Having returned home, I realize that trip adds a couple of more places to my list of all time favorite place names:
The Virunga Volcanoes of Rwanda
Bwindi Impenetrable Forest
Older favorites:
The Makgadikgadi Pan, Botswana
The Great Karoo and The Little Karoo, South Africa
Byzantium / Constantinople / Konstantinupolis / Istanbul (all the same place)
Zanzibar – Persian for ‘land of the blacks’?
Dar es Salaam(Haven of Peace)
The Flaming Cliffs, Mongolia
Skeleton Coast, Namibia
Ronkonkoma, Patchogue, and Speonk – all on Long Island, NY
T R A V E L S
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The 500 Pound Gorilla in the Room
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Unfortunately, Rwanda has become a name that we identify with the worst side of humanity. We have had a wonderful visit to the country, but on our last full day in Africa we do the most difficult thing and visit the Genocide Museum in Kigali. It is a modest structure that sits on a hillside overlooking the heart of the capital and serves both as an education tool to humanity and as the resting place to the remains of 300,000 who were killed in this city alone - many by their neighbors, relatives, or those who they thought of as friends. They are only some of the million or so who were killed in the name of something that is hard to understand, but has happened more than once in our world. We come as tourists from another land and try to get our heads around what happened, and more importantly what this country and its people must do to heal. After the visit to heartbreaking exhibits I look over the city which is now clean, tidy, and full of commercial enterprise and new construction – I try to imagine what is below the surface that people here deal with every day
. Much has happened since the horrors and all outward signs are remarkably positive while this country trys to learn and create an identity based on country, rather than tribal bonds. On the two hour drive from our last lodge, we passed through a beautiful hilly farming country and an amazing number of people on foot, sharing the road with our vehicles. They all have daily chores that occupy their thoughts, but each has some painful memory of the madness that they must deal with. Easy for me to dismiss it as madness, but the government here is making an extraordinary effort to learn from what happened and not to sweep it under the rug. I came to the Museum foolishly thinking that it would explain all of this to me. For me, I admit that I still can't understand.
Unfortunately, Rwanda has become a name that we identify with the worst side of humanity. We have had a wonderful visit to the country, but on our last full day in Africa we do the most difficult thing and visit the Genocide Museum in Kigali. It is a modest structure that sits on a hillside overlooking the heart of the capital and serves both as an education tool to humanity and as the resting place to the remains of 300,000 who were killed in this city alone - many by their neighbors, relatives, or those who they thought of as friends. They are only some of the million or so who were killed in the name of something that is hard to understand, but has happened more than once in our world. We come as tourists from another land and try to get our heads around what happened, and more importantly what this country and its people must do to heal. After the visit to heartbreaking exhibits I look over the city which is now clean, tidy, and full of commercial enterprise and new construction – I try to imagine what is below the surface that people here deal with every day
. Much has happened since the horrors and all outward signs are remarkably positive while this country trys to learn and create an identity based on country, rather than tribal bonds. On the two hour drive from our last lodge, we passed through a beautiful hilly farming country and an amazing number of people on foot, sharing the road with our vehicles. They all have daily chores that occupy their thoughts, but each has some painful memory of the madness that they must deal with. Easy for me to dismiss it as madness, but the government here is making an extraordinary effort to learn from what happened and not to sweep it under the rug. I came to the Museum foolishly thinking that it would explain all of this to me. For me, I admit that I still can't understand.
Monday, October 19, 2009
Rwanda
Monday, October 19, 2009
I am happy to discover that gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a LOT easier than the experience we had in Uganda. Here the gorillas live on the slopes of the Virunga mountains – dormant volcanoes that tower above our lodge, which is at 7,900 ft. This is a good time to see the gorillas – it is the beginning of the 'little rains', so it is wet and muddy but the gorillas come to the lower part of the mountains to eat the new bamboo shoots which is their favorite. So far we have done two days of trekking and each day was enjoyable but different. Our first trek carried us through agricultural fields until we reach a stone wall that marks the park's boundary. From the other side of the wall it is a different world of virgin rain forest, bamboo, and fields of ferns and stinging nettles (most of us wear gloves). After what seems like a very short time, we meet up with the trackers and we know the gorillas are near. When we reach them, they are hunkered down in the rain and not very active
. We are close enough to identify the silverback, a female and child and an adult blackback male who won't turn around to face us – all we see is hunched shoulders. This silverback is huge – we are actually fortunate to visit him because he is the largest one ever recorded. Just before our allotted hour is up, the rain lets up a bit and the family starts to get more active – moving around and eating. Then we have to leave and return to the world over the wall.
