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.