I am now in Entebbe tying up the last few threads of my travels.
I spent a few days on Buggala Island, part Ssesse islands on Lake victoria. Ostensably to avoid having to go to Kampala. Another interesting journey comprising of crowded coach, complete with chicken pecking at my feet for 4 hours. Followed by a boda boda to minibus for ferry, this with two large bags and rucksack. The driver was very young and small and I was a little fearful he could hold it steady on the rough track, but they are so strong these little guys. Then to the ferry, to find that some one needed to get a spare part from Masaka from which we had all arrived an hour earlier, very crushed and my knee permatly locked, onto to the ferry for the most amazing African sunset (I will be adding phots to this blog when I get back) back onto the minibus, when my knee finally gave way and I had to insist on a seat where I could try to keep it straight. not easy on a 14 seater bus with 20+ and assorted animals and bags of maize etc. I expected I would get a taxi to my hotel, but no, it was very dark and no taxis and so another overloaded boda boda ride into to night all the while unable to properly bend my knee!.
The island is very quiet, no internet, no phone at least until I bought yet another sim card, and few visitors, I was the only one at my hotel on my final night. It is so peaceful and the birdlife amazing. I managed to rest up and even get on a forest walk, until bitten almost to death. Mother nature also provided the most terrific thunder and lightening storm with bits of tree and lumps of ice flying about.
I arrived in Entebbe and decided to brave Kampala for final shopping and to join the hash. For some one who has been avoiding capital cities because of chaos, traffic, noise and pollution; this might seem contrary, but I guess true to form. It was a hilarious run around the rush hour of the Parliament area, and as I hadn't managed to do any sort of city tour, it ticked most of the boxes. I suffered 3 down down, as a visitor; not having an appropriate song to sing: and the final one from my shoe, as infact it was a sandal and so mostly poured down me. I had an interesting return trip through the Kapmpala night; drunk (much better on a boda boda) smelling of beer and managed to pick up another young admirer on the bus, who insisted on walking me home, even as I explained yet again I am old enough to be his mother; luckily we arrived at the hostel just as he was getting on to the subject of sexual healing..... I am not sure the return trip from Cambridge hash will be so eventful, but at least I didn't miss the last train.
East Africa has afforded me to most wonderful array of experiences which I will take some time to assimilate and organise. I know I will want to return, it has got under my skin, as I was warned. I have so much enjoyed my travels but I know I will need a purpose for my return too. So my final day will be spent researching the solar and renewable energies, which may shed some light (argh, couldn't resist)
Looking forward to a direct catch up with you all soon
Barbs's Big Bike RIde
This year I have decided to stay and enjoy an English Spring. It has been a long time coming but at last it is here and I am off to explore my own back yard. Well actually travelling up the UK mainland as far north as possible before 21st June and see how close I can get to the Midnight Sun.
After my travels along the Camino de Santiago across northern Spain last September on my trusty old iron donkey, I have bought a lighter bike in the hope that I can get up a few more hills and by going from Lands End to John o Groats (LEJOG) I can avoid the killing headwinds of the Spanish meseta.
So here she is, we had a jolly naming ceremony on Saturday and hopefully the good friends, food and weather I enjoyed will carry me through to the farthest northern climes. Thank you all for a great send off, admirably topped off with one too many pints The Village Bike listening to Mojo Triangle.
And she is called Eleanor, isn't she beautiful, I hope I still have such tender feelings after 6 hours in the saddle, but probably only in the nether regions I fear.
The map link on the right will show a rough itinerary and route and I will try try to update with my actual route, if I can work out how and where I am as I go along, you know there will be little correlation but I will get there or somewhere in the end!
If you want an email update, submit your address in the box also on right and hopefully it will find its way through the ether to you.
Tuesday, 21 June 2011
Wednesday, 15 June 2011
Was it a Crocodile?
With slight sadness I returned to Uganda but was uplifted by catching up with friends from Uganda Lodge who are now at another project here in Jinja. It is a usual gently decaying post colonial town located at yet another source of the Nile. It is also a hub for white knuckle activities for this part of Uganda. So it was good to have a little touristy pampering of, Mediterranean roast veg and hummus sandwiches and smoothies as a change from the high carb local fare.
I trekked out to Bujugali falls where much of the white water rafting takes placed and watched the local throw themselves down, attached to plastic jerry cans, or in kayaks. I decided to take a trek down river towards a new dam being constructed, which will dramatically change this area shortly but provide much needed power to the country. As usual I set off in the general direction, relatively easy as the mighty Nile on one side and construction site visible ahead. I managed to get with in about 1 km when I ran out of path and as it is so large, visibility too when I decided to turn back and as usual managed to loose the return path, at one point leading me to a 5 m sheer drop with only a tree to hang on to to break my fall and then I got too close to the river and into the reeds, when I saw a large tail slither towards the water and heard a loud plop. Initially I thought wow that was a large otter, but then began thinking was a crocodile, or even snake, so I made a rapid retrace of tracks and got back to some sort of track, eventually I got back to the falls; although not without having to negotiate my way around a local fishermen's drinking/ganja den by having to climb over their boats.
I visited the school my friends are now working in, I helped in classes of more than 100 and the largest is 167 students, all squeezed into a fairly normal sized class room. What is amazing is that good quality, by local standards and even some UK schools, was taking place. Students hardly have access to writing space to make notes or be able to see the board they do not have many text books so every thing has to be laboriously copied down. They are quiet and attentive and will continue to work unsupervised to get tasks finished. All of this whilst learning is English as a second language. It certainly underscores one of my major frustration in my work with recalcitrant young people in Huntingdonshire. Give them all a week in one of these schools and a week in the shamba and I am sure they will begin to appreciate the opportunities they have been given.
