It was time to go and we were running late, as usual. We made our way to the van but Mary and Marty stopped one last time to sing a song for the kids. I was a party pooper though and waited near the van. I had no energy left, and I was starting to feel a little homesick.

We drove farther into the countryside to see a couple clinics that had recieved maternity beds from Mary Tenants church.  The more rural it became, the more stares we got. Here it was, Ken sat in front, the biggest munzungu of us all, and any children by the roadside or in their yards would see him from quite a distance.  They would beging jumping,meaning, and shouting, "Munzungu, munzungu!!!" We all would wave at the kids and they were thrilled.

The first village we came to was very rural. We parked at the local clinic, but it was closed that day.  A local leader came over to unlock it for us and show us around.  The villagers all walked over in a crowd.  They stood around observing this small troupe of munzungus. The children got closer to us, but they were timid. None of the children would let us touch them. Only when I knelt down did they crowd around me. Even still, they kept a certain level of personal space. I can't say I blame them. I imagine it was the first time many of them had seen a munzungu up close.

The second clinic we visited was uneventful, the village was more spread out, so we did not have a big audience.

Dusk was upon us when we made it to the hotel. Three rooms were booked for our team. Our choice with room arrangements were to have two men in one room, two women in another, and one man and one woman in the third room.  I looked inside our rooms and they were more like efficiency apartments. There was a living room, a kitchen, and two seperate bedrooms, each with their own key. It really wasn't that big of a big deal to share with one of the guys, so I volunteered.

I asked Ken, " Wanna share a room?"

He looked at me incredulously, "NO."

Then I asked John, he was fine with it.  It turns out that Ken did not understand that we had separate rooms inside.  He refused to share because he sleeps in the buff and thought we were going to be in the same room with two separate beds.  It still makes me laugh to think of what went through Ken's mind when I asked him to share a room.

None of us were hungry for dinner, but we met at the hotel restaurant and Enid and Ismael cut up the fresh fruit we recieved at Jongoza for us to snack on. We finally had decent wifi and I decided to FaceTime Brett.  He was at the office, and the signal wasn't great there. We kept our conversation short, but it was so good to see his face and hear his voice. Then I Face Timed Gerald, we connected and it was absolutely wonderful to see home and all the kids, my mum, and my sister.  It was 3 or 4 in the afternoon back home, and the kids were outside playing in the snow.  We chatted for a little bit, and I had them say " hi" to everyone at the restaurant with me before saying good bye.

Things quieted down and I finally had an opportunity to get acquainted with Allan. He rents an apartment nearby because if his job and lives there during the week, coming home on the weekends. It was really a pleasure to talk to him. He got a kick out of seeing my kids on the iPad.  We mainly talked about family, and he asked about how my trip was so far. It was getting late and our visit had to be cut short, the team had to get up early to make it to Nyaala by 9am for our video shoot with YPO.

The Queen, Her Coffee, and a Safari

In all the business of visiting projects, club meetings, and seeing the sights of Kampala, I didn't pay much attention to the printout of our itinerary. I guess I shouldn't say I didn't pay attention, it was more like I would check the sheet at night when I was bleary eyed, and then promptly forget once my head hit the pillow. We moved at such a fast clip, I couldn't keep track of it all.  I relied on Enid to remind me of what was coming the following day, and here it was, we were going on a safari, something I would never have dreamed of!

On this particular morning, I did not have to wait for my ride to come get me.  Everyone was going to be dropped off by their hosts at a local gas station.  Thankfully, Enid and I didn't have to drive, the gas station was within walking distance.  It was these types of experiences that I relished. Just walking, doing common everyday things in Uganda was refreshing, it gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to be part of that culture.  

