And the journey continues…
Day 4
Today was the big day! We set off at 10:00am for Murchison Falls National Park for a safari! My Ugandan friend, Ben, was our driver for the trip and is an expert on the park. He works with Peace Corps volunteers regularly and was such a great guide for our trip! Upon arriving at the park, we started with the beautiful falls. It was an overwhelming and beautiful display of nature!
Soon after, we began our game drive! After crossing a small ferry, we set out into the open, breath-taking park. We were instantly surrounded my warthogs and small monkeys. Not long after, we spotted our first giraffe. We saw many, many more after that!
About thirty minutes into our trip, Pamela and I decided to venture to the roof of Ben’s car. Such a good idea! We could see until the ends of the earth…. Or so it seemed. We continued to stumble upon feeding giraffes, grazing antelope, and many other animals.
Before we knew it, we were off-roading (off-limits) and were nearly fifteen feet away from a sleepy lion. It was incredible! We even saw a nearby skeleton that was last weeks dinner. We slowly drove by another male lion, who did not give us the time of day. We were SO close!
We quickly sped away and got back on the trail, successfully avoiding any lion attacks or park rangers.
Two minutes later, we spotted two lionesses lounging in the shade. Since it was the middle of the day, it was too hot for them to do anything but lie down and digest lunch. Still, it was pretty cool to see them up close and personal!
We saw our first elephant from a distance, as it was feeding on some leaves high up in a tree. It also seemed blissfully unaware of our presence.
As we began our journey back to the ferry, we had a slight traffic jam as a hippo was slowly crossing the road right in front of us. The thing was huge. And he took his time, completely ignoring us. We all got out of the car and got to take pictures as he feasted on the grass in the background.
After the hungry hippo, my dad came up on the roof with me and Pam retreated below.
We didn’t expect to see much more but were completely satisfied with our day. The amount of animals we had seen was amazing. And we were so close to them all! As we were soaking in the last bit of sun left on our safari, we stumbled upon an entire herd of elephants. Over 15 elephants were lazily enjoying the night and eating with their young. They were very close to the road so we could see them so well. It was the perfect ending to a perfect day.
Day 5
Today was a lot less exciting and involved a lot more traveling. My dad and I, along with Ben, spent 12 hours driving across Uganda. We dropped Pam and Reeve off in Masindi and headed for Fort Portal. After a wrong turn down which brought us down a winding path surrounded by beautiful tea plantations, we finally arrived at our destination at 9:30 pm! We stayed at a fantastic hotel, the Primate Lodge, in the middle of Kibale Forest National Park.
After a delicious dinner, we trekked 200 meters deeper into the forest with a seasoned guide and an armed guard to our accommodations for the next two days… a tree house! Set 10 meters above the forest ground, the tree house was very secluded and overlooked elephant meadowlands! It was rustic but beautiful. I finally got the tree house I had always wanted!
Day 6
After we were guided back to the resort from the secluded tree house, we had another delicious meal before heading off for chimp trekking. We had another guide with a loaded rifle that she explained was for scaring off wild elephants!
Although we never saw one during this trekking, we did come pretty close to some fresh wild elephant dung… Although we didn’t see any wild elephants, we did get to watch a handful of chimps in their natural environment—swinging back and forth between trees, making nests, and caring for their young. We weren’t able to get any great pictures but we did have some really great views with our binoculars.
After chimp trekking, we had a full day free of events so we decided to go on a swamp tour with a nice couple from Holland. It wasn’t much of a swamp because it hadn’t rained in a while but we saw many interesting animals and had a very knowledgeable guide. This time, we got to see a lot more monkeys, about five different species, and they were much closer than the chimps.
Due to the distance of the tree house, the resort recommend that you get there before dusk for safety reasons, so dad and I retreated back pretty early after a large rain storm. We fell asleep to the peaceful sounds of the rain and the distant animal callings that surrounded us.
