English woman have a bad reputation down here (apparently). They sleep with anything that moves (apparently)…and it’s all we’re good for (apparently). And it’s all they want (apparently)…is to say they’ve slept with a field guide or a game ranger (apparently)! This does me no favours…what so ever, and hasn’t done for the last year! Not only must I try and shake off the reputation my fellow English women have created in this country (apparently)…. but also I must deal with the cultural issues between English and Afrikaans! Heaven for bid if you happen to fall in love with an Afrikaans boy, well your just asking for trouble, heartbreak and huge cultural issues (apparently)!
These men, Afrikaans men, particularly in the lowveld are proud, strong and are entirely different in the way they think, let alone how they treat their women, even by English South African male standards. Their women must be strong but feminine, not to independent but yet capable and able to do anything, go with them to fish, camp or hunt if need be. Above all and this is an important one, not give there opinion or answer back…. that’s the key, shut up, do as the man wants and be grateful! Oh and by the way… they have issues when it comes to women to…
I know I may seem to have painted a bleak picture…but I’m afraid it gets worst. Any poor women, like myself, who might even be considering getting into a relationship here, is faced with limited choices. Either sleep with a field guide and its true they are only good for one thing (so I’ve heard!). Or go for a game ranger (lets just call them the real bush men of the lowveld shall we). A bizarre creature who spends the majority of there time either in the bush, the pub, or sleeping around with women (usually overseas volunteers that are down here for a few weeks…that includes the rest of Europe, thank you!) because their first real Afrikaans girlfriend cheated on them, and all women after that are the same…don’t you know! If your really lucky you may meet one that’s so scared to get into a relationship that they‘ll push you away at the first sign of you having any feelings towards them, leaving you in an all together perplexed state of mind. And here’s the reason why…. Afrikaans men think there women must be perfect… beautiful, perfect body, blond or brunette it doesn’t matter, tall, the kinda girl you see in the magazines…need I go on…and I thought women had high expectations! Forget it, Afrikaans men can have a face like a bulldog licking piss and a body to match and they’ll still think there entitled to the most beautiful woman in the room…what I’m I saying…. They’ll think it’s their right!
People wonder why in the lowveld…actually I’ll rephrase that, men wonder why in the lowveld there are so many women in their twenties that are either having relationships with older guys (60 + and probably because by that age they’ve finally grown up) or are lesbians. Easy, the men round here need to grow up, get out the pub, stop thinking that there the only one’s that ever get hurt in relationships, learn to keep there dicks in their pants for longer than 5 minutes and most importantly realize that women aren’t perfect, because lets face it neither are they! Maybe they should start by being more open minded to the possibly that there are women out there that may not have the perfect body, or be the most beautiful woman in the room but they just might love them with all there heart for the rest of there life…
An Afrikaans guy said to me once about the difference between men and women. He told me women fall in love easily, far easier then men. When men finally fall in love it takes them far longer to get over than women. He also claimed that men have the ability to love a woman far more then a woman could ever love a man.
This did get me thinking and in many ways he’s absolutely right. I think women do fall in love with men more easily. The reason is a simple one…. she sleeps with him! Its to do with the hormones that are released during sex, it gives us women that warm fuzzy feeling and the amazing connection you experience with that person after sex, it can even make us cry. It’s the reason why women want to be held afterwards, even though the man’s already eyeing up the quickest escape route outta there. Men on the other hand releases testosterone, so it just makes them manlier, it takes them longer to feel emotional about the whole experience. I understand that.... but to say we don’t have the ability to love a man, if that was the case why do women stay in battered homes? I have the ability to love and if a man, Afrikaans or otherwise where they to just see through my defences, I’d be the most loyal, loving partner any man could wish for, all I need is a bit of nurturing…. Oh, but of course I’m not perfect (its a shock to me to), I don’t have the perfect body (I’m working on it), or face (nothing I can do about that one I’m afraid), I’m short (or that), I don’t speak Afrikaans (I’m trying!) and I’m English (and there’s bugger all I can do about that…but hey I was just born there…in my heart I’ve been South African since the day I stepped off the plane!). So basically my above answers are probably 95% of the women all over the world, in the end we are who we are!