Enid would be accompanying us this day, as well as Rotarian Ismael. The van that awaited us was driven by a gentleman named Derrick Mwesigwa.  He is the owner and operator of Kari Safaris in Kampala.  Enid and I were the first to arrive and Derrick took my bag and put it in the van.  We all stood around chatting as the rest of my teammates arrived one by one

We were finally on our way. Curt and I sat in the back. The two of us got along like a couple of junior high kids!  We would make lame jokes and talk Valley Girl to each other, while rolling our eyes. That's what you get when you ride in the back, it's where all the cool kids sit.

We drove and drove. Going into the countryside was ethereal.  The rolling hills, forest, and lush greenery reminded me of home in a lot of ways.  Our first stop was another Rotary project, this time it was a coffee plantation and a swinery!

We turned onto the road of the coffee plantation and we were halfway there when we heard the sound of drums.  As we got closer you could see a canopy up ahead and there was not only a large group of people sitting under it, but there was an entire group dancing for us.  It was amazing. 

We got out of our vehicle and a few of the ladies danced right over to us to greet us. The community leaders came over well.  They were so gracious and welcoming even though we had kept them waiting for WELL over an hour, and yet they danced and played for us with such energy and enthusiasm (it's funny, but the word "enthusiasm" fits and yet it doesn't do justice and I can't think of another word to paint this picture more vividly).

After our joyous reception, we were taken on a tour of the plantation.  The swinery was not bustling with pigs like we anticipated because a week or so before our visit the swine flu had wiped out all but one pig!   So very sad!

We went over to the coffee plants.  They were beautiful and showing signs of ripening. I had only ever seen coffee berries on a coffee tree in pictures. The trees really are lovely. Sadly, the farmers had a problem, they were battling with a borer beetle which bores into the branches causing them to die.  The pesticide to get rid of the beetles is very expensive.

  I am not sure what course of action has been taken since our visit, but I am hoping for the best.  The plantation has been a godsend to this community and you will never meet more deserving people.

We were served a generous lunch. While we were eating someone mentioned my family size and the ladies were AMAZED that a munzungu would have so many children. This was a common response everywhere I went, what I loved about it is the responses would be of surprise and joy as opposed to here where most times I am met with incredulity and shock.

When we got ready to leave we were surprised and overwhelmed by a procession of gifts! It took over half a dozen women to bring us a bounty of :fresh pineapple, avocados, bananas, sugar cane, papaya, and jack fruit, as well as: some purses, a hat, and a few framed and matted pictures made with bark cloth (a cloth made by pounding the bark of a tree so thin it becomes like cloth) and woven with banana leaves.  We barely fit in the van after this! The smell of all the fresh fruit was intoxicating.

Here we were on the road again. We hadn't traveled far when we stopped to drop Enid off somewhere. She was going to wait for her husband, Allan, to pick her up and she would rejoin us the following night. We drove quite a distance before making it to Lake Mburo National Park. By the time we got there the sun was starting to set.

 We stopped at the gate to pay our entrance fee. Ismael asked me to go into the office with him to sign for the group. He only ever called me "Queen" after he discovered I was royalty, so I decided to name him my Chief Adviser. It was really funny because he played along with being in my service the whole time we traveled together. Ever the gentleman, Ismael...  Before getting back in the van, the roof was raised so we could get a better view.

So here it was, we were on SAFARI! We had just enough light, before making it up to the lodge, to take in the landscape and see some wildlife. Our guide, Derrick was a wealth of knowledge and he had eyes like a hawk! He would spot animals in the distance and in trees and point them out so that we would not miss out. He educated us on the names of animals we were not familiar with as well as teaching us about their habits. He was able to answer any questions we had. He was also great at stopping the vehicle when we requested so we could take pictures.

water buffalo

Rafiki having a family reunion

We drove in and around the park taking everything in. We were instructed to speak quietly and not make any loud noises so as not to disturb the animals. That was no easy task, not for me anyway! The landscape was just beautiful. I loved how Ugandan soil is red and rich looking, in contrast with the vegetation, and the blue sky overhead, it was simply breathtaking.

Like I really need to tell you what this is...