The second day is a completely different experience – for once, no rain and the group we visit is active and on the move. When we reach them we follow into the midst of the group and are approached by a cute 3 year old playing with a round fruit, like a ball. He gets too close and the guide says back up so the baby chases us down the trail for a while until he looses interest. We locate the silverback and follow him until he stops to rip up bamboo stalks to feed. We reposition to get closer, but it seems that we are in the way of his intended route and he charges us to make a point, and we execute a group back-up with hearts pounding as he veers off and races by several feet in front of us. I remember our guide actually says something like “ok, he's going to charge us now, but he is a friendly fellow”. The guides in this park are familiar with all the individuals and their personalities . Before they can be visited by tourist groups, the gorillas are habituated to human visitors by the guides and trackers over a two year period. The other members of our team are the trackers who spend the day with the gorillas and patrol the area for traps that may have been set by poachers, the porters who carry packs for the tourists, and armed guards who are there to protect from buffalo or whatever else might come along.
We are at Google Earth GPS coordinates S 1deg 25.63min, E 29deg 33.35min.
I am happy to discover that gorilla trekking in Rwanda is a LOT easier than the experience we had in Uganda. Here the gorillas live on the slopes of the Virunga mountains – dormant volcanoes that tower above our lodge, which is at 7,900 ft. This is a good time to see the gorillas – it is the beginning of the 'little rains', so it is wet and muddy but the gorillas come to the lower part of the mountains to eat the new bamboo shoots which is their favorite. So far we have done two days of trekking and each day was enjoyable but different. Our first trek carried us through agricultural fields until we reach a stone wall that marks the park's boundary. From the other side of the wall it is a different world of virgin rain forest, bamboo, and fields of ferns and stinging nettles (most of us wear gloves). After what seems like a very short time, we meet up with the trackers and we know the gorillas are near. When we reach them, they are hunkered down in the rain and not very active
. We are close enough to identify the silverback, a female and child and an adult blackback male who won't turn around to face us – all we see is hunched shoulders. This silverback is huge – we are actually fortunate to visit him because he is the largest one ever recorded. Just before our allotted hour is up, the rain lets up a bit and the family starts to get more active – moving around and eating. Then we have to leave and return to the world over the wall.
The second day is a completely different experience – for once, no rain and the group we visit is active and on the move. When we reach them we follow into the midst of the group and are approached by a cute 3 year old playing with a round fruit, like a ball. He gets too close and the guide says back up so the baby chases us down the trail for a while until he looses interest. We locate the silverback and follow him until he stops to rip up bamboo stalks to feed. We reposition to get closer, but it seems that we are in the way of his intended route and he charges us to make a point, and we execute a group back-up with hearts pounding as he veers off and races by several feet in front of us. I remember our guide actually says something like “ok, he's going to charge us now, but he is a friendly fellow”. The guides in this park are familiar with all the individuals and their personalities . Before they can be visited by tourist groups, the gorillas are habituated to human visitors by the guides and trackers over a two year period. The other members of our team are the trackers who spend the day with the gorillas and patrol the area for traps that may have been set by poachers, the porters who carry packs for the tourists, and armed guards who are there to protect from buffalo or whatever else might come along.