So why am I making such a big fuss, ranting and raving pointlessly like a baboon you may well ask…it’s simple, with all the faults of Afrikaans men…. there men, real men, not this excuse for a metro-sexual, spineless man that the magazines have spoon fed us women into believing are the future (Any man who wears pink and takes longer to do there hair than me should be shot immediately!). It’s probably the reason why English women have gained such a reputation down here! For the first time in their lives they understand what it’s like to be in the presence of a real man. There is no doubt they are intoxicating, full of charm, charisma and a presence, which no English man could ever have (and believe me I know, I was married to an Englishman for 11 years, most guys down here have more charisma and charm in there little toe in comparison to what he had in is entire body). Mix this Bushmen with dangerous wild animals, beautiful African sunsets, a big rifle and you’ve got khaki fever…no women can resist them!
So I say screw women’s rights…I can still be a women, doing a man’s job, in a man’s world, earn respect and at the end of the day go home to a strong Afrikaans man who when he hold’s me, he makes me feel safe and protected…and most of all…. Makes me feel like a woman! Don’t get me wrong, I still have momentary lapses when I get jittery and slip back into my old ways…hmmmm…our Englishman sadly lacked the ability to look after themselves, so my generation, like those before, had no choice but to become hard, with a fuck you attitude, sticking two fingers up at the pathetic excuse of a man.
So another lesson I’ve learnt here as an Englishwoman, is that these men do know how to look after themselves, they don’t need to be controlled, told what to do, because after all their Afrikaans and as such are capable of making up there own mind. And most importantly I’ve learnt, they will look after you far more than any English man ever would! So here’s my dilemma, I’ve lived in this country for a year. The lowveld is my home and it will be for a long time to come, that I can be certain of, but I know that I’m caught between two worlds. I can ever go back to England, or be with an Englishman, this country’s changed me too much. But in the eyes of the Afrikaans men or any South African, I’m English, even if I feel less English day by day. So do I live in hope that a South African will accept me and love me regardless, in the same way, as I would accept him for who he is without question? In the end I’m sure it’s all about love, tolerance, compromise and understand anyway…. isn’t? I said at the beginning I’m still naïve about many things, yeah it’s true…love will conquer all, I truly believe that. I also believe I will find my soul mate one day (don’t we all)…. and while I wait, I am not alone, for I have had a lover for the past year! He wakes me every morning with the sounds of numerous birdcalls from his trees and at night makes sure there is no silence as I fall asleep, save me from getting lonely. This lover is special, he’s neither prejudice, nor cares where I’m from or what language I speak, or how many languages I don‘t. He loves me unconditional. All he asks is that I love and respect him and above all one day put back all that I have taken and learnt from him. This lover is the most beautiful thing on earth…the African lowveld.
Friday, 4 January 2008
My year in South Africa
I have never wanted a normal life! O.K yeah so define normal these days blah, blah, blah…you know the typical 2.4 kids, a house in a “nice” part of town, a steady unfulfilling job, husband and half an hour of unsatisfactory groping on a Saturday night after a few beers down the local kinda normal!
