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uganda trip: some markdown improvements

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Mahdi Dibaiee 2022-09-10 20:17:08 +03:00
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@ -13,7 +13,8 @@ I and a friend of mine from Iran decided to go to Uganda to explore the country,
(Best picture of trip) (Best picture of trip)
A day in Kampala # A day in Kampala
We arrive and into the airport and from there we take a Matatu (public taxi) towards Kompalla and it’s a packed car and every five minutes the driver is banging on the horn away asking people on the street if they want to join the car and there is a conductor who is a person constantly hanging by the side of the car and jumping down to ask people if they want to join. We arrive and into the airport and from there we take a Matatu (public taxi) towards Kompalla and it’s a packed car and every five minutes the driver is banging on the horn away asking people on the street if they want to join the car and there is a conductor who is a person constantly hanging by the side of the car and jumping down to ask people if they want to join.
(Picture of matatu) (Picture of matatu)
@ -28,7 +29,8 @@ The lesson is, make sure you clarify you are not going to pay for “luxuries”
We went to the art craft market in Kampala, which was amazing, and bought some Ugandan crafts and some Congolese masks. If we had more space we would buy even more of the masks, they are amazing! We went to the art craft market in Kampala, which was amazing, and bought some Ugandan crafts and some Congolese masks. If we had more space we would buy even more of the masks, they are amazing!
(Image of masks) (Image of masks)
Road to Rubuguri # Road to Rubuguri
We had already seen Ugandan driving in Kampala, which in a way is similar to Iranian driving but I would say a bit worse and challenging, but we saw more of it on the way with trucks coming towards us on the our lane and motorcyclists going in all directions. We had already seen Ugandan driving in Kampala, which in a way is similar to Iranian driving but I would say a bit worse and challenging, but we saw more of it on the way with trucks coming towards us on the our lane and motorcyclists going in all directions.
On the road to Rubuguri our car had a small failure and we stopped in a roadside town to get it sorted by a mechanic. While we were stopped for that, two young boys who also worked with the mechanic came to me and told me I look like Mohammad Salah the football player because I have a beard. 😂 On the road to Rubuguri our car had a small failure and we stopped in a roadside town to get it sorted by a mechanic. While we were stopped for that, two young boys who also worked with the mechanic came to me and told me I look like Mohammad Salah the football player because I have a beard. 😂
@ -40,7 +42,8 @@ On the way, specially close to Kampala there were tons of shops and houses just
We arrived at night at our lodge and went to sleep, the place to sleep was nice. We met the other volunteers on the next day as well as the lovely staff that worked there, Kajura and Tabitha. They were both very good to us. We arrived at night at our lodge and went to sleep, the place to sleep was nice. We met the other volunteers on the next day as well as the lovely staff that worked there, Kajura and Tabitha. They were both very good to us.
Dance with Batwa # Dance with Batwa
I expressed a lot of interest in learning the local dances and dancing with the people, and so our host arranged for some of the Batwa people (a community of people who used to live in the Bwindi forest but since the conservation programs were started, they were evicted and marginalised) to come and dance for (and with) us. This dance was easily one of the most amazing nights of our lives, such a lovely group of people with such a good energy, and we got that energy as well and joined them and had a great time! I expressed a lot of interest in learning the local dances and dancing with the people, and so our host arranged for some of the Batwa people (a community of people who used to live in the Bwindi forest but since the conservation programs were started, they were evicted and marginalised) to come and dance for (and with) us. This dance was easily one of the most amazing nights of our lives, such a lovely group of people with such a good energy, and we got that energy as well and joined them and had a great time!
(Picture and video of dance) (Picture and video of dance)
@ -50,14 +53,17 @@ Sometimes people would smile at us, at other times they would stare at us with a
While at the lodge we started slowly by slowly asking about the local language, Rukiga, and I ended up compiling some words and phrases and put them in a blog post: (link) While at the lodge we started slowly by slowly asking about the local language, Rukiga, and I ended up compiling some words and phrases and put them in a blog post: (link)
Gorillas # Gorillas
The lodge we stayed in is originally a lodge that does tourism, specially around Bwindi Imepenetrable national park with the main activity of gorilla trekking, where you get to walk with mountain gorillas in a distance as close as 10 meters (officially), although practically you are sometimes 3 metres away from them! The trek is relatively expensive since there is a permit required for this trek which costs about $700 for a one-day activity (compare with a 3-day Safari that can be done for $570), however it was a unique experience to see the gorillas so close and watch them, specially the children, play and eat and move around! The lodge we stayed in is originally a lodge that does tourism, specially around Bwindi Imepenetrable national park with the main activity of gorilla trekking, where you get to walk with mountain gorillas in a distance as close as 10 meters (officially), although practically you are sometimes 3 metres away from them! The trek is relatively expensive since there is a permit required for this trek which costs about $700 for a one-day activity (compare with a 3-day Safari that can be done for $570), however it was a unique experience to see the gorillas so close and watch them, specially the children, play and eat and move around!
