Adventures with Julia

October 3, 2018

The entire Uganda/Rwanda group trip has come and gone.  It was a spectacular success, while also being exhausting.  I had no time or energy to write.  Now Mark and I are on Fregate Island in the Seychelles and I, at last, have some time. However, it may be a condensed version of my usual saga.

September 21, 2018

Mweya Lodge with the Kazinga Channel  boat launch below.

Jean Creasey braving elephants during our morning game drive without a guide.

Mark’s best elephant shot.  So much easier when not hampered by a vehicle.

My best elle shot

On the 21st, Scott, Jean, Mark and I went on an early morning game drive with no guide.  It was fun to be on our own in the game park. We saw many birds, a few cobb and wart hogs, and several elephants at a distance. None close up until we were headed back to the lodge.  Suddenly, just off the road, we spotted a herd of mother elephants with babies.  We quietly slipped out of the car to take photos and probably got a little closer than we should.  When one mother turned to look at us, we beat it back to the car.  We were thrilled by the experience and happy with some good images.

There was just enough time to have breakfast, pack our bags, check out and load the car before heading to the Mweya airstrip to pick up our 8 guests coming in from Jinja.  The chartered plane landed at 11:45.  My nervous concern about how their experience had been so far, evaporated as they each disembarked with big smiles and effusive comments about where they had been. They loved Wild Waters, the Serena Lodge and the charter flight.  The trip was off to a good start.

Weaver birds feasting in the feeder beside our lunch table at Mweya Lodge

Back at Mweya Lodge, the whole group had lunch on the veranda overlooking the Kazinga Channel and Lake George.   The conversation and laughter were a pleasure to my ears as I watched everyone having a good time.

Our group enjoying the ride on the Kazinga Channel

At 2pm we got on a very comfortable flat-bottomed boat to cruise the Kazinga Channel while viewing wildlife.  The Channel, a wide, shallow river between Lakes George and Edwards, is considered to have the greatest biodiversity of animals on the planet.

Flocks of different birds backed by a feeding hippo

I don’t know if that is true, but we sure saw a lot of creatures including: a wide variety of birds, crocodiles, hippos, elephants, monitor lizards, Cape Buffalo, wart hogs and more, all coming to the water’s edge to drink and get cool.  The weather was perfect—comfortable with a slight cooling breeze—blue sky and not too hot. The 2-hour boat ride flew by. Back at the lodge, everyone used the restrooms and then we were off in our three vehicles, two Toyota Land Cruisers provided by the Uganda Safari Company with driver/guides, named Mike and KK, and a different vehicle that belonged to the Kellermann Foundation, that Scott drove.   The goal for the rest of the day was to get to the Kyambura Gorge Lodge before dark so we could see our accommodations and the area around them.

Mimi, Marlene , Scott and Mark enjoy cocktails before dinner at Kyanbura Gorge Lodge.

We made it with an hour of daylight left.  The lodge looked out over a large, lush, undulating valley with hills in the distance.  Our individual apartments were spacious, attractive and welcoming.  We had a large, private patio, an outdoor shower, a lounge area and a great bed.  I had been a bit nervous about this lodge as I had not been there before, but it more than lived up to expectations.  We had a lovely dinner on the veranda, total quiet to sleep by, a pleasant breakfast and a box lunch that was filling, if not exciting.

Four lions up in a tree.  Too far away for a good view.

September 22, 2018

By 8am we were off on our long, 8-hour drive to Bwindi with a stop at Ishasha to change money, then on to a rendezvous with four, fat lions lounging on limbs in a large acacia tree, a pause for lunch in a shady camp site Scott knew about, and multiple stops to view game.

Marlene enjoying the view from the open hatch of the land cruiser

More appealing than the tree-climbing lions, was an especially long stop to watch a Cobb, a type of antelope, give birth, clean the new born and help it get up.

A cobb about to give birth

The father watches as Mom cleans the new born.  See how thin she looks.

Mom helps the baby stand.

We stayed-over an hour- until the baby stood and took a few steps.  We were all mesmerized and felt blessed to come upon the mother near the road with the baby’s head partially out and the mother squeezing to help it come.

The new Kihembe Banda waiting to be blessed.

