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.
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 |
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| Rafiki having a family reunion |
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| 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!
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| 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...
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| The Queen of Maine and her Chief Adviser, Ismael. |
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