From the White Nile to Paradise Among the Trees
2017 Fellow Cathy Ricciardone’s Ugandan adventure ahead of the Uganda Fellowship.
By Catherine Ricciardone
The journey all started with a brief congregation of some Fellows in Doha, Qatar, and Dubai. Introductions were made and onto Entebbe we all went. Arriving at Entebbe we were all a bit nervous about immigration but were happily introduced to the chilled-out Ugandan vibe from the get-go. Even those who didn’t have confirmed visas breezed straight through without hassle. We assembled at the airport and soon found out that we were one Fellow down — they had had some flight issues and would be arriving the next day.
Day One: Entebbe to Jinja
We squeezed onto the bus and set off to Jinja. Andy, one of our fearless leaders, really made us feel comfortable and get to know each other at an incredible speed by suggesting we play an icebreaker game. Four hours — and countless games — later we reached our destination. We had definitely had the ice broken by then.
After a warm welcome by the campsite owner, we piled into our dorms for our first ever Fellows’ dinner. With the help of a few Club and Nile beers, we all gradually came out of our shells as the evening wore on. Eventually everyone went to sleep happily.
Day Two: A Thrill on the Nile’s Ferocious Rapids
We woke up somewhat refreshed for a day of whitewater rafting. We were treated to a glorious sunrise over source of the Blue Nile. This is where it actually starts and yes, it’s part of the same Nile that flows through Egypt. We filled our tummies with energising food ready for for the nail-biting twist and turns of whitewater rafting.
Into the bus we went and headed off for the 45 minute journey to the start of our 24km adventure. We split into three groups and practised the survival skills we’d need to stay alive should the raft flip in the foaming grade-five rapids.
I have to confess there were a couple of times when I thought my life would flash in front of my eyes as the ferocious depths of the Nile swallowed me. However, my terror subsided with each swift turn. I joined my raft-mates in pure excitement as we thundered “Flip! Flip! Flip” in anticipation for the next rapid. At the final rapid — there were eight — our boat flipped and we drifted to the end point where we were greeted with crisp beers and scrumptious meat kebabs. There were zero injuries to report, the only sufferers were those who had opted out of this excursion. All in all, the two insurance packages I’d taken were worth the thrill because I was able to swim, bob, float down the White Nile while taking in breathtaking views. It’s an experience not to be missed. Adrift Rafting, our excursion provider, was super professional and safe and ensured that all those who took on the adventure had the time of their life.
The bus trip back to camp was a ripper. The entire hour-and-a- half trip was filled with incredible a Capella sing-alongs of Dutch, British, New Zealand and, of course, Aussie hits. We made a pit stop halfway through our way back where some of us were lucky or unlucky to sample our first taste of Ugandan gin and whiskey.The night concluded with us all meeting our final Fellow. We played many games including Irish Snap.
Day Three: I Regret Missing Bungee Jumping
It all started with a crucial choice of right underwear. It was bungee jumping day! Because of my misgivings, I chose to sit this one out. It didn’t stop eight legendary death-defiers from taking the plunge. There was even a Jesus look-alike who proved that men truly can fly. It was a spectacle to behold and all who did it said it was life-changing which even added more to my subsequent regret of not doing it! This frustration of missing out plagued me for the rest of the day.
Day Four: Rolexes and shopping
With a Rolex in hand, we were ready for for our trip to Kampala, Uganda’s capital city. This particular Rolex is not the glitzy timepiece that was once popular with Hollywood A-listers. It’s a Ugandan dish which comprises a spiced omelette rolled with a chapati — a pan-fried East African treat similar to a roti. We filled the bus and headed to Kampala in a far more relaxed bus journey than our previous one.
After checking into a rather nice hostel, which, to my satisfaction ,had many “we hate bedbugs” posters stuck up. We were given safety instructions by our leaders and off we headed for an afternoon out in the city. The tour ended a mere 100m up the street where most of us explored a modern shopping mall with ice cream in hand. As the sun sank, we returned to the hostel for cocktails and the night pretty much started and ended here.
Day Five: All routes Lead to Kanungu
By the start of the next day, we were certainly far more bonded and in a position to make many more personal jokes than before. We got up, got ready and sauntered down to the pitch black car park to await the arrival of the bus. Bottles of water were sold out at the hostel, making for some very sore heads and parched throats. We were dead-certain that the bus was going to be bigger than the minibuses we’d been in before. But that was only wishful thinking: all 19 of us were elbow-to-elbow as we just managed to fit with our mountain of luggage.
The ten-hour escapade to Kanungu — at the southern reaches of Uganda near the border with Rwanda — started off extremely quietly as most of us fell asleep as soon as we found our seats.
Our leaders made absolute certain we were all there, checking and double-checking before we embarked on this seemingly eternal bus ride. The sun was just rising when we arrived at the Equator. Conveniently, Earth’s waistline not only had numerous photo ops but also a restaurant that doubled as a trinket store. For me this was literal heaven.. We continued on to Kanungu only making two more stops along the way. To sum it up.. The trip was long but it was all worth it when we arrived at our new home. The first thoughts of The Lodge from the Fellows included “rustic heaven” “paradise among the trees” and “heaven in the jungle”.
This article is Part One of this feature:
- Part One: From the White Nile to Paradise Among The Trees
- Part Two: Life in the Lodge
- Part Three: Uganda Fellowship Fun
- Part Four: A Lake Bunyonyi Adventure
- Part Five: At 43, 000ft, Farewell to the Pearl of Africa
Cathy Ricciardone is a primary school teacher from Perth, Australia. She was an LRTT Uganda January 2017 Fellow.