Even when I was a little girl I remember telling anyone who’d listen that I’d never get married (yeah OK I strayed a bit on that one for a while) and I’d never have children. I’ve also known for a long time now that I still have NO clue what the hell to do with my life, even at the ripe old age of 35 (although mentality I’m about 12…. and that’s on a good day!). I remember Billy Connelly once saying that the most interesting people are those that don’t know what they want out of life, well hey, that must have skipped by me, as really, quite honestly, most of the time I’m about as exciting and interesting to be around as a plate of cold pap…and lets face it, trying to be interesting takes effort and I think a level of comfort with the people that your surrounded by. Often in my case my “superficial friendships” are usually short. I have no one to blame but myself for this, I just could never stay in one place for more than 5 seconds! Although I’ve never questioned my life style, I always accepted it, even embraced it…when I felt I’d stuffed up, said something I shouldn’t and thought that somebody might not like me, I packed up and left, continuing on my journey to find my idea of utopia, I suppose the place where you can be yourself with no questions asked. I’ve lost count of the towns, cities and jungles I’ve hidden in, the new people I’ve met on the way who so effect my life without them even realizing. And yeah, it’s been working very nicely like that for the last 16 years…. so hey why change right?
I do know that along with this very un-normal life I wanted, I dreamed to make a difference in some way, although what way that is, I still have NOOO idea…. yeah, OK I kinda do. I always wanted to be the next Jane Goodall or Dian Fosse, these women inspired me to be strong and take no shit…from anyone. Great in theory, sadly in reality I am the biggest push over in existence! So this goal, one of many I have had and still do have in my life, comes down to three major obstacles…. Stupidity, laziness and love. Actually I should just write men for the third…in big bold letters…in fact bugger it, lets paint it on the side of Table Mountain in bright RED and be done!
I suppose on occasion I get momentary sparks of inspiration, although I fear most people would simply call this thinking… and that really covers the first two. Just to big myself up, yeah O.K, so I’ve got a degree and no I didn’t pay for it on the Internet! I worked hard for it…of course in the real world it kinda means jack shit. See since being in South Africa, in particular the lowveld, I’ve learnt a BIG life lesson…. experience is nothing…. knowledge is everything and an English woman knows NOTHING in comparison to the people who grew up or work here. I figure if I do nothing but study 8 hours a day for the rest of my natural life I may get to know a quarter of what they know…if I’m lucky! And in reality, let’s face it, I’m FAR too lazy to do that…pass me the DSTV remote!
Even when I was a little girl I remember telling anyone who’d listen that I’d never get married (yeah OK I strayed a bit on that one for a while) and I’d never have children. I’ve also known for a long time now that I still have NO clue what the hell to do with my life, even at the ripe old age of 35 (although mentality I’m about 12…. and that’s on a good day!). I remember Billy Connelly once saying that the most interesting people are those that don’t know what they want out of life, well hey, that must have skipped by me, as really, quite honestly, most of the time I’m about as exciting and interesting to be around as a plate of cold pap…and lets face it, trying to be interesting takes effort and I think a level of comfort with the people that your surrounded by. Often in my case my “superficial friendships” are usually short. I have no one to blame but myself for this, I just could never stay in one place for more than 5 seconds! Although I’ve never questioned my life style, I always accepted it, even embraced it…when I felt I’d stuffed up, said something I shouldn’t and thought that somebody might not like me, I packed up and left, continuing on my journey to find my idea of utopia, I suppose the place where you can be yourself with no questions asked. I’ve lost count of the towns, cities and jungles I’ve hidden in, the new people I’ve met on the way who so effect my life without them even realizing. And yeah, it’s been working very nicely like that for the last 16 years…. so hey why change right?
I do know that along with this very un-normal life I wanted, I dreamed to make a difference in some way, although what way that is, I still have NOOO idea…. yeah, OK I kinda do. I always wanted to be the next Jane Goodall or Dian Fosse, these women inspired me to be strong and take no shit…from anyone. Great in theory, sadly in reality I am the biggest push over in existence! So this goal, one of many I have had and still do have in my life, comes down to three major obstacles…. Stupidity, laziness and love. Actually I should just write men for the third…in big bold letters…in fact bugger it, lets paint it on the side of Table Mountain in bright RED and be done!
