We all began our day by lying outside in the dark, waiting for our taxi to arrive for 5am. It didn't come, and this was understandably frustrating, as we were supposed to be heading to Murchison falls Safari park. Father Godfrey spent the morning attempting to call the taxi, who ignored the call 5 times before turning his phone off completely. Jasmine, Allan and Gemma took the opportunity to get some sleep, whilst the rest of us wrote our diaries and played Frisbee and some of the KISS kids and their parents waited patiently, obviously used to the relaxed African attitude to time keeping. An alternative taxi was found, however the driver said he couldn't come until it had been serviced! Fr Godfrey and Julius eventually decided to drive to the taxi yard themselves, and by 7.30am we were all getting into what looked like a rather luxurious taxi, with comfy seats, and even some seatbelts. This misconception of luxury was short-lived.
As we began to drive we soon noticed the road quality wasn't as smooth as previous journeys. In fact there were more pot holes than road. The intense shaking resulted in the leakage of several juice cartons we had with us, but luckily the taxi came with a built in drainage system – the convenient holes in the floor. We travelled for what felt like hours before we arrived at the first entrance to the falls, all the way being attacked by flies. We did stop once to pick up food, and discovered a very unique service being offered in the area. A large sign stood next to the road, reading 'Nazi Barber Salon and Phone Charging.' Clearly we were all desperate to try out this amazing opportunity, but time was pressing, and we were forced to tear ourselves away. As we neared Murchison falls we got our first sighting of baboons, and threw mangos to them out of the window.
An entrance gate traditionally sits fairly near to the actual attraction. The Murchison falls park has decided to stray from this rather old fashioned practice. After passing the entrance we drove for hours before we arrived at the falls themselves. With slightly bruised bums from the bumpy ride, we trekked up to the top of the waterfall. It was so worth it! The view was incredible and the water was impressively powerful as it gushed downwards, framed by a large rainbow. Gemma and I stood there, commenting on the geographical formation of the waterfall. Miss Forde would be proud!
Soon we had to drag ourselves back into the minibus for another bumpy, dusty drive lasting forever. We arrived next to the Nile to find wild boars grazing next to the toilets. Our initial plan was to take a boat trip up the Nile, but after that was thwarted, we decided we wanted to go on Safari. Whilst Kate and Fr Godfrey were being rung to ask permission, we ate lunch. The plain chapatis were saved by my stock of honey and thoroughly melted chocolate bars, and so lunch was enjoyed by all. Except Allan and Ross, who both bumped their head on the wooden shelter several times.
While we waited we also saw an elephant walking about on the opposite bank of the river, saw several lizards, and made friends with some German guys. Jasmine had some fun convincing them she was Australian, which actually worked quite well despite her fluctuating accent. Eventually we got permission to go on Safari, so our battered taxi trundled onto the ferry that would take us across. On the way over we saw a hippo bobbing up occasionally from the water, and many more bathing near the opposite bank. Crossing the Nile was pretty surreal – the landscape is just too incredible to take in.
Searching for a guide on the other side was our next challenge, and this was undertaken by Julius, who eventually found George. He was somewhat of a legend. Driving through the savannah in a rickety taxi with an armed man in the front has to be one of the most amusing things I have ever done, but as tiredness hit us it began not to seem all that fun. For about half an hour all we saw were a few deer, antelope and buffalo, as well as some bush fires created to stop poachers, and encourage plant regrowth. I did get a bit overexcited about seeing some vultures, but nobody else seemed to share my enthusiasm. It was the first sighting of a giraffe that really woke everyone up, and the excitement was incredible. Everyone was totally satisfied that we hadn't had a wasted journey, and around the next corner we discovered an entire herd of giraffes. One giraffe actually galloped across the road in front of us, and another seemed fascinated as the taxi began to beep loudly, kindly warning it that the vehicle was reversing. After this, our luck didn't run out. George actually allowed us to get out of the taxi to stand closer to a lake full of Hippos, wading birds, and one solitary crocodile poking it's nose above the water. After this we were allowed out again to stand in front of a whole herd of elephants. George's idea of time was as inaccurate as all other Ugandans, saying we were allowed out for ten minutes, but ushering us back in the van after just two. The one thing we really wanted to see was a lion, so we asked George if we would, and he replied that he hadn't seen one all morning, so we would definitely not see one that day.
He was wrong! The next corner we turned, a lioness was spotted sitting under the shade of a tree. The taxi drove right up towards it, and forgetting all fears I stuck my arm completely out of the window to take a picture. That sighting definitely made the stressful journey completely worth it for everyone, and on the rush back to catch the 5pm ferry, we all began singing songs, making up our own verses to 'Hoima for Jesus today.' George loved it, and requested another song when we got back, so we performed our renowned composition of 'Jesus Christ was Born Today.' The singing mood carried on back across the Nile (which I am proud to say I have put my hand in) and lasted pretty much all the way home, with very inventive verses of 'Because I Got High' being belted out as our crazy driver careered madly around tight corners. He eventually parked on the edge of a cliff...where we got out to see an incredible view of the final light fading over a huge expanse of flat plains below us. It was unbelievable – the expanse of land was actually difficult to comprehend.
Our last day in Hoima was completely incredible. I think the difficulties of our journey just enhanced the positive experiences of the day, allowing us to appreciate them far more than we would have otherwise. This applies to the experiences in Uganda as a whole on this trip. Yes, it can be difficult seeing the poverty and illness of some people, but the joy that KISS brings is appreciated all the more, and my experience of life in Uganda will inevitably change how I live my own life.
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