(Picture and video of gorillas) (Picture and video of gorillas)
One thing that made me think was the children gorillas, two boys, fighting! The guides told us the baby boys start fighting each other early to start learning how to fight for when they grow up and need to compete and challenge other gorillas, and be able to protect their families. It makes me think because of how relevant it seems to how boys are brought up in our societies, sent to military service and expected to protect society during war. One thing that made me think was the children gorillas, two boys, fighting! The guides told us the baby boys start fighting each other early to start learning how to fight for when they grow up and need to compete and challenge other gorillas, and be able to protect their families. It makes me think because of how relevant it seems to how boys are brought up in our societies, sent to military service and expected to protect society during war.
(Panorama of village) (Panorama of village)
Village
# Village
We went to a Batwa village nearby where they were building houses for them, and we stayed there for 2 nights and helped the construction of the houses for the three days we were there. We learned from the engineer and workers there about their methods of building their houses with local material. We went to a Batwa village nearby where they were building houses for them, and we stayed there for 2 nights and helped the construction of the houses for the three days we were there. We learned from the engineer and workers there about their methods of building their houses with local material.
(Picture of construction) (Picture of construction)
@ -73,7 +79,8 @@ The main problem for us was that we were sleeping on the ground with no net, and
A fun activity of this section was my friend building a water collection point using a simple plastic bag and water bottle to collect rainwater, and it worked very well! A fun activity of this section was my friend building a water collection point using a simple plastic bag and water bottle to collect rainwater, and it worked very well!
(Picture of water collector) (Picture of water collector)
Some weird events # Some weird events
Once we went back to the lodge, one of girl the volunteers staying at the lodge who had been at the lodge longer than anyone else (about one and a half months) told us that she was not being treated well and that the host was growing mean, and at times threatening to her, specially after she had mentioned she wants to leave and do her internship/volunteering elsewhere. We had plans to leave the next day but she wanted to leave on that day, the trouble was she had bought a motorcycle in Uganda in the hopes of using it but given the state of the roads she ended up not using it at all, and now she wanted to sell it! Once we went back to the lodge, one of girl the volunteers staying at the lodge who had been at the lodge longer than anyone else (about one and a half months) told us that she was not being treated well and that the host was growing mean, and at times threatening to her, specially after she had mentioned she wants to leave and do her internship/volunteering elsewhere. We had plans to leave the next day but she wanted to leave on that day, the trouble was she had bought a motorcycle in Uganda in the hopes of using it but given the state of the roads she ended up not using it at all, and now she wanted to sell it!
So we arranged for a car to take us and our luggage, and a motorcycle driver so that we can take all we had to a nearby town, Kabale. Once there, we asked the driver to stay the night with us and help us sell the motorcycle in this town. The same evening and the next day we were trying to sell the motorcycle by riding it to places, asking people and haggling our way, but in the end we ended up selling it for half its price. Unfortunately she had bought a new motorcycle, from a brand that was not the people’s favourite, and most people were not interested in it. It also seemed like they had sold it to her at a much higher price than it really was worth! So she ended up losing about $700 because of that… The lesson was, buy second-hand, buy cheap and buy the favourite! So we arranged for a car to take us and our luggage, and a motorcycle driver so that we can take all we had to a nearby town, Kabale. Once there, we asked the driver to stay the night with us and help us sell the motorcycle in this town. The same evening and the next day we were trying to sell the motorcycle by riding it to places, asking people and haggling our way, but in the end we ended up selling it for half its price. Unfortunately she had bought a new motorcycle, from a brand that was not the people’s favourite, and most people were not interested in it. It also seemed like they had sold it to her at a much higher price than it really was worth! So she ended up losing about $700 because of that… The lesson was, buy second-hand, buy cheap and buy the favourite!