We are at Google Earth GPS coordinates S 1deg 25.63min, E 29deg 33.35min.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Community Walk
Friday, October 16, 2009
. The community hospital is impressive - Doctor Paul, the head
administrator (a Brit), explains the the goal is to do the simple
things well. Family planning, support for childbirth, malaria
prevention, and HIV education/ treatment. Significant improvement on all
fronts over the last five years. The hospital serves a community
defined by a day's walking distance and is training a health care
coordinator in every village. There is also a private elementary school
and high school, and we hear of their programs as we sit in the
principal's office - first time in many years. There is a system of
government schools, but the closest is about 40 miles away - too far to
be any help. Near the school we visit a group of Batwa people. they are
the indigenous forest pygmies who were displace when the forest became a
national park. They entertain with a little song and dance, and Michael
reciprocates with a hula hooping exhibition. They are initially
mystified, but soon are thrilled. Michael has brought a bag of hats to
distribute, made by a church group that he knows in the States.
The day after the 'hill of death' experience, our group visits
aspects of the local community. I am worn out from the previous day, so
this is a good chance to stretch legs. Outside the park entrance is a
little tourist shopping area, and we keep running into Augustine, a dude
with rasta styling who seems to have a hand in any tourist needs.
Later, he brings music video DVD's by the lodge to give private viewings
to anyone interested in buying. For the walk, we have guides who takes
us by people distilling banana wine and banana gin - we make faces when
we discover banana wine is really sour. Banana gin is actually pretty
good. The initial step in the process involves tromping - I think of the
winemaking episode of I Love Lucy. We visit a traditional doctor and
learn of remedies for stomach problems and of herbal Viagra
equivalents. The guy is a character, but we learn that he actually works
closely with the local community hospital with cross-referrals. Among
the herbs and leaves is a family planning handbook - the average family
in Uganda includes seven children, which is a big problem.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Bwindi National Park
Thursday, October 15, 2009 Bwindi National Park is in a mountainous area with the headquarters in a valley at about 5,000 ft elevation. This is our chance to see mountain gorillas. It is a hard day but a fantastic day. Early in the morning trackers are out to locate the gorilla groups – they start from their last known location and follow them, radioing their position to our guides. We hear they are high on the mountain and we are to take a short cut to make access easier. Road through the village, path through the tea and banana fields, stream crossing, short walk on an aqueduct which is under construction. Then a climb that is brutal, at least for me. Muddy, slippery, steep (really steep), rocky, overgrown, thorny. Some people have hired porters to help carry packs and to push them along. Partway up I abandon my pride and give my pack to one of them and he pulls me along over the hard parts . We reach a spot and are told to drop our packs because the gorillas are close and we will walk the last part with only cameras. The silverback is suddenly there, lounging twenty feet away eating bark from small shrubs and occasionally glancing our way. Further up the hill are several more younger gorillas and we hear one of the trackers hacking away at the vegetation with a machete to clear a path up to them. When the way is relatively clear we make our way up to about ten feet from a young male who is just sitting peacefully, looking back at us. We are not there long when the skys open up with a downpour and we realize all the rain-gear is with the packs - humans and gorillas get equally soaked. The porters bring the packs up but the damage is done. Lesson learned. I think the exertion to reach the gorillas makes the experience even more special. Apparently this group sometimes comes down the mountain to raid the banana fields, but it is special to see them in their home. The way down involves a lot of slipping and falling on ground even muddier than on the way up – I am wasted by the time we reach the fields at the bottom. It really was my limit today. Our guide, Benson, gives us graduation certificates saying we have successfully completed his course in gorilla tracking but all we are thinking of is dry clothes and hot showers.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Ishasha Wilderness Camp
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Leaving our lodge at Queen Elizabeth park, we travel through open savanna to Ishasha Wilderness Camp, which is a treat. It is a tented camp at the southern tip of the same park with tents for all structures, On the bank of a small river in the forest – sounds of weaver birds fill the air – a lot of weaver birds. The vibes of the place are relaxed and tranquil – it might be our favorite yet. All the travelers in the group have settled into a routine of familiarity with each other and the guides. Coming into camp, we have a unique sighting. The area is home to a group of tree climbing lions – they have adapted this unusual behavior for their own purposes. Out on game game the next day, and we see GIANT FOREST HOGS - when our driver spots them, he hits the breaks sending us sprawling - it is a rare sighting. They look like warthog's bad-ass older brothers. Spotted hyenas are loping home to their den after a hard night. Michael and the guides notice vultures roosting and figure there is a kill nearby. Everyone scans the trees and somehow Matt spots a leopard in a tree - I'm sure it was a half mile away. It takes some time before everyone can spot it in their binoculars.
