Safari in Uganda

    The Uganda safari was very nice. We took a walk through the forest and hung with a chimpanzee troop, we had to dodge a chimp running down the trail with a stick. Got some good video but the bandwidth here sucks, I don't think we can even load a picture until we get back. The next day we went for a swamp walk and saw lots of birds and monkeys. Then finally, the gorilla walk! We hiked about 45 minutes through the jungle to find the gorilla family. When we first saw them from a distance I assumed that was as close as we'd get, but the guide and trackers cut a trail right up next to the "First Family", we were less than 10 feet from Mom and baby and about 15 feet from the Silverback. We then walked with them through the jungle for the next hour, observing and taking pictures.
     Then back to Entebbe to try to get ready to leave to join our group in Tanzania. ARRRGH! 10 hours before we were supposed to leave the tickets were cancelled again!! After some frantic last minute wheeling and dealing, we got tickets-thank you Kathy M. and Ann P.

Uganda

I know this is a blog for Africa, but the diving in Bonaire was great!
     Now...ARRGH!! While in Bonaire evidently Uganda Air went out of business and our flights to Arusha, Tanzania were cancelled.  So after several days of trying to re-book flights on an African airline while on a Caribbean island and having the bank put a hold on our credit cards, we got it re-booked and can now join Steve and group when they get to Tanzania next week-I hope.
     Uganda is a nice place and the people we've meet so far have been great. Last night we went for a sunset cruise on the Nile river with an open bar. Today we went on a all day rafting trip and just got back to our backpacker's hotel in Kampla.  Dry clothes, re-pack and leave on a safari at 7:00 tomorrow.

Plans Revealed

     We have about a week until we start our Africa trip and even though there was quite a bit of prep work, I didn't get a blog started until now.
     Overview: we fly into Uganda with Ann P. and Kathy M. and head right out on an overnight trip to the Nile for a river cruise and then the next day a white water rafting excursion. Then back to Kampala where we meet our guide for the next five days culminating in a one hour visit with mountain gorillas. then we meet the ANA group for a ten day safari. then some of us head on to Zanzibar. The Carol and I will spend about one month at FAME hospital volunteering. After, we will attempt to hike Kilimanjaro. Then maybe a R and R in Nairobi.
      But tonight---the island of Bonaire for a one week dive trip.
     

Getting ready

Planning and packing.