We left Gulu very early for our Safari location 3 hours away. I was glad to have this village in our rear view mirror. I felt bad leaving these people, but I felt un safe even at the hotel. I’m sure it was not as un safe as I imagine, however I had a very sleepless night thinking that every noise I heard was someone coming to get us for going into the camps and talking to the people.
We got on the bus (I was the first one on) and then had to drive 3 hours to get to the safari lodge. We drove about an hour until we got to a very very remote road that I would not take a 4X4 quad let alone a bus. We then drove 40 miles deep into the jungle to our destination. The jungle was at times just what you would think, lush deep trees and vines filled with baboons. They are considered the rats of the jungle, but I thought they were interesting. The jungle at other times were also what you would think high grass plains with the occasional big shade tree (think Lion King). About 20 or so miles we spotted our first large game sighting, a giraffe. It is so strange to see these animals out in the open just feet from you and not in a zoo. We then saw so many giraffes, water buffalo, antelope, and other animals they became common.
Before long we got to our safari lodge called Para Lodge. This is in the middle of no where and located right on the Nile River. We crossed the Nile originally after leaving our last destination and as we crossed one in our group took a photo on the Nile while we crossed the bridge. As soon we crossed Uganda army came out of the bushes and stopped us and made us delete the photo. You are not allowed to take pictures in Uganda of bridges, police, military, embassies, and many other things. Very scary!
We checked into the lodge which is one of the best hotels in the country. It’s very old and this is where famous explorer Stanley Livingston was made famous. This is decorated in old antique Africa explorer memorabilia (I thought how much I could make on ebay). We got our room and the key to our room had a wooden hippo attached to it with the room number. The hippo was as big as Buick. There was no way you could lose this key. It however was a problem when you put it in your pants to go out for dinner. Whether you had it into your front pocket or back pocket it looked bad (well maybe good in the front).
We then were treated to a buffet of great food for lunch. It was the best meal I had here. It was real food. After lunch we had 3 hours until our land safari so I just pulled up a chair and sat and watch the Nile roll by. By the lodge the river is very wide. But just 2 hours up stream is the raging Murchison Falls. The river narrows to a mere 7 meters and the water is very violent and beautiful at the same time. While at the Nile you get all the Nile Jokes just like when you go to Hoover Dam. Queen of “DE Nile” stuff like that.
At 4pm our land portion of the Safari began. We then drove out into the open looking for big game. We encountered elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, wart hogs, all kinds of antelope, but never found a lion. It however was a thrill of a lifetime to get out of the bus and stand mere feet away from these creatures. You however would not want to do this with hippos. They kill one person a week in this region even though the are vegetarians. They charge you and then bite you in two and then run down to the river to wash their mouths out as your blood is distasteful to them. What the? We sadly did not find a lion, but it was amazing to say the least.
Back to the lodge for another amazing meal for dinner. We ate outside at sunset on the veranda overlooking the Nile. The sun set and there was nothing really to do but sit out on your patio and listen to the sounds of the jungle and Nile river. It was quite the symphony of sounds. I thought I might get eaten alive by mosquitoes, but I never saw one. I did however see plenty of bats. They flew by every few minutes. One then flew into my open patio door into my room and now could not get out. It was soooooooooo creepy. I finally open the door wider and he finally flew out. It was the end of a very interesting day. Even the bat I later name Morris (Morris the bat) was interesting.
Wait I thought it was the end. My son Andy shared a room with me on this trip. He came back to the room and went right to sleep. During the middle of the night he woke up sat up in bed and very loudly said there was a snake in the room and it was attacking him. Now let me paint the picture. The jungle/Nile river is very very very very dark as was our room. I mean lo light at all. My son is telling me that he is being attacked by a snake. I had no idea where the light switch was. I love my son but I am figuring he is he will be dead soon so it’s every man for himself. He then tells me that the snake was given to the group as a gift last night. I’m thinking my son who is being killed by a snake and it was a gift? I found the floor and ran into the bathroom prepared to do battle with the Anaconda that ate my son. I peered into the bedroom expecting a giant snake with a belly that had an outline of Andy. Instead he was sleeping and was dreaming this. I was relieved he was alive, but now I was going to kill him. I had my first heart attack in Africa.