Day 7
Another day of travel for this duo! This time, we traveled east across Uganda until we reached Jinja. It was an easy but long day of travel. Once we arrived in Jinja, we enjoyed the beauty of Lake Bujagali at Nile River Explorers Camp.
Here, we met with my friend, another peace corps volunteer from Rwanda. Jen and I met in April at the boot camp in Senegal. She was in Uganda with a fellow volunteer from Rwanda, Grace, who had just finished her service and was taking a trip to Uganda before she headed home. We spent the night with them before turning in early to our safari tent.
Day 8
Rain disturbed us again this morning so we postponed our kayaking trip and relaxed on the beautiful lake. When the skies cleared up around 10:30 am, we set off with our guide, Abraham, to kayak to the source of the Nile. 
I had seen it before, but never with a guide, and never with a packed cooler! As we kayaked, Abraham told us a lot about the history of Jinja and about the wildlife that lived in the river. It didn’t take long until we cracked open the cooler and had a gin and tonic on the Nile River! It was the perfect day to be out on the water. Dad was the only one to capsize, even though I was the one who had too many G&T’s 🙂
After kayaking, we met another Peace Corps friend, Nick, for lunch. Nick, who lives in Jinja, graciously took us around town and helped us buy a Ugandan Cranes jersey for my dad! He is officially a Ugandan now!
Day 9
We said our goodbyes to Jinja and traveled to Entebbe in the morning with Grace, who was traveling to Turkey around the same time as my dad. Lucky for me, by the end of the trip, my dad was ready to be luxurious so we decided to stay at the Protea Hotel in Entebbe. Maybe my standards are low but this hotel is incredible. It is the nicest place I have ever stayed or seen! We spent most of the afternoon lounging by the pool and eating delicious food.
It was an amazing end to an unbelievable trip. I even got to take a real shower!
Although I was terribly sad to see my dad go, the happiness I had felt these last nine days was indescribable. Finally, I have someone back home who knows about my life, my people, and the country I love. When I talk about my village, I now have someone who has been there and knows just how much of a ‘village’ it really is. My dad got to meet and spend time with a few of my Peace Corps friends…the people who keep me going when times get rough. He met my neighbors (who keep me alive), my host family (who keep me sane), and the kids that keep me smiling.
Most importantly, I got to show the guy who gave me everything the place that has become my everything. It was a trip I will never forget!
the buzz 
Anna,
I so enjoy reading your blogs that Grandma sends me. What a fantastic experience. Your Dad looks so happy to see you and experience your new country. Enjoy your journey and stay safe.You are always in my prayers.
Love,
Mrs. Rubico
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Hi Anna,
My mom (Great Aunt Betty to you) shared some of your posts with me. It’s a pleasure to read about your life in Uganda. You are a gifted writer, capturing your experiences and sharing it with such honesty.
I’m so happy to hear that you had such a fascinating trip across the country with your dad. Sharing your new life with him, and sharing your dad with your friends and extended family there must have been wonderful! And safaris and kayaking the mouth of the Nile – few get to experience this!
I was in Kampala about 8 years ago but for only 2 weeks. Your stories bring it all back to me. The warmth of the people (more than anyone can imagine), the food, the poverty in the bush, the rutted roads and the congestion of Kampala. I went there with a group of healthcare ethics students from Duquesne Univ. We were sponsored by a fellow student in the program, Fr. John Mary Mooka, who is a priest in a village on the outskirts of Kampala. I was so lucky to have this opportunity. We were there as part of a course, so we had meetings with healthcare professionals at Mulago Hospital and at a private Catholic hospital in Kampala. We met with the Minister of Health, toured facilities, and held a joint conference on healthcare ethics with presenters from the hospitals and university. It is an understatement to say it was the most amazing experience I’ve ever had! And at the end of the trip, we traveled to a resort for a safari (crossing the equator mark on our way). I can’t recall the name of the safari resort, but I know we didn’t have any treehouses – lol! What a way to end the trip!
All the best to you as you continue your work in Uganda. I look forward to hearing more about your life and work there.
Love,
Kathy
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