I suppose on occasion I get momentary sparks of inspiration, although I fear most people would simply call this thinking… and that really covers the first two. Just to big myself up, yeah O.K, so I’ve got a degree and no I didn’t pay for it on the Internet! I worked hard for it…of course in the real world it kinda means jack shit. See since being in South Africa, in particular the lowveld, I’ve learnt a BIG life lesson…. experience is nothing…. knowledge is everything and an English woman knows NOTHING in comparison to the people who grew up or work here. I figure if I do nothing but study 8 hours a day for the rest of my natural life I may get to know a quarter of what they know…if I’m lucky! And in reality, let’s face it, I’m FAR too lazy to do that…pass me the DSTV remote!
Thursday, 6 December 2007
Uganda 2006 - Mzungu in the Mist
I've always had a particular passion for primates. I had also been fortunate enough to view many different species of primate in the wild, a particular highlight was the time I visited Orang-utans (Pongo pygmaeus pygmaeus) in Borneo. On this occasion I was interrupted by some uninvited lunch guest’s, a particularly unfriendly female and her four year old. I unwilling gave….well was chased off and could do nothing but watch as she tucked into my sandwiches and more importantly my only water! But then again, I had no intention of arguing with a 100Ib ape that could quite easily fight me to the death for the last few crumbs.
This passion for primates first began the day I saw the movie ’Gorillas in the Mist’. At the time I knew nothing of Dian Fossey or of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), when her and Digit had become famous, I was only a baby and therefore oblivious to the media that surrounded them. That film, that day, however, changed my life and from that point, as I watched this amazing woman and her story unfold in front of me, I knew that I wanted to be like her and make a difference. Time went on, but on the back of a paper I wrote when studying for my masters, my interest was ignited again and a whole new desirer lead to my first really trip to Africa.
I wanted to fore fill my dream and finally meet the mountain gorillas up close and personnel, like the majority of people who visit Africa, as a tourist. Before I choose my destination, I talked to friends who’d visited the area and been lucky enough to see these magnificent creatures in the wild. From this I chose to see them in Uganda and for several reasons. Firstly, it’s English speaking and the fact is I’m terrible at French! (so I discounted Rwanda immediately), further reports from friends described how wonderful Uganda was, safe, friendly and there were lots of other things to do while out there. So that was that, the decision was made and I booked my at the end of February 2006.
On my arrival in Entebbe I was meet by Fiona, a South African living and working in Uganda, we had worked together in Belize the year before when I was working with Howler monkeys. She had become my manager when I began guiding for Monkey Bay. She’d obtained our gorilla permits and organised not only my trip down to the gorillas, but also a few days on the reserve her son, who I'd also worked with in Belize, was working on and time on their boat in Murchison Falls National Park. The Madi Gras, was a beautiful, well equipped (including a loo!) which would see me floating down the Nile Delta in style….
I spent the first night in Entebbe and travelled the following day to the reserve, two hours from the bustling Hoima. We travelled overland on the dirt roads and caught up on all the news and gossip. As we dropped down into the reserve, which covers approximately 2086 hectors, it finally hit me that I was in Africa! The shear expanse is something that no movie or television programme could have ever prepare me for. Savannah as far as the eye could see, with game grazing happily, unperturbed by me not knowing in which direction to look first, to the left, the famous Ugandan Cob (Kobus kob Thomas) or to the right at bush buck or in front, at the troop of baboons! (Papio anubis) I was in Uganda and my wildest dreams had come true.
I was greeted by Craig, who proudly showed me round the lodge, overlooking Lake Albert, that he’d left Belize 9 months earlier to build. I was very proud of my friend for his achievement. As I woke that first morning to the view of Lake Albert, which separates Uganda from the Congo, (and on a clear day you can see!) from my bed and showered while being entertained by troops of baboons at the watering hole, my view from out of my bathroom window, I knew this was a special place. The reserve had a very relaxing atmosphere, which made you de-stress instantly on arrival. Of course sitting in the pool, sun blazing, beer in hand, in the full knowledge that back home everyone would be freezing, was fantastic. I went on several game drives with Craig, who could spot game and especially birds, a mile away…long before me. Somehow though, I always ended up in front of a troop of Baboons with a big grin on my face. It was soon time however to leave the reserve and for the three of us to travel south for are trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the mountain gorillas!
