Safari!

On Thursday I went with the team on a safari in western Uganda. We took 3 vans that the roofs could pop up and we could stand up and look out through the top. We drove through the Murchison Falls National Park in the middle of the day, which I was told, was when you do not usually see many animals. Surprisingly, we saw a lot more than I thought we would. We saw antelopes, wildebeests, warthogs, water buffalo, giraffes, elephants, baboons, a leopard, and a cobra. Unfortunately, we did not see any lions, which I was really hoping for, but it was really fun. I loved standing up with the warm, African air blowing in my face, seeing all these animals in the savanna that I have never seen up close in the wild before.

After the safari, we took a ferry across the Nile river to where we were staying that night, a campground-like hotel place called The Red Chili. There were cabins, big army tents, and backpacking tents. Thankfully, we stayed in the cabins, which I was very happy about because there were warthogs and hippos wandering around the campground. I really did not want to worry about one of those getting into my tent! Forget raccoons in Minnesota camping! After we were settled in and rested for a little bit, we went back out to the savanna for an evening safari from 4-7. We saw the same animals for the most part, but they were a lot closer- at one point there was a giraffe on the road right in front of our van!- and it was during sunset, which was really beautiful. We had to hurry to get back on the last ferry that left at 7 so we booked it and barely made the ferry, which for the first time in Uganda, actually left on time. Then we ate dinner at the restaurant at the campground and then had a shower! It was cold water, but it was still a shower, which I have not had in 2 months. I slept very good with a pillow that night too!

The next morning after breakfast we got into 2 boats and went down the Nile River. My cousin had asked me before I left if I would see any hippos in Uganda. I told her I didn't think so because I would not be near a body of water. Well, Amy, I was wrong. I saw tons of hippos! I will show you lots of pictures when I get home! We also saw crocodiles on out boat ride. I had to keep reminding myself, though, when I looked out across the river that I was actually on the Nile instead of the Mississippi. It really looked like I could have been looking out at the bluffs in Winona.

We then got out and hiked up to the top of Murchison Falls. I love waterfalls and this one was very impressive. We hiked up and got to actually stand on top of the waterfall. This was probably my favorite part of the trip. Afterwards, we piled in the vans and drove a couple of hours. The team dropped off a couple of staff members that went along and I on the side of the road and then kept driving south to Kampala to fly home. A bus would be coming up from Kampala to Gulu and would pick us up at this "bus stop". We did not know when the bus would come, and I was even wondering IF it would come, but after only an hour of waiting, we safely got on an overcrowded bus. We got into Gulu around 6 and decided to stay the night in a hotel in town. It was really nice to have a hot shower last night and sleep in a really comfortable bed! The last few days have been a really nice treat, but now it's back to the center for my last 3 weeks in Africa!