Leaving our lodge at Queen Elizabeth park, we travel through open savanna to Ishasha Wilderness Camp, which is a treat. It is a tented camp at the southern tip of the same park with tents for all structures, On the bank of a small river in the forest – sounds of weaver birds fill the air – a lot of weaver birds. The vibes of the place are relaxed and tranquil – it might be our favorite yet. All the travelers in the group have settled into a routine of familiarity with each other and the guides. Coming into camp, we have a unique sighting. The area is home to a group of tree climbing lions – they have adapted this unusual behavior for their own purposes. Out on game game the next day, and we see GIANT FOREST HOGS - when our driver spots them, he hits the breaks sending us sprawling - it is a rare sighting. They look like warthog's bad-ass older brothers. Spotted hyenas are loping home to their den after a hard night. Michael and the guides notice vultures roosting and figure there is a kill nearby. Everyone scans the trees and somehow Matt spots a leopard in a tree - I'm sure it was a half mile away. It takes some time before everyone can spot it in their binoculars.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
QE National Park
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Queen Elizabeth National Park
is the largest park in Uganda, and the habitat is completely different
from Kibale – QE is largely open savanna with grazing antelope, and open
views to the west to the Ruwezori Mountains – “Mountains of the Moon”,
the fabled source of the Nile . It is clear enough to see the higher
snow capped peaks – over 15,000 ft in height. They form the western edge
of the rift valley that contains the three lakes – Albert, George, and
Edward that feed north into the Nile. We cross the equator and a leg
stretch and photo op is needed. Entering QE, there are a series of
volcanic crater lakes, some are fresh water, some are sulfuric, and some
are salt water. The salt has been harvested and had contributed to a
prosperous community in the past. Now, not so prosperous - the lakes are
still worked for salt by local community, but it looks like hard work.
We take advantage of game drives to get good views of elephant and lion -
later a boat cruse on the Kazinga channel, which links Lake George and
Edward.The channel is full of hippo, buffalo and enough birdlife to keep
even Michael happy. As hippos swim under the boat, several of us
remember the Disneyland safari boat and are waiting for the hippo
attack. But these are very content hippos, no open-mouthed aggression.
Where the channel opens into Lake Edward, fishermen take to the lake in
small boats near the end of the day.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Kibale Trek
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Our lodge is in Kibale National Park, which is home to a variety of primate species – monkeys and chimpanzees. Overnight there is an incredible chorus of crickets,cicadas, and tree frogs. From our tents we hear the occasional hoot and holler from the forest nearby. Often it is a gray cheeked mangobey, who can be spotted in the canopy overhead. The chimpanzees are the primary attraction and in the morning we prepare for a trek with long pants tucked into socks to ward off the fire ants and ticks. A short drive on dirt road leads to a foot trail crossing which we take to an area where the chimpanzees had been spotted earlier. The trail leads to narrower muddy, slippery paths which turn into working our way through the undergrowth as our guide Edison follows calls from the treetops. Along the way are red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, gray cheeked mangobeys, and maybe some others that I have forgotten. The forest includes huge hardwood trees with buttressed trunks covered with vines and moss.
The undergrowth is shrubs and vines that make for slow going
when we are off the trails. When we do spot a chimpanzee, it is high
overhead and we crane our necks to get a look of it moving easily
through the canopy above. Further on are more including a mother and
baby that is also in the trees, but lower, and we all get a good look.
There is a moment when the group vocalizes with others further away and
the classic excited “who-who-aha-aha-aha” resonates in the forest – very
cool. We had broken up into three smaller groups for the trek and
everyone has good sightings. One group had the distinction of getting
pissed on (supposed to be good luck) , but I doubt that it was personal.