It was a two day journey overland, but worth every minute to see the changing habitats, from savannah to the cooler climate with lush green hills and mountains. On the way we passed Lake Edward, George and all the villages and there residents going about there daily lives, always ready to wave as I went by or stop and talk. All where as polite as I’d been told they would be, not once did I feel unsafe, harassed or felt threatened. The night before the trek I was soo nervous and excited I couldn’t believe that in a few hours I’d be see mountain gorillas in the flesh!
The morning of the trek began early, as we had to travel from Kisoro to the park by 8.00am. On arrival, we were informed the trackers had left at six and we were to follow after a short briefing, which included how to act around the gorillas. The UWA (Ugandan Wildlife Authority) guides where excellent and made us all feel at ease before our expedition. By 8.30 we were ready to go, there where four in are party, although a maximum of eight are allowed to visit the gorillas at any one time. I was used to trekking though jungle so when are guide, Jarot, informed us that it was going to be tough I thought nothing of it, granted I’d spent a few months behind a desk back in the UK, but hey, piece of cake….until we were told it could take nine hours to find the gorillas!!!
We were lucky and after three hours of climbing though thick jungle (hence the name Impenetrable) we were moments away from seeing the Nkuringo group, which consisted of 18 gorillas in total. My heart was pounding as I followed a tracker to there location. Before I knew it or had a chance to realize I had stumbled across a gorilla. I couldn’t believe it two gorillas and sat relatively close together, huddled under trees to keep dry from the rain, which had started about ten minutes earlier. The tracker gestured to follow him to a better viewing position and at a safe distance I sat and watched. No talking, no sudden movements, just me sitting in the rain, with the gorillas, my dream come true. We had an hour with the group and what the others did I couldn‘t tell you. I had come to see gorillas and I had no intention of being distracted. I watched as one began making a nest, breaking thick branches and placing them methodically on top of one another with ease. The other, a male, who almost had the infamous silverback, commonly known as a black back and what I can only describe as king Kong’s stunt double, lay on his stomach resting his head in his hands and occasionally yawning. You could almost sense the utter boredom that he was again being glared at more mzungu’s! In all I saw 11 gorillas, including the silverback, and a mother with an infant. All to soon the hour was up and we where told it was time to leave and descend back down the mountain, on are return we were all very exhausted but elated with are mountain gorilla experience. We each received certificates to say we’d successfully tracked and seen the Nkuringo group, it was an unexpected surprise and as we each went up to collect our certificates to a hearty round of applause, we all felt like we’d seen something special that day, something that very few others had. It was a great way to end the perfect day.
The following day we were once again travelling back across the equator away from the mountains and mist and onto Paraa in Murchison Falls National Park. This was my final destination, a boat trip down the Nile Delta on the Mardi Gras. Fiona informed me that this was a fantastic way to see wildlife and she was right! As we ambled down the river, with a gentle breeze on my face and shaded under the Mardi Gras canopy, I couldn’t believe the abundance of wildlife. I had never seen hippos (Hippopotamus amphibious), or African elephant (Loxodonta Africana) in the wild before and it was fantastic to see them in there natural habitat. The wealth of game and birds, including the crowned crane (Balearica pavonina) and shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) spotted early one morning by our able Captain Angelo, kept my interest high and my eyes glued for any movement. The wildlife continued as we followed the river and included rothchild’s giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis rothschild) and Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). On my final night in Uganda I couldn’t have envisioned a more fitting end to my journey. As I feel sleep I heard the sounds of African drums drifting over from a village on the south side of the river bank….it was the prefect end to a dream trip.