One cool thing I learned was that a newborn baboon will cling to the underside of its mother for three weeks, after that it will ride on the mother's back. So if you ever see a baboon carrying its young underneath her, you will know it is three weeks or younger!

Pumba in search of Timon...

We finally made it up to the lodge. Our bags were unpacked and brought to our bungalows where we all freshened up before dinner. Our adventure would continue the following day...

The Queen of Maine and her Chief Adviser, Ismael.

The Reach of Rotary

Up until this trip, I was vaguely familiar with Rotary.  I knew that Rotary has worked for decades in the fight against Polio (as of 2014 they are “This Close!” to eradicating polio!).  I also knew that they help many poor communities with water tanks and also give out scholarships to their local high schools.  Here I was in Uganda seeing what Rotary actually does.

One of the big projects we visited was a cancer center being built by Rotary District 9211 at  Nsambya Hospital.  The structure was complete, but it still needed doors and windows, electrical wiring, paint, etc…  

Our District Governor (at the time), Carolyn J., has been working with another NGO that helps outfit hospitals with used medical equipment.  A container filled with oncology equipment  is scheduled to be shipped there this fall. This is a major accomplishment considering the resources it will take to get the equipment in the same place at the same time, and then shipping the container itself. My hat is off to Carolyn for the countless hours she has poured into this project and her diligence.  She is an amazing woman!

After our tour of the building, we had a brief meeting with the District Governor of District 9211. We took this opportunity to present them with the medical supplies we had brought with us.  They, in turn, presented us with a Rotary District 9211 magazine and jerseys from their annual Run Against Cancer. 

When we left the hospital, our hosts for the afternoon were Charles, and Dr. Roger.  Our next stop was at the Kajjansi Health Center.  It was late in the morning and the center was quite busy.  There were many mothers waiting to be seen with their babies for immunizations. The clinic offered a myriad of services.  We were accompanied by Rotarian John-Mary, and also a young doctor who worked at the clinic.

Stopping by the maternity clinic, we went in to see the labor beds.  The nurse in this part of the clinic described the challenges of delivering babies for women who were HIV positive. I asked how women typically delivered and if they were encouraged to labor in different positions or delivered squatting. She told me that mothers are discouraged from delivering that way because to do so would put the baby at risk of contracting HIV.  I had never heard of any such thing before. During the rest of our tour I peppered the doctor with questions about this, but he could not give me a medical reason for this practice. After coming home I did a brief search to see what the risk of transmission is during delivery, and so far I haven’t seen anything to suggest that standing or squatting puts the baby at any greater risk of infection.  

Our next stop, was Kijjansi Line.  This area is a slum where Brunswick Coastal RC has had two latrines built.  Each family in the community pays a small fee per month ( I think it was 50 cents) to use them. There is a great need for better sanitation throughout the area.  

We wound our way through the narrow, rutted walkways we had a small group of children following us.  At one point we sat down with some of the community leaders to hear about their needs and what Kijjansi RC is doing to help them. The area we sat in was gated and the little children (all pre-school age) came and stood at the edge of the gate, peeking at us.  After a few moments, one of them would cry, “Munzungu!!”  Then the rest would shout, “Munzungu!”  And they would all scamper off giggling.  It was hilarious!  They did this over and over again until we left.  

On our way out of the slum, our little entourage  followed us to our vehicles by the side of the road.  I was stunned by this.  No parents came to stop them. There were probably one or two adults nearby that were watching.   I could not help myself, but I picked up one little girl, about my Saoirse’s age (2 ½ at the time), and held her.  I said hello and asked her what her name was.  She did not speak english but she repeated my words as clear as a bell, no accent or anything!  It amazes me how young children pick up language so easily.  Simply amazing. 

Our next destination was Kigo Prison.  Enid met us there.  This is a project that she is invested in.  She deals with the women's half of the prison and oversees adult education, mentoring, and teaching craft making skills as well as hairdressing.  

When we arrived, a couple of tables had been set out with crafts the prisoners had made and were selling.  There were beautifully made kalo baskets, hand baskets, mats, and a few other items i can't recall.