We make our way back to a road crossing to get picked up by out
vehicles, and back to the lodge for rest.
Our lodge is in Kibale National Park, which is home to a variety of primate species – monkeys and chimpanzees. Overnight there is an incredible chorus of crickets,cicadas, and tree frogs. From our tents we hear the occasional hoot and holler from the forest nearby. Often it is a gray cheeked mangobey, who can be spotted in the canopy overhead. The chimpanzees are the primary attraction and in the morning we prepare for a trek with long pants tucked into socks to ward off the fire ants and ticks. A short drive on dirt road leads to a foot trail crossing which we take to an area where the chimpanzees had been spotted earlier. The trail leads to narrower muddy, slippery paths which turn into working our way through the undergrowth as our guide Edison follows calls from the treetops. Along the way are red tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, gray cheeked mangobeys, and maybe some others that I have forgotten. The forest includes huge hardwood trees with buttressed trunks covered with vines and moss.
The undergrowth is shrubs and vines that make for slow going
when we are off the trails. When we do spot a chimpanzee, it is high
overhead and we crane our necks to get a look of it moving easily
through the canopy above. Further on are more including a mother and
baby that is also in the trees, but lower, and we all get a good look.
There is a moment when the group vocalizes with others further away and
the classic excited “who-who-aha-aha-aha” resonates in the forest – very
cool. We had broken up into three smaller groups for the trek and
everyone has good sightings. One group had the distinction of getting
pissed on (supposed to be good luck) , but I doubt that it was personal.
We make our way back to a road crossing to get picked up by out
vehicles, and back to the lodge for rest.Friday, October 9, 2009
Independence day
Friday, October 9, 2009
Ugandan Independence Day is a national holiday, but for us it is a
long travel day. Breakfast and then into the vehicles to catch the ferry
at 7:15. The road is all unpaved for nearly 10 hours – some muddy, some
dusty, and all bone rattling. In spite of that is is an interesting day
as we travel through farming communities (corn, sorghum, sweet
potatoes, and later large tea plantations). People are out and about on
the holiday and it is a delight to see happy children yelling and waving
as our vehicles pass. The adults are more reserved, and appear to have
the weight of the world on their shoulders. The villages we pass are
full of activity, although what the main livelihood is I can't tell.
Motorbikes and bicycles carry all manner of material – lumber for
building projects, sacks of charcoal to be sold for cooking fires, empty
yellow jerry cans for drinking water. One larger regional center is
busy with an Independence celebration with people walking the roads into
town for the festivities.
We pass one group at roadside who have killed
some wild animal for their feast. Another family at the roadside is
catching termites to eat as the emerge flying from a termite mound near
their house. Before the day's journey started, some were thinking it
might be better to fly to the next lodge, but I think we are glad for
the experience to see so much of the people and landscape of the
country. We arrive at our lodge road weary and quickly dress for local
singers and dancers before dinner. We are at the Primate Lodge - Google
Earth GPS coordinates N 0deg 26.32min, E 30deg 3.81min. Tomorrow is a
trek to look for chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
We pass one group at roadside who have killed
some wild animal for their feast. Another family at the roadside is
catching termites to eat as the emerge flying from a termite mound near
their house. Before the day's journey started, some were thinking it
might be better to fly to the next lodge, but I think we are glad for
the experience to see so much of the people and landscape of the
country. We arrive at our lodge road weary and quickly dress for local
singers and dancers before dinner. We are at the Primate Lodge - Google
Earth GPS coordinates N 0deg 26.32min, E 30deg 3.81min. Tomorrow is a
trek to look for chimpanzees in Kibale National Park.
Thursday, October 8, 2009
From the Front Seat
Thursday, October 8, 2009
We
leave at 7:30 for a game drive in our two Toyota Land Cruisers which
have been designed with pop-up roofs to facilitate game viewing. Each
holds seven plus a driver and today I ride shotgun. Riding in the front
left seat gives me a chance to chat with Ham who grew up near the
gorillas we will see later, but never saw one until he started guiding.