The next day I travelled to Entebbe airport, said goodbye and travelled home with a million new memories and experiences thanks to Fiona, Craig, Angelo and all the other people that briefly touched my life, knowingly or otherwise, while travelling round this amazing country. And of course to the stars of the trip, the wildlife and in particular the mountain gorillas, for being beyond any words or my imagination in making my dream come true..
I knew after that trip that I'd left my heart in Africa....I knew that I'd have to find a way to go back. People say that once Africa's touched your soul your never the same again...have to agree!
I've just spent my first year living in South Africa, I went there for a 6 week trip...and what can I say, I've just forgotten to leave....
This passion for primates first began the day I saw the movie ’Gorillas in the Mist’. At the time I knew nothing of Dian Fossey or of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), when her and Digit had become famous, I was only a baby and therefore oblivious to the media that surrounded them. That film, that day, however, changed my life and from that point, as I watched this amazing woman and her story unfold in front of me, I knew that I wanted to be like her and make a difference. Time went on, but on the back of a paper I wrote when studying for my masters, my interest was ignited again and a whole new desirer lead to my first really trip to Africa.
I wanted to fore fill my dream and finally meet the mountain gorillas up close and personnel, like the majority of people who visit Africa, as a tourist. Before I choose my destination, I talked to friends who’d visited the area and been lucky enough to see these magnificent creatures in the wild. From this I chose to see them in Uganda and for several reasons. Firstly, it’s English speaking and the fact is I’m terrible at French! (so I discounted Rwanda immediately), further reports from friends described how wonderful Uganda was, safe, friendly and there were lots of other things to do while out there. So that was that, the decision was made and I booked my at the end of February 2006.
On my arrival in Entebbe I was meet by Fiona, a South African living and working in Uganda, we had worked together in Belize the year before when I was working with Howler monkeys. She had become my manager when I began guiding for Monkey Bay. She’d obtained our gorilla permits and organised not only my trip down to the gorillas, but also a few days on the reserve her son, who I'd also worked with in Belize, was working on and time on their boat in Murchison Falls National Park. The Madi Gras, was a beautiful, well equipped (including a loo!) which would see me floating down the Nile Delta in style….
I spent the first night in Entebbe and travelled the following day to the reserve, two hours from the bustling Hoima. We travelled overland on the dirt roads and caught up on all the news and gossip. As we dropped down into the reserve, which covers approximately 2086 hectors, it finally hit me that I was in Africa! The shear expanse is something that no movie or television programme could have ever prepare me for. Savannah as far as the eye could see, with game grazing happily, unperturbed by me not knowing in which direction to look first, to the left, the famous Ugandan Cob (Kobus kob Thomas) or to the right at bush buck or in front, at the troop of baboons! (Papio anubis) I was in Uganda and my wildest dreams had come true.
I was greeted by Craig, who proudly showed me round the lodge, overlooking Lake Albert, that he’d left Belize 9 months earlier to build. I was very proud of my friend for his achievement. As I woke that first morning to the view of Lake Albert, which separates Uganda from the Congo, (and on a clear day you can see!) from my bed and showered while being entertained by troops of baboons at the watering hole, my view from out of my bathroom window, I knew this was a special place. The reserve had a very relaxing atmosphere, which made you de-stress instantly on arrival. Of course sitting in the pool, sun blazing, beer in hand, in the full knowledge that back home everyone would be freezing, was fantastic. I went on several game drives with Craig, who could spot game and especially birds, a mile away…long before me. Somehow though, I always ended up in front of a troop of Baboons with a big grin on my face. It was soon time however to leave the reserve and for the three of us to travel south for are trip to Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the mountain gorillas!
It was a two day journey overland, but worth every minute to see the changing habitats, from savannah to the cooler climate with lush green hills and mountains. On the way we passed Lake Edward, George and all the villages and there residents going about there daily lives, always ready to wave as I went by or stop and talk. All where as polite as I’d been told they would be, not once did I feel unsafe, harassed or felt threatened. The night before the trek I was soo nervous and excited I couldn’t believe that in a few hours I’d be see mountain gorillas in the flesh!