Good night!
We got on the bus (I was the first one on) and then had to drive 3 hours to get to the safari lodge. We drove about an hour until we got to a very very remote road that I would not take a 4X4 quad let alone a bus. We then drove 40 miles deep into the jungle to our destination. The jungle was at times just what you would think, lush deep trees and vines filled with baboons. They are considered the rats of the jungle, but I thought they were interesting. The jungle at other times were also what you would think high grass plains with the occasional big shade tree (think Lion King). About 20 or so miles we spotted our first large game sighting, a giraffe. It is so strange to see these animals out in the open just feet from you and not in a zoo. We then saw so many giraffes, water buffalo, antelope, and other animals they became common.
Before long we got to our safari lodge called Para Lodge. This is in the middle of no where and located right on the Nile River. We crossed the Nile originally after leaving our last destination and as we crossed one in our group took a photo on the Nile while we crossed the bridge. As soon we crossed Uganda army came out of the bushes and stopped us and made us delete the photo. You are not allowed to take pictures in Uganda of bridges, police, military, embassies, and many other things. Very scary!
We checked into the lodge which is one of the best hotels in the country. It’s very old and this is where famous explorer Stanley Livingston was made famous. This is decorated in old antique Africa explorer memorabilia (I thought how much I could make on ebay). We got our room and the key to our room had a wooden hippo attached to it with the room number. The hippo was as big as Buick. There was no way you could lose this key. It however was a problem when you put it in your pants to go out for dinner. Whether you had it into your front pocket or back pocket it looked bad (well maybe good in the front).
We then were treated to a buffet of great food for lunch. It was the best meal I had here. It was real food. After lunch we had 3 hours until our land safari so I just pulled up a chair and sat and watch the Nile roll by. By the lodge the river is very wide. But just 2 hours up stream is the raging Murchison Falls. The river narrows to a mere 7 meters and the water is very violent and beautiful at the same time. While at the Nile you get all the Nile Jokes just like when you go to Hoover Dam. Queen of “DE Nile” stuff like that.
At 4pm our land portion of the Safari began. We then drove out into the open looking for big game. We encountered elephants, giraffes, water buffalo, wart hogs, all kinds of antelope, but never found a lion. It however was a thrill of a lifetime to get out of the bus and stand mere feet away from these creatures. You however would not want to do this with hippos. They kill one person a week in this region even though the are vegetarians. They charge you and then bite you in two and then run down to the river to wash their mouths out as your blood is distasteful to them. What the? We sadly did not find a lion, but it was amazing to say the least.
Back to the lodge for another amazing meal for dinner. We ate outside at sunset on the veranda overlooking the Nile. The sun set and there was nothing really to do but sit out on your patio and listen to the sounds of the jungle and Nile river. It was quite the symphony of sounds. I thought I might get eaten alive by mosquitoes, but I never saw one. I did however see plenty of bats. They flew by every few minutes. One then flew into my open patio door into my room and now could not get out. It was soooooooooo creepy. I finally open the door wider and he finally flew out. It was the end of a very interesting day. Even the bat I later name Morris (Morris the bat) was interesting.
Wait I thought it was the end. My son Andy shared a room with me on this trip. He came back to the room and went right to sleep. During the middle of the night he woke up sat up in bed and very loudly said there was a snake in the room and it was attacking him. Now let me paint the picture. The jungle/Nile river is very very very very dark as was our room. I mean lo light at all. My son is telling me that he is being attacked by a snake. I had no idea where the light switch was. I love my son but I am figuring he is he will be dead soon so it’s every man for himself. He then tells me that the snake was given to the group as a gift last night. I’m thinking my son who is being killed by a snake and it was a gift? I found the floor and ran into the bathroom prepared to do battle with the Anaconda that ate my son. I peered into the bedroom expecting a giant snake with a belly that had an outline of Andy. Instead he was sleeping and was dreaming this. I was relieved he was alive, but now I was going to kill him. I had my first heart attack in Africa.
Good night!
1 comment:
That is hysterical about Andy's dream.. I am laughing out loud reading this.. Also funny about the hippos washing their mouth out. What a day you had!!
Janna
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