Uganda for us was just another country in Africa, so we are beginners in this country.
On Thursday, October 13th, the anniversary of brother Peter, we left Rwanda after visiting a cultural village in the volcanic mountains of Rwanda (and western Uganda).
It was not entirely a “one stop border” as we had experienced at the border to Rwanda, but it’s fine if you follow the instructions of the police officer at the barrier. Stamp on the carmet for the car and road tax, stamp out of Rwanda, Uganda stamp in, write our data in a book and we are across the border. Getting a phone sim-card takes more time than the entire border.
By the way, we bought a phone sim card with data in all countries so far so that we can at least get in touch with home, perfect and not expensive. The Ush 20,000 (about € 6, similar in other countries) we will not spend in the two weeks we are here and we use data for facebook (messenger), whatsapp and sometimes skype contacts with the children.
In Kisoro we enquire at the Uganda Wildlife Authority for a gorilla permit, US $ 600 pp. Yet again less expensive than in Rwanda, where you pay $ 750. We take a moment to consider and during lunch we decide not to do this together and I do not put a gorilla trekking back on my bucket list …
We drive to Lake Bunyonyi, camping Bunyonyi Overland Resort, we have instructed our Carmen (the Garmin GPS). Unfortunately, Carmen decides, or is it Tracks4Africa, to take a short cut on dirt road along the lake for the last 22km.
It’s getting dark and we start driving the track at 5PM and we know that the sun goes down at 7. When the path is blocked by a just felled tree, we get a little unsettled. Fortunately the chainsaw strikes again quickly after the chain has been imposed and we can continue bumping on an unexpectedly very rough gravel road. It is already dark when we see the signs to the camp site and we even miss a turn so I even have to U-turn on the already narrow path … At half past eight we can set up our tent in an idyllic location on a lawn at the waterside, we are the only campers. We eat in the restaurant, in my opinion the best meal so far, Avocado Crayfish. An avocado stuffed with crayfish in an incredible flavorful sauce. Also Sonja’s fish curry is delicious. Afterwards I talk to the chef and compliment him, I get the recipe. We will try this recipe again, on the road or at home …
The next day we take a boat trip on the lake, there are many islands where mostly farms and some hotels are located. On one island you can even see some wildlife.
We stop at an island where a school and clinic are located, this is a former leper island founded by the doctor-missionary Sharp. He transferred it to the local population.
Especially the sayings that have been posted throughout his very inspiring. The youth are encouraged to discuss with each other in this “discussion poles” to discuss the issues among themselves.
The youth, it is a secondary school, come every morning with boats from surrounding villages to attend school. School lab looks somewhat old-fashioned, but has everything you need to teach the basics of biology, physics and chemistry.
In the evening we meet Kath and Allen from Johannesburg, they camp next to us. We met them a few times along the way (in Etosha Park, Namibia and South Luangwa National Park in Zambia) and we now have the time to share experiences and just have a chat. They currently travel with a German couple who traverse Africa from east to west by bike.
On Saturday we leave to the north, we will drive to Lake Edward through Queen Elizabeth National Park and want to camp at Hippo Hill camp site. The drive is beautiful, all is well here no matter our intention to avoid unpaved roads, the road to the park is pretty rough and the road into the park unpaved but well. Incidentally, this road right through the park can be driven without having to pay the park fees. We actually also see some wildlife and especially enjoy the green and varied landscapes. Uganda is really quite different from the previous countries!
The Hippo Hill camp site is really not recommendable, so really it’s past glory! The facilities are dirty, dilapidated and poorly maintained, in the restaurant you can get get beer and a meal to order, but the beer is not cooled and the meals must be brought from the nearby village. Here we consider to stay but when we see that the fridge was not even turned on and we have to pay as much as in the well-equipped campsite at Lake Bunyonyi (US $ 8 pp) we decide to let this cup pass us by. We drive to Kasese and pass the equator.
In Kasese we can rent a great room with private shower and toilet in the White House guesthouse for Ush 40,000 (approx. € 12). The meal was excellent and the beer is cold and the receptionists are extremely friendly, everything a lot better than what we could get at Hippo Hill!