The morning of the trek began early, as we had to travel from Kisoro to the park by 8.00am. On arrival, we were informed the trackers had left at six and we were to follow after a short briefing, which included how to act around the gorillas. The UWA (Ugandan Wildlife Authority) guides where excellent and made us all feel at ease before our expedition. By 8.30 we were ready to go, there where four in are party, although a maximum of eight are allowed to visit the gorillas at any one time. I was used to trekking though jungle so when are guide, Jarot, informed us that it was going to be tough I thought nothing of it, granted I’d spent a few months behind a desk back in the UK, but hey, piece of cake….until we were told it could take nine hours to find the gorillas!!!
We were lucky and after three hours of climbing though thick jungle (hence the name Impenetrable) we were moments away from seeing the Nkuringo group, which consisted of 18 gorillas in total. My heart was pounding as I followed a tracker to there location. Before I knew it or had a chance to realize I had stumbled across a gorilla. I couldn’t believe it two gorillas and sat relatively close together, huddled under trees to keep dry from the rain, which had started about ten minutes earlier. The tracker gestured to follow him to a better viewing position and at a safe distance I sat and watched. No talking, no sudden movements, just me sitting in the rain, with the gorillas, my dream come true. We had an hour with the group and what the others did I couldn‘t tell you. I had come to see gorillas and I had no intention of being distracted. I watched as one began making a nest, breaking thick branches and placing them methodically on top of one another with ease. The other, a male, who almost had the infamous silverback, commonly known as a black back and what I can only describe as king Kong’s stunt double, lay on his stomach resting his head in his hands and occasionally yawning. You could almost sense the utter boredom that he was again being glared at more mzungu’s! In all I saw 11 gorillas, including the silverback, and a mother with an infant. All to soon the hour was up and we where told it was time to leave and descend back down the mountain, on are return we were all very exhausted but elated with are mountain gorilla experience. We each received certificates to say we’d successfully tracked and seen the Nkuringo group, it was an unexpected surprise and as we each went up to collect our certificates to a hearty round of applause, we all felt like we’d seen something special that day, something that very few others had. It was a great way to end the perfect day.
The following day we were once again travelling back across the equator away from the mountains and mist and onto Paraa in Murchison Falls National Park. This was my final destination, a boat trip down the Nile Delta on the Mardi Gras. Fiona informed me that this was a fantastic way to see wildlife and she was right! As we ambled down the river, with a gentle breeze on my face and shaded under the Mardi Gras canopy, I couldn’t believe the abundance of wildlife. I had never seen hippos (Hippopotamus amphibious), or African elephant (Loxodonta Africana) in the wild before and it was fantastic to see them in there natural habitat. The wealth of game and birds, including the crowned crane (Balearica pavonina) and shoebill (Balaeniceps rex) spotted early one morning by our able Captain Angelo, kept my interest high and my eyes glued for any movement. The wildlife continued as we followed the river and included rothchild’s giraffe (Giraffa Camelopardalis rothschild) and Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). On my final night in Uganda I couldn’t have envisioned a more fitting end to my journey. As I feel sleep I heard the sounds of African drums drifting over from a village on the south side of the river bank….it was the prefect end to a dream trip.
The next day I travelled to Entebbe airport, said goodbye and travelled home with a million new memories and experiences thanks to Fiona, Craig, Angelo and all the other people that briefly touched my life, knowingly or otherwise, while travelling round this amazing country. And of course to the stars of the trip, the wildlife and in particular the mountain gorillas, for being beyond any words or my imagination in making my dream come true..
I knew after that trip that I'd left my heart in Africa....I knew that I'd have to find a way to go back. People say that once Africa's touched your soul your never the same again...have to agree!
I've just spent my first year living in South Africa, I went there for a 6 week trip...and what can I say, I've just forgotten to leave....
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