The seat gives me a better view of the road and the changing scenery
makes for a nice series of photos. We travel over dirt tracks to an area
where the Victoria Nile enters into Lake Albert through a wetland delta
before quickly exiting to the north as the Albert Nile.
Today the game viewing is fantastic with large herds of stately Giraffe, many wary Cape Buffalo, elegant Jackson's hartebeasts, a social elephant herd, and a pair of mating lions, which was a first sighting for many of us. The landscape is rolling grassland with acacia trees and palms dotting the view. Further on we are closer to the water the vegetation changes to low reeds and papyrus. We spend quite a lot of time looking for a shoebill, which is important to some of us (no luck with shoebills today). Returning to our lodge we race to beat the rain shower that is looming ahead, but pause to allow a group of giraffe to cross our track. Tomorrow we have a long travel day, so we have an unplanned afternoon to rest up.
We
leave at 7:30 for a game drive in our two Toyota Land Cruisers which
have been designed with pop-up roofs to facilitate game viewing. Each
holds seven plus a driver and today I ride shotgun. Riding in the front
left seat gives me a chance to chat with Ham who grew up near the
gorillas we will see later, but never saw one until he started guiding.
The seat gives me a better view of the road and the changing scenery
makes for a nice series of photos. We travel over dirt tracks to an area
where the Victoria Nile enters into Lake Albert through a wetland delta
before quickly exiting to the north as the Albert Nile.
Today the game viewing is fantastic with large herds of stately Giraffe, many wary Cape Buffalo, elegant Jackson's hartebeasts, a social elephant herd, and a pair of mating lions, which was a first sighting for many of us. The landscape is rolling grassland with acacia trees and palms dotting the view. Further on we are closer to the water the vegetation changes to low reeds and papyrus. We spend quite a lot of time looking for a shoebill, which is important to some of us (no luck with shoebills today). Returning to our lodge we race to beat the rain shower that is looming ahead, but pause to allow a group of giraffe to cross our track. Tomorrow we have a long travel day, so we have an unplanned afternoon to rest up.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
African Hula Hoop
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
So
– I can't imagine that may people planning an African safari would
think to bring along a Hula Hoop. Our trip leader Michael Ellis may in
fact be the only one to have thought of this and to have the urge to
“hoop” on the Nile River at the base of Murchison Falls. I am sure that
there is a way to explain Micheal's recent reconnection with Hula Hoops,
but I'm not going to try. All I can say is that he makes it seem
perfectly normal.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Murchison Falls
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Long road trip today. North from Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park.
The first part is through a chaotic outskirts of Kampala – traffic with
cars, trucks and motorcycles / people with sleeveless t-shirts,
business suits, fine dresses, bright colored school uniforms and muddy
work clothes / buildings with brightly painted cell phone advertising,
rickety wood shacks and small shops selling everything you could
imagine. The last 100 km or so is a rough dirt track - “African
massage” says Joseph. He drives extremely skillfully, but we are still
rattled and jolted before we get to the falls.
Windows are kept closed
to keep out the tsetse flys that swarm the Land Cruiser, but they all
fly away somewhere else when we get to the falls. Murchison Falls is a
place where the upper Nile river squeezes through a 25 foot wide chute
with full fury. It is a remarkably iconic place, but we are the only
visitors to take the short hike and pose for pictures. Michael takes our
group photo, and says it comes out great. It is hot and humid –
eyeglasses steam over with little effort and we all are restless to get
to our lodge for tonight. The route has limited wildlife sighting
opportunities – we see warthogs, cape buffaloes, tawny eagle, and some
doves. When we leave the falls and head downstream to a ferry crossing
all things change – we wait for the ferry and see more cape buffaloes,
elephants, hippos, and more bird life. It sounds and smells like Africa
now. The crossing is quick and leaves us just below our lodge for the
next few days. Tomorrow we are going out on the river.
Long road trip today. North from Entebbe to Murchison Falls National Park.
