11th - 12th July Fiona's perspective

We awakened to our curious Hippos and Jane and Paul boiling water for coffee. After coffee and crunchies, we packed up camp. The twins and Gareth are obviously seasoned campers and love the bush. No supervision was needed from Jane & Paul and before you could have a second cup of coffee, the tents were packed and the Goldrings were packed and ready to leave.

Today's plan was to game drive, cross over the Nile to the south, via the Car Ferry and head for the Falls.

Gavin seems to have a broken Air shock on his Cruiser, which doesn't surprise me after the roads we have traveled.
I think we might have to return to Entebbe for it to be fixed before we leave Uganda. He also seems to have been bitten by every type of bug, insect and mosquito in Uganda! Poor Gav! He even has heat rash.

In Uganda you have to iron all your clothes after washing as the Putsi fly lays its eggs in damp clothing and then when you wear them the heat of your body hatches the eggs and the worms burrow under your skin and hatch! The only way to kill them is to iron everything. I'm terrified of this happening, so I will wait for Kenya to wash my clothes.

After our camping excursion with Jane&Paul, Gavin and Jennifer are probably going to head for the Ngorogoro crater and we might head to the Masai Mara as the annual Migration is in full swing. We will then proceed through Malawi and then into Mozambique, where we will meet up again.

I intend meeting up with my Domestic workers sister and son in Malawi. Elizabeth prefers the Rice and Mielie meal from Malawi, so we will stop at the Tete border post going into Malawi and get some from her sister. Apparently the best Mielie meal is the one made at home, hence not buying from a shop. On the way to the border into Mozambique, we will travel via Blantyre where Patience, her son is in school at a little rural village outside town. We have kept some Soccer balls aside for the school and of course Patience.

By 12noon we had got to the Ferry in order to cross over to the south of the Nile. After crossing, we packed a cooler box with snacks and drinks and got onto one of Jane&Pauls boats. We went for an hours cruise along the river, viewing Hippo's by the dozen, Elephant and lots of buck along the waters edge.

Another 40min drive to the campsite along the raging banks of the Nile. Before setting up camp, we all put on costumes and walked down another little known path to a corner of the river just above the falls where a couple of metres away from the raging rapids a small calm tidal pool awaited the hot and thirsty travelers. Cold Nile beers and a swim in the Nile!! A perfect way to end the day.

We walked down to the falls, which are very impressive. The river narrows from about 500m wide to about 20m wide. The pure force of the water is unbelievable.

That eve dinner was a hurried affair, although Alan was braaing fillet and refused to rush the process!
Shortly after dinner all parties rushed off to the closest TV to watch the Soccer World cup final, a mere 45min drive. Alan and I chose to stay in camp, sit around the fire and have some quiet time!

We woke up to the news of the 2 bombs in Kampala! We are going back that way, but have decided to stay in Entebbe whilst Gav sorts out his vehicle.

So I suppose the drunk soldier had it half right about the Somali's coming...

We packed up camp once again and proceeded down the river to the last campsite on this leg of the journey.
We set up camp, had some lunch and then got onto another one of Jane&Pauls boats for a 3hr trip up to the falls and back before dinner. Accompanied by the occasional G&T. Have to keep the Mozzies away!!!

Food, boat ride, food, drink, sleep....hard life!!!

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