Things started off fairly uneventfully. In fact, the first half of the day was downright boring. Slept like a log on the most uncomfortable bed in the universe, only to discover it was actually a box spring. Apparently they “forgot” the mattress. (“No madam, that is impossible,” the manager said to me. And yet, tonight I have a mattress…)
Anyway, we were all a little bleary-eyed this morning, but enjoyed our buffet breakfast, picking out only the “allowed” foods. (If it’s not peeled, boiled, or hot… don’t eat it.) Next we went off to find a room where we could put our heads together and do some work until our hosts arrived at midday.
So you can see this how this could be a fairly boring day.
However, once Goretti and Rose arrived and sorted out a few things, I took off with them along with my colleague Cathie’s husband Michael, and we drove out to the jungle. The drive itself was quite interesting and about 90 mins in length. We stopped at one point, and were surrounded by people selling cold beverages and a variety of meat cooked on sticks. I didn't have any (clearly it was neither boiled, hot, or recently peeled), but it was pretty neat to see these vendors and their unusual (to me) wares. Steven, our driver, bought a stick of cooked beef.
Mabira, which is a Luganda word meaning Large Forests, is the largest stand of indigenous forest in central Uganda (300 sq km). It used to be victim to illegal cutting thanks to high demand for timber and rubber, but thankfully is now protected. I won’t bore you with all the details of the birds (apparently it’s a birder’s paradise) and trees, but I will tell you with great excitement that I saw a dozen or more red-tailed monkeys! The staff were most anxious to make sure that I saw what I came to see, and were very helpful, “Madam, did you see the monkey? It is cold so you may not see them.” Or, “Madam, look here please, here is George.” (I named the monkey George, which they took very seriously.)
Cold. Ha. It was at least 20C, but this was cold for them. I was glad, because the cool weather apparently makes the snakes go underground. “Oh, if it was sunny I would tell you not to stand there, but it is cold so don’t worry.” This brought me great comfort. Sort of.
It was pouring rain the whole time we were there and Goretti was horrified that it should rain when her guests were visiting. However, I reminded her that this was a rainforest, and so it was appropriate that it should rain. Plus, the monkeys didn’t mind and the snakes went below, so it was all good. (Below, Goretti on the left, and Rose on the right.)
We had a lovely tea break there, listening to the rain and the birds and the monkeys – it was very peaceful – and then made the trek back to Kampala. Now we were told this trip was a half an hour when there is no traffic. What we were NOT told, was that there is always traffic (which they lovingly call “The Jam”), and that when it rains you should have a four-wheel drive vehicle. We did not.
Halfway up the hill leaving Mabira, our van got stuck. Steven tried several times to bully his way out of the ruts, but eventually we all climbed out of the van and waited by the side of the road (this is where I heard about the snake situation) until a dozen men on four boda-bodas came to rescue us.
(A boda-boda is a motorcycle, renamed because of their frequent use as transportation of choice for illegals crossing the border between Uganda and Kenya. Border-to-border became boda-boda. And yes, a dozen men on four boda-bodas is quite a sight.)
About a half an hour later the problem was solved and Steven came flying up the hill as we jumped out of the way, splashing the iron-rich red mud all over ourselves. We were very glad we didn’t have to ride boda-bodas back to town (although it was surely tempting and would definitely have been faster), and so began the long journey. It took 2.5 hours to go 55km thanks to The Jam and some non-existent traffic laws, frenzied drivers, ambivalent pedestrians, and enormous potholes.
The drive is really interesting, and lovely in some places; we saw banana, sugar, and tea plantations, roadside butchers (ew), the ubiquitous cell phone and Coca-Cola ads, women (and men, actually) carrying enormous baskets on their heads, naive goats frolicking in the grass, kids running and playing football (soccer), and the most beautiful sunset.
A quick dinner when we got back close to 9, and we were all ready to call it a day. Tomorrow, off to The Ranch on Lake Victoria to prep for Monday’s workshops. Can it top today? Stay tuned…
It was pouring rain the whole time we were there and Goretti was horrified that it should rain when her guests were visiting. However, I reminded her that this was a rainforest, and so it was appropriate that it should rain. Plus, the monkeys didn’t mind and the snakes went below, so it was all good. (Below, Goretti on the left, and Rose on the right.)
We had a lovely tea break there, listening to the rain and the birds and the monkeys – it was very peaceful – and then made the trek back to Kampala. Now we were told this trip was a half an hour when there is no traffic. What we were NOT told, was that there is always traffic (which they lovingly call “The Jam”), and that when it rains you should have a four-wheel drive vehicle. We did not.
Halfway up the hill leaving Mabira, our van got stuck. Steven tried several times to bully his way out of the ruts, but eventually we all climbed out of the van and waited by the side of the road (this is where I heard about the snake situation) until a dozen men on four boda-bodas came to rescue us.
(A boda-boda is a motorcycle, renamed because of their frequent use as transportation of choice for illegals crossing the border between Uganda and Kenya. Border-to-border became boda-boda. And yes, a dozen men on four boda-bodas is quite a sight.)
About a half an hour later the problem was solved and Steven came flying up the hill as we jumped out of the way, splashing the iron-rich red mud all over ourselves. We were very glad we didn’t have to ride boda-bodas back to town (although it was surely tempting and would definitely have been faster), and so began the long journey. It took 2.5 hours to go 55km thanks to The Jam and some non-existent traffic laws, frenzied drivers, ambivalent pedestrians, and enormous potholes.
The drive is really interesting, and lovely in some places; we saw banana, sugar, and tea plantations, roadside butchers (ew), the ubiquitous cell phone and Coca-Cola ads, women (and men, actually) carrying enormous baskets on their heads, naive goats frolicking in the grass, kids running and playing football (soccer), and the most beautiful sunset.
A quick dinner when we got back close to 9, and we were all ready to call it a day. Tomorrow, off to The Ranch on Lake Victoria to prep for Monday’s workshops. Can it top today? Stay tuned…
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