We made our purchases and went over to where the prisoners had been assembled in the shade of a huge tree.  There were chairs for us to sit at and a table with a center piece and an album of the work being done at the prison.

The prison system was something to behold.  They are all about rehabilitation.  The prisoners and the guards are friendly with one another.  The guards treat the prisoners with respect and yet maintain their authority. One surprising thing was the number of young children that are there living in the prison with their mothers. Compare this with the US system. Sadly, it is all about punishment. Prisoners in the US are treated with indifference and most times disrespect. Programs for rehabilitation are few and far between.  There is a concerted effort to break the prisoner down by constantly reassigning bunkmates. Close friendships between prisoners are discouraged. I say these things because of stories I have heard from a family member that has served time, as well as friends who have a loved one that is incarcerated.  But i digress...

 
The women prisoners danced for us.  They were wonderful! At the end of one song, one of the prison guards joined in dancing with them. The men were also given an opportunity to perform, they had a guitar and a keyboard.  Afterward, we were given a chance to perform for everyone.  I really enjoyed being able to share music in return.  Music is a powerful language, and during moments like these I felt like it was our way of showing appreciation.

Our last project to visit that day was a school at Bweya.  It was also tied in with that night’s Rotary fellowship.  This particular school has been receiving help from the Kijjansi  RC  with rebuilding and restoration.  The school had been in existence for quite some time.  One of the alumni from the school came and spoke about how he was enriched by his time there, he was in his late 30s.  Since the time of his school days, the buildings had fallen to disrepair, and the building that housed the secondary school had collapsed altogether.  We were able to see the new building that had been erected by the Kijjansi RC.  The foundation and walls were complete, and it was waiting for windows, doors, and a roof.

One of the teachers and all of the students danced and sang for us.  I loved this part wherever we went.  When songs were sung to us they were always very personal.  They would literally sing out, “visitors, you are welcome here’, or “we are so glad to see you”, and sometimes “thank you Rotary for what you have done”.  Each place we went was a variation of this theme, “welcome”.  And I always felt most welcome and so happy to be there receiving such an outpouring of love.

We had brought another bag of books with us to donate to this school.  The principle pounced on the duffle bag, she was so overjoyed! I even had one teacher, after she heard I was a home educator, come up to me wanting to talk about education and the challenges she faced. I sympathized with her struggle to keep her students engaged. Sadly, our visit was too brief and I wasn’t able to talk at length with her.  Her face comes to my mind still...

 

An Acre of Land, A Cow, and Some Kalo

Staying at Enid’s was entertaining.  The second night I stayed at her home, I met her two oldest boys Paul and Andrew.  Paul was a little reserved.  It took me longer to get to know him. Towards the end of my stay I discovered what a great conversationalist he is.  He is very pensive, but I was able to get him to crack a smile a fews times.  Andrew and I hit it off like gangbusters!  He and I both share the gift of gab.  His communication style reminded me a lot of my son Nathaniel.  (They are very close in age.) and we talked about everything under the sun, and  at times we just laughed and laughed!

The first evening we had dinner together Andrew leaned in and pointed at my hair asking me if it was blond or brunette.  I responded, “Brunette.”

“No, this right here.”, he said, pointing to my hairline.

I sighed, grinning from ear to ear, “Those are greys, Andrew.”

A few evenings later, on my way back to Enid's from our trip to the Nile, our diver Congo had gotten a call from Enid telling him to drop me off at the Octopus; she would be there waiting for me with her cousin Amos.  I was so tired from my outing, and feeling grimy, so I asked Congo to drop me off at Enid’s house first so that I could freshen up.  

I came downstairs after my shower and Andrew was in the living room.  I hated to leave him behind, and I was so tired from my excursion, that I asked Andrew to call his mom and see if she and Amos could come back to her place and we could have some drinks there.  (Amos had promised to buy me another round of beer after our last meeting.)  Enid was very accomodating and she and Amos made it back home in no time.