The first part is through a chaotic outskirts of Kampala – traffic with
cars, trucks and motorcycles / people with sleeveless t-shirts,
business suits, fine dresses, bright colored school uniforms and muddy
work clothes / buildings with brightly painted cell phone advertising,
rickety wood shacks and small shops selling everything you could
imagine. The last 100 km or so is a rough dirt track - “African
massage” says Joseph. He drives extremely skillfully, but we are still
rattled and jolted before we get to the falls.
Windows are kept closed
to keep out the tsetse flys that swarm the Land Cruiser, but they all
fly away somewhere else when we get to the falls. Murchison Falls is a
place where the upper Nile river squeezes through a 25 foot wide chute
with full fury. It is a remarkably iconic place, but we are the only
visitors to take the short hike and pose for pictures. Michael takes our
group photo, and says it comes out great. It is hot and humid –
eyeglasses steam over with little effort and we all are restless to get
to our lodge for tonight. The route has limited wildlife sighting
opportunities – we see warthogs, cape buffaloes, tawny eagle, and some
doves. When we leave the falls and head downstream to a ferry crossing
all things change – we wait for the ferry and see more cape buffaloes,
elephants, hippos, and more bird life. It sounds and smells like Africa
now. The crossing is quick and leaves us just below our lodge for the
next few days. Tomorrow we are going out on the river.
Monday, October 5, 2009
Entebbe and Chimp Island
Monday, October 5, 2009
It's not really called Chimp Island –
Ngamba Island is the home of a chimpanzee sanctuary for orphaned or rescued chimps. We meet in the morning to take a short 45 minute boatride on Lake Victoria.
We gather as a jet-lagged group, still making introductions after being greeted at the airport last night by Michael and local guides Ham and Joseph. My flight was 27 hours in three parts, and everyone else had similar experiences. No lost luggage and no missing people, so far (two more are due to arrive this evening). The trip to visit the group of 44 chimps and their caretakers was a treat made possible by KLM canceling a flight and forcing most of us to get here a day earlier than planned. Our leader, Michael, scrambled to add a day's outing and we are all happy that he did.
The island is a sanctuary of forest where the chimps roam free most of the time, with four daily feedings supporting their population - the island is not large enough to support a group that large without human help. Feeding is a spirited interaction of all the animals – hoots, hollers, “feed me”gestures, and some squabbles for first dibs. I feel sorry that the chimps cannot be truly independent as they would be in the wild, but many or all of them would not be alive if their human cousins had not intervened. I am surprised to see so much variation in their population – short, tall, little, big, grumpy, mild mannered, short and long hair, black or gray. Much like their human cousins in many ways.Tonight is the real beginning of the trip with orientation before dinner. We hit the road tomorrow to go north.
ps I am limping along on limited internet connectivity and will try
It's not really called Chimp Island –
Ngamba Island is the home of a chimpanzee sanctuary for orphaned or rescued chimps. We meet in the morning to take a short 45 minute boatride on Lake Victoria.
We gather as a jet-lagged group, still making introductions after being greeted at the airport last night by Michael and local guides Ham and Joseph. My flight was 27 hours in three parts, and everyone else had similar experiences. No lost luggage and no missing people, so far (two more are due to arrive this evening). The trip to visit the group of 44 chimps and their caretakers was a treat made possible by KLM canceling a flight and forcing most of us to get here a day earlier than planned. Our leader, Michael, scrambled to add a day's outing and we are all happy that he did.
The island is a sanctuary of forest where the chimps roam free most of the time, with four daily feedings supporting their population - the island is not large enough to support a group that large without human help. Feeding is a spirited interaction of all the animals – hoots, hollers, “feed me”gestures, and some squabbles for first dibs. I feel sorry that the chimps cannot be truly independent as they would be in the wild, but many or all of them would not be alive if their human cousins had not intervened. I am surprised to see so much variation in their population – short, tall, little, big, grumpy, mild mannered, short and long hair, black or gray. Much like their human cousins in many ways.Tonight is the real beginning of the trip with orientation before dinner. We hit the road tomorrow to go north.
ps I am limping along on limited internet connectivity and will try
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