At 3:30 we arrived at the Batwa village called Kihembe.  This was the group’s first meeting with Batwa people. It was electric.  We were greeted with singing and dancing and drumming before we could get out of the vehicles.  The new banda, a covered meeting space with concrete floor, partial walls on three sides and an enclosed storage room at one end, was festively decorated and ready to be blessed by our group.  Preparations had been underway for days in anticipation of our arrival. The ribbon was cut and everyone entered.

Batwa take their seats for the ceremony. The food is concealed by the white cloth

The Batwa crowded into the space, while we mzungus (Swahili for white people) sat in front.

IAnivious speaks to the crowd in English and Rechiga

Many speeches were given and just before the last speech, the sky burst open and the whole area was deluged.  We could have tolerated rain, but the strong wind blew the rain sideways into the open banda.  Everyone tried to squeeze into the storage room hoping the storm would pass quickly. Eventually the wind abated, but everything was soaked.  With undampened spirits, the ladies uncovered the food and everyone began to eat in spite of being soaking wet.  The ground nuts and cinnamon rolls were quite delicious.  Some said the storm  was a good omen.  For Mark and me, it was a treat to see this very poor village finally have a clean, covered meeting place for services, general meetings, schooling, craft making, woodworking and other activities.  In addition to the banda, a new pit latrine had been completed and a brick kitchen was being built.

Julia and Anivious share a moment together

Another treat for us was the appearance of Anivious, the Batwa student we sponsor.  She had been brought to the Kihembe just to meet us.  She was dressed well and looked very mature and self-possessed for a 13-year old.  When we last saw her, she was a very shy 11-year old.  On this day, she gave a lovely speech in English and in Rechiga that she had prepared herself.  Although very proud of her, neither Mark nor I can recall what she talked about.  Shame on us.

With the festivities cut short by the storm, we climbed back into the dry vehicles and made the final  45-minute leg to Bwindi.  Anivious joined Jean and me in Scott’s car so we could talk privately with her. Another Batwa woman, Sylvia, joined us. Having been mentored by Scott and Carol for many years and secured a master’s degree, Sylvia is the most educated and successful Batwa person so far.  She helped Jean and me impress on Anivious the benefits of studying hard and taking advantage of our sponsorship.   Her teachers believe Anivious has the capacity to become the next Sylvia.

Our caravan arrived at Mahogany Springs in Buhoma in time to clean up and have dinner.  Everyone was happy to have the long drive over and settle into our accommodations for the next five days.  Buhoma is the village where Scott and Carol Kellermann set up their small clinic in 2004.  It is also a gateway to the Bwindi Impenetrable forest and gorilla trekking.  Today the Bwindi Community Hospital (BCH) is a huge sprawling facility that is highly rated in Uganda.

Dancing at Sunday service.

On Sunday, September 23, our group joined the BCH community for services at 8am.  As a large crowd was expected the service was held in the Nursing School lecture hall.   The gathering was large and there was much music, singing and dancing.  Everyone in our group and in Diane Stanton’s group were individually introduced and asked to say why they were there.  Brandon, a minister in Diane’s group gave a very nice homily on Forgiveness.  Then items were auctioned to provide funds for the church.  Several live chickens went for $20 each.  Pineapples also fetched $20 apiece.  A bushel of potatoes went for $10 and a number of handmade baskets went for lesser amounts.

Jane, the nursing school director, in white blouse, tells our group about the school.

After the service, Scott and Jane, the director of the Nursing School, gave our group a tour of the school.  We saw class rooms, and residence halls and met a few teachers and students.  We learned that all the students who have graduated so far, about 190, have passed with 100% on their test scores.  Because of the success rate, more and more students are applying to attend the school, resulting in stricter entrance requirements and more crowding.

Warren, the folk musician, performs for us at Gorilla Forest Camp

In the afternoon, some went shopping at the local Batwa craft store, others relaxed in their rooms.  At 6pm we all went to the Gorilla Forest Camp just inside the park entrance for a prearranged dinner.  Before dinner we were treated to folk music around the campfire by a musician named Warren.   Mark and I had stayed at this camp twice in years passed and wanted to give the group a taste of the place and its rustic outdoor elegance.  The food was up to our expectations.

Amy, Mimi and Phil listen to the folk musician