Although it was a late, Enid went straight into the kitchen to prepare a meal.  I forget everything she prepared, but there was matoke,  kalo (a type of millet bread) which I had not tried before, and groundnut (a nut like a small Spanish peanut) sauce.  

While Enid cooked, Paul came out of his room to join us. I entertained everyone with a couple songs on my ukulele.  Afterward I showed Amos footage of my kids playing in the snow. Seeing this, he commented, “So this is why Americans…” And he motioned with his hand hovering over his wrist and moving up to his arm, as though putting on a layer of fat.  It was hilarious!  

“No, that’s not why.”, I smiled.  “But it’s a nice theory!”

Amos teased, asking me why I couldn't stay until Christmas.  "I'll give you an acre of land!", he offered.

"You can't fool me, Amos.", I coyly replied. "I know what you want, you want to have a munzungu for a housekeeper!"  

Finally, Enid emerged from the kitchen with our meal. Just before we sat down to eat, her husband, Alan, called.  I hadn't met Alan yet, and wouldn't for a few more days.  He asked to speak with me so we could become aquainted.  Alan was very kind and asked me how I was enjoying my stay.  I told him that I loved everyone I had met and found Uganda to be quite beautiful.  Alan told me that he had heard wonderful things about me from Enid.  I was very flattered.  He then told me that he would like to give me a cow as a gift.  I told him it was the perfect gift because I could put it on the land that I had been given by Amos.  

When I got off the phone, I told Enid about Alan's gift of a cow.  She explained to me that the gift of a cow is a show of honor in Uganda. We all laughed at the thought of me flying home with a calf strapped in the seat next to me on the plane.

Dinner was served and I had my first taste of kalo.  Before that could happen though, I needed a lesson on how to eat it! Kalo is a type of millet bread.  When i say "bread" it is more like bread dough.  It is very dense, and a little sticky.  There is definitley a trick to making it, and it is said that once a girl jas mastered the skill of making kalo, she is ready for marriage.

The kalo is served in a special basket with a cover on it.  The  inside the basket is coated with four to prevent the kalo from sticking to it.   There are usually two to three baskets set at the table.  The guest of honor is given their portion in a basket just for them. 

How to eat kalo:

1) remove the basket lid (this part is easy)

2) grab a small piece of the kalo, about the size of a cherry, making sure to pinch it in such a way that he flour coated exterior is pinched closed so the ball of dough will not stick to your fingers (it doesn't sound easy because it ISN'T easy, it takes a little practice!)

3) roll dough in to ball single-handedly, the same hand your grabbed the dough with

4) make an impression in the ball with your thumb 

5) pour groundnut sauce or soup into the impression

6) pop it in your mouth and enjoy! (Don't forget to chew)

I have to say, that of the different foods I tried in Uganda, kalo was one of the items I enjoyed the most.  I liked the flavor (nothing oustanding, but a simple "comfort food" kind of flavor), and I loved the texture!  The texture was unique.  

Someday, when I return to Uganda for my acre of land and my cow, I will be sure master the skill of making kalo...

A While At The Nile

On our trip to the source of the Nile, we were able to drink in the beauty of Uganda.  Its rolling hills, red soil, beautiful plants and trees in various seasons of growth.  Coming to Uganda during one of the snowiest winters on record in Maine, was like walking into the Garden of Eden.  I remember reading stories about the vastness of the African sky, and it seemed to ring true.  The dome above me seemed higher than I ever remembered it being. The colors of the sky in the morning and evening had their own special hues compared to home.  

This was our first venture into the countryside. Not only was it a breath of fresh air for this country girl, but it was nice to have a restful day without any meetings or fellowships to attend. Rotarian Loy was our host for the day.  Loy was Mary’s host during our stay. She was very soft-spoken, and such a gentle spirit. I know Mary felt very welcome in Loy’s home. I liked her very much.

Is that a crocodile under th bridge?!?!?!

