Alright, last time I left you off in Fort Portal. We headed out in direction of the Simliki Wildlife Resort (not to be confused with the NP). It’s in a beautiful valley but the campsites were flooded and to spend over 100 bucks for a day was not in us.
Off we went to Murchison Falls NP. It’s Uganda’s largest national park. So, naturally we saw only a tiny bit of it. But I had some first ones in there. I saw my first Rothschild Giraffe. They have a darker skin and just look absolutely stunning. And lazily in a tree a bit far away I saw a leopard. Man did I wish to have a camera with one of those super lenses. An amazing sight.
The NP derives it’s name from the waterfalls that presses the victoria Nile through a very small gorge (7 meters wide). The power and mass of water was amazing. We saw the waterfall first from a boat trip and later on went to the top of the falls.
All in all, this was a really gorgeous stay…or would have been if things wouldn’t have gone south with our driving company. Before arranging the deal the guy told me that the extra expenses (accommodation, food) for the driver will be around 50 USD per week. The new driver managed to blow through that budget within 2 days. Naturally, I said to the owner that this was not the deal. And instead of starting a discussion, where surely we would have found an agreement, he just put accusations about us forward. Told him that I won’t accept being talked to like that and his response was that we have the car for the rest of the period we payed (10 days) and then we can either drive back to Kampala with the driver or stay where the fuck we are. What a wanker! I was so angry and frustrated and what-not that I could hardly sleep that night and the next day my mood was anything but good. Whatever costs you your peace is too expensive.
My way out of the mood was basically when I thought about other options given the new situation (lesson in life: don’t look too long towards the closed door but find the one that is open/opening right now). And I did find solutions. The one we are doing now is one I came up with. Tomorrow is the last day of the car rental. If all goes well, the driver will bring us to the Kenyan border and can fuck off. We will cross the border and then take a bus ride to Nairobi and onwards to Arusha in Tanzania. Keep the fingers crossed for me guys!
Despite that disaster we made our way up north to the remote Kidepo Valley NP. Not many tourists take the journey up there. But for me the road towards the park was one of the best parts of this road trip. I mean, the streets are still dirt roads, bumpy and in an area where poverty and basic life is common. It’s an area where NGOs are most active.
However, the park is really nicely located between mountains (as one might think when hearing the name valley). Unfortunately, the grass is really lush, green and high at the moment and blocks the view to the animals. But we saw a big group of elephants and 2 male lions…and of course more. Worth a trip!
Yesterday and today we made the drive to the Sipi Falls where I am having my feet on the table overlooking the falls from our lodge. How luxurious!
Maybe a few notes to some other things here. I did not find the food here very tasty or with a lots of variety. The Rolex, which is basically an omelet in a chapati/pancake, is really delicious. But we were looking for street food and there is not a lot. OK, we have not been to Kampala but a big city is always something else anyway being a melting pot.
What comes in a high variety are the ants. And every one of those little fuckers bites. Not only one time but several times and it fucking hurts 😀
As for my inner process, I have found a new pattern in myself or maybe it is not new and I have never realized it before. Anyway, here it goes, every morning when I wake up I feel anger rising up after a few moments. And then the same music is playing all the time telling me that I’m disadvantaged compared to others (my brother, the neighbor left, the neighbor right, the priest next door…you fucking name it 😉 ). And this monkey mind is then constantly chatting.
I don’t know what the source of this anger is. Maybe it’s the frustration of having to go through another day of this physical existence and I would just like to nap off 🙂
I have not found a way out yet. It usually gets better while the day keeps moving. But I read a book by Teal Swan the other month about her completion process and I am going to do this regarding that topic. I need to move on.
What I always find in Africa, and it’s also here in Uganda, that there are many beautiful women. OK, I am only looking at the young ones 😉 But the majority of the population is young here. It cuts a little bit into the thing I am missing. One part being the physical attraction of sex and caressing. Not sure if there is another part right now 😀
Alright, I let you enjoy the rest of your weekend and don’t forget what you have to do tomorrow: Keep the fingers crossed!
Love,
Matthias