Uganda - Sept 2018

Yes we’ve been, we’ve seen, we’ve even been between (and we didn’t need to be carried out).

Back in Entebbe on the edge of Lake Victoria after seeing the mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in their habitat, albeit trampled by a few tourists every day.  Part of the infamous airport terminal still stands at Entebbe airport.

We stayed at a lodge outside of the town of Kisoro on lake Mutanda with marvellous views of the seven volcanoes that roughly run along the border with Rwanda and the Congo (the African golden triangle).  Uganda and apparently Rwanda and the Congo are places that must be explored further (once they stop shooting each other). 

The gorillas were fantastic and the hike to see them was very challenging through dense rain forest and steep terrain, although relatively, I think we had an easy time of it compared to some others.  We took two hours to get to them and a further two on the return, plus travelled over about 15kms and 1,000 metres.  Apparently six tourists the day before had to be carried out on stretchers by porters after several hours and they didn’t see gorillas.  It was free for them to come back the next day and try again.

Further learnings:

* No issue with drinking tap water in Namibia and Vilankulos, however unfortunately back to the plastic in Uganda
* We have always departed Jo’burg airport from gate A19, however always to a new country (our portal to Africa)

* “African massage” has nothing to do with oil or roads and mostly to do with gravel, corrugations, bumps, potholes, ditches - you get the idea
* Exchange rate for the Ugandan shilling is 2784:1, which means a little mental gymnastics when making a purchase - we surmised “how much is it” was a redundant question
* There is superior water melon juice and nice bananas in Uganda - weirdly feeling a bit banana starved
* Ugandan tradies, like everywhere, are trying to defy gravity and the laws of physics
* I thought I’d selected the enhanced step outcomes (cheaters) option on my phone’s fitness app, however we’ve discovered travel at low speed in a 4WD over African “dancing” roads simulates walking steps
* If you’re thinking of a Ugandan bride its gonna take between 5 and 10 cows for the dowry - extra for long hair (on the bride)
* Banana curry soup - sounds weird nonetheless delicious to all Queenslanders (except one)
* Apparently they learn to drive in Uganda - who’d have known
* Banana beer - no it’s not
* If hiking to see the golden monkeys the day after tracking gorillas look for the chubby, slow guide 
* We had a Belgian couple with us who could have opened a Ted’s Cameras store
* Saw a bunch of Irish military personnel at Entebbe airport - they were carrying potato guns
* Also at the airport a massive Antanov cargo plane carrying three UN helicopters - Dad’s “collections” might have just fitted 
* Pelicans are the nerds of birds of prey
* Learner driver in Uganda = run
* We were told they’re called golden monkeys given the colour of their fur, however I think it’s because they wee on you
* Something to ponder - is there a cosmic, spiritual, logical, mathematical or meaningful relationship between the sum of the room numbers you have while on holiday divided by your birth dates perhaps pointing to the meaning of life

Next up Botswana.