Our driver, Congo, drove us that day and just about every day we were in the Kampala area.  I don’t think there was ever a time that I saw him without a smile.  Congo was a master of the road!  He was a very skilled driver and got us everywhere we needed to go safely and without any sign of stress. We all grew to love him and felt quite safe in his care.

On our way to Mabira Forest, a national park, we stopped at a waterfall.  The rain from the night before made the falls muddy looking, but it was still an amazing sight.  Weeks after our return home, we learned that a HUGE crocodile had been removed from the waters at the base of the falls.  It had been responsible for the deaths of a few people.  YIKES!

We arrived at Mabira Forest and it was enchanting. The trees towered over us, taller than any I had ever seen before.  The canopy was so high and thick. Vines and scrawny trees wrapped around larger trees in a race to the top, competing for rays of sunlight. We followed the park trail through the forest and I kept thinking to myself, “I can’t believe I’m in a rain-forest…”  It was the first time since our arrival in Uganda that things smelled a little familiar.  It was invigorating. We all commented on how refreshing it was to have some leisure time.

We hiked quite a way before Ken decided he needed to turn back.  We had passed a little path that looked like it would turn him back in the right direction.  John went along with him.  The rest of us continued on for quite a bit longer expecting the path to circle back farther on.  Instead, we came to a highway! The trail continued across the highway, but we had hiked long enough.  Loy called Congo telling him to come get us after John and Ken made it back to the vehicle.  In the meantime we walked along in the direction of the park entrance.

A tree hollowed out by a lightning strike

The highway running through the park

Thankfully the highway was not too busy.  Quite a number of vehicles passed us from either direction and many of the passengers and drivers of those vehicles would wave at us and even sometimes beep their horn.  That experience was very distinct.  The farther we traveled from the city, the more we stood out as a minority.  Here in the states most people have been raised not to stare at others if they are a different skin color, or have anything that might make them stand out. Not in Uganda, there is a freedom to be inquisitive.  In spite of the attention, it didn’t come across as rudeness, it was rather comical. As each new vehicle passed, if I saw someone staring at us, I would just give a small wave and smile.  I was always guaranteed a smile and a wave back.

Congo finally caught up to us with John and Ken in tow.  John explained that the path didn't take them back like they thought it would and they wound up hiking for about as long as we did!  Poor Ken!

We finally arrived at the source of the Nile. Congo drove us up to the gate that opens onto its banks. It was amazing, the thought of being at a global landmark like this had me in awe.  I walked through the gate and sat down absorbing the sights and sounds in the warm sun on a small ledge above the bank. I was pleasantly tired from our hike in the forest and thoroughly enjoyed this moment of solitude.  

After a short rest, we all agreed to take a boat ride up to the source.  It was barely a half a mile from where we sat on the bank. We walked down a little strip of road lined with tourist booths, kiosks, and a restaurant leading up to the boat launch.  The shopkeepers were not shy about calling us into their booths.  We boarded the boat, thankfully it was just our group, and our guides drove the boat to the other bank sharing about the discovery of the source, and pointing out the many different bird species as we floated along. As with our other guides on our trip thus far, we peppered this new guide with questions, joked around, and had a lot of fun.  

Fishermen along the banks of the Nile

We returned from our excursion to discover there was a small monument to Mahatma Gandhi. Some of his ashes had been sprinkled there in the Nile; another opportunity for reflection.

By this time, we all had worked up an appetite. We ordered our meals at the little restaurant, and for those of us that ordered fish, we were served whole fish even bigger than on the night we arrived. The only thing I was disappointed with each time we had fish was that I never had the chance to sit down with anyone who could show me how to really eat it and get every last bit of goodness!  I know you can pick the head clean, but I didn’t know where to start.  It would be like a newcomer in Maine eating lobster, but only ever figuring out how to eat the tail and claws without discovering all the little nuggets in the body and legs, and eating the tamale. You miss out on the full experience. Perhaps next time...