@ -81,7 +88,9 @@ So we arranged for a car to take us and our luggage, and a motorcycle driver so
I and my friend wanted to go to Lake Bunyonyi from Kabale but our new friend wanted to go back to Kampala, so we asked the driver about it and he said it would be $300 to go to Kampala from Kabale! This was a crazy price given that I and my friend had got transport from Kampala to Kabale for much less! She ended up staying at the hostel and finding a cheaper deal at $200, but the prices are just crazy. They keep saying it’s because of fuel costs but in reality it doesn’t cost more than $80, and that’s pessimistic! For us, we used public taxis (matatu) and boda bodas to get around so we ended up spending a lot less money, but it’s understand that one may not feel safe as a solo female traveller to take such means over long distances, not to mention she had a lot more luggage than us. I and my friend wanted to go to Lake Bunyonyi from Kabale but our new friend wanted to go back to Kampala, so we asked the driver about it and he said it would be $300 to go to Kampala from Kabale! This was a crazy price given that I and my friend had got transport from Kampala to Kabale for much less! She ended up staying at the hostel and finding a cheaper deal at $200, but the prices are just crazy. They keep saying it’s because of fuel costs but in reality it doesn’t cost more than $80, and that’s pessimistic! For us, we used public taxis (matatu) and boda bodas to get around so we ended up spending a lot less money, but it’s understand that one may not feel safe as a solo female traveller to take such means over long distances, not to mention she had a lot more luggage than us.
(Panorama of bunyonyi) (Panorama of bunyonyi)
Bunyonyi, the boat hire and work
# Bunyonyi, the boat hire and work
With the troubles behind us, we left to go to lake bunyonyi and stay there for a week with our host, Tutamuzongoza. We had to take a boat for about 20 minutes to cross the lake and land on the southern part of the lake at Kashenyi village. With the troubles behind us, we left to go to lake bunyonyi and stay there for a week with our host, Tutamuzongoza. We had to take a boat for about 20 minutes to cross the lake and land on the southern part of the lake at Kashenyi village.
Our host welcomed us and we had a room there in their house, and we found ourselves helped a lot by our lovely host family. They provided us with their amazing local food (and in large quantity!) and a room to stay in. Our host welcomed us and we had a room there in their house, and we found ourselves helped a lot by our lovely host family. They provided us with their amazing local food (and in large quantity!) and a room to stay in.
@ -120,7 +129,8 @@ On the last day I asked our hosts if they knew of any books in their language ab
On a last note, I found Tutamuzongoza on BeWelcome, but it was a much better experience than our host that we found on Workaway. On a last note, I found Tutamuzongoza on BeWelcome, but it was a much better experience than our host that we found on Workaway.
Safari # Safari
After Bunyonyi and Kabale we went to Queen Elizabeth National park to do a safari and our first awe was the sunrise of the savannah. After Bunyonyi and Kabale we went to Queen Elizabeth National park to do a safari and our first awe was the sunrise of the savannah.
(Picture of sunrise) (Picture of sunrise)
@ -146,5 +156,6 @@ On another note, Queen Elizabeth passed away on the day we were in Queen Elizabe
The next day we took a few matatus back to Kampala, and on the first matatu, at some stage there were 22 people inside a minivan with 13 seats, it was quite an authentic experience! Apparently if you take matatus from official taxi parks, they do not overfill their van and it’s more comfortable but the first one we got was just one going past us. The next day we took a few matatus back to Kampala, and on the first matatu, at some stage there were 22 people inside a minivan with 13 seats, it was quite an authentic experience! Apparently if you take matatus from official taxi parks, they do not overfill their van and it’s more comfortable but the first one we got was just one going past us.
(Picture of matatu) (Picture of matatu)
Final Words # Final Words
This first trip to Africa did not disappoint at all, we had a lot of fun and we were really happy to have experienced the country together with the local people, and we learned a lot from them and we got to see some animals for the first time. This trip only makes me want to visit Africa more, and I’m sure I will! This first trip to Africa did not disappoint at all, we had a lot of fun and we were really happy to have experienced the country together with the local people, and we learned a lot from them and we got to see some animals for the first time. This trip only makes me want to visit Africa more, and I’m sure I will!