I am now back in Ruhanga at my original project. It has grown enormously in terms of the numbers of volunteers. Not surprisingly as the university holidays have started. We were up to 24 this week. It has highlighted my previous concerns about lack of organisation to cope with this growth; but hopefully meetings between the directors will acknowledge this and changes will be made. There have been meetings with the School Committee and Community Board Organisation, to enable them to takeover the community and volunteer projects which should ensure better use of funding, donations, resources and volunteers within the greater community. Also that the community can determine what projects they need and can use and so lead to greater ownership and sustainability.
I am also catching up with some of the many friends I have made here. They are so pleased to see me return and it will be even harder to leave this time. So a big thank you to all: the lodge staff, Denis, James, Gerald, Robert, Didas, Resty, Justine, Beth, Sarah, Mode, Rove, for looking after me so well; Volunteers, too many to list, you know who you are; School staff Jamir, Alinda, Merril, Eunice, Kedrine and co; George,Gertrude and family, Craft ladies, Jennifer and co; Solar Sisters; CBO and PTA Levi; Osbert and family and of course all the children and students of Ruhanga and Team college and everyone who has made me so welcome I hope to return.
I trekked out to Bujugali falls where much of the white water rafting takes placed and watched the local throw themselves down, attached to plastic jerry cans, or in kayaks. I decided to take a trek down river towards a new dam being constructed, which will dramatically change this area shortly but provide much needed power to the country. As usual I set off in the general direction, relatively easy as the mighty Nile on one side and construction site visible ahead. I managed to get with in about 1 km when I ran out of path and as it is so large, visibility too when I decided to turn back and as usual managed to loose the return path, at one point leading me to a 5 m sheer drop with only a tree to hang on to to break my fall and then I got too close to the river and into the reeds, when I saw a large tail slither towards the water and heard a loud plop. Initially I thought wow that was a large otter, but then began thinking was a crocodile, or even snake, so I made a rapid retrace of tracks and got back to some sort of track, eventually I got back to the falls; although not without having to negotiate my way around a local fishermen's drinking/ganja den by having to climb over their boats.
I visited the school my friends are now working in, I helped in classes of more than 100 and the largest is 167 students, all squeezed into a fairly normal sized class room. What is amazing is that good quality, by local standards and even some UK schools, was taking place. Students hardly have access to writing space to make notes or be able to see the board they do not have many text books so every thing has to be laboriously copied down. They are quiet and attentive and will continue to work unsupervised to get tasks finished. All of this whilst learning is English as a second language. It certainly underscores one of my major frustration in my work with recalcitrant young people in Huntingdonshire. Give them all a week in one of these schools and a week in the shamba and I am sure they will begin to appreciate the opportunities they have been given.
I am now back in Ruhanga at my original project. It has grown enormously in terms of the numbers of volunteers. Not surprisingly as the university holidays have started. We were up to 24 this week. It has highlighted my previous concerns about lack of organisation to cope with this growth; but hopefully meetings between the directors will acknowledge this and changes will be made. There have been meetings with the School Committee and Community Board Organisation, to enable them to takeover the community and volunteer projects which should ensure better use of funding, donations, resources and volunteers within the greater community. Also that the community can determine what projects they need and can use and so lead to greater ownership and sustainability.
I am also catching up with some of the many friends I have made here. They are so pleased to see me return and it will be even harder to leave this time. So a big thank you to all: the lodge staff, Denis, James, Gerald, Robert, Didas, Resty, Justine, Beth, Sarah, Mode, Rove, for looking after me so well; Volunteers, too many to list, you know who you are; School staff Jamir, Alinda, Merril, Eunice, Kedrine and co; George,Gertrude and family, Craft ladies, Jennifer and co; Solar Sisters; CBO and PTA Levi; Osbert and family and of course all the children and students of Ruhanga and Team college and everyone who has made me so welcome I hope to return.
Monday, 6 June 2011
At Last I see the Mountain
Well I managed to survive Niarobi again through the consideration of the people I met, Virginia made sure I was on the Matatu for Nanyuki, before she would leave me. The journey into Niarobi was again interesting, we were late to pick the next volunteer at the airport due to the jams but our innovative taxi driver just drove down the central reservation to a suitible dirt track turn off and then crossed the on coming traffic. There is no manueover that is impossible here.
I arrived in Nanyuki to again be looked after in the rain until met by my friend Patrick, who I had met with his wife in Ruhanga. He is a guide and they have a tour company here (see link above right, I cannot recommend more highly) and are looking to start a volunteer programme here so I was keen to discuss all that I have learnt.
Nanyuki is a garrison town, with training bases from Kenyan military and police as well as British army, right on the Equator, I got my certificate and the water really did spin in opposite directions at either side; and the base of Mount Kenya. Patrick assured my I would see it. It was good to get a hot shower and a Tuna sandwich as well as the odd beer or two.
So early next morning we set off for a trek to the first hut. There is a track up to this point but not a road so I was fascinated to see a motor cycle pass us, carrying several trays of eggs, along what looked liked a dried up, boulder strewn river bed. When we arrived at the hut I had to shake his hand as he had managed to deliver them with only one or two breakages.
And yes I got fabulous views before the cloud came in again; It is a truly beautiful place and I do not think I have ever been anywhere so quiet, even in Maasailand I was under a flight path for Niarobi. There was little wind and no mechanical sound at all. So still except for bird song. We got to around 3500m high enough to see the giant lobelia and tree heathers. Looking back across the plain, I could see acres and acres of polytunnels (and in the town some of the most beautiful roses ever, this is where those tescos are grown, but they are a poor relation to the ones here). I was glad that I hadn't signed up for the full 5 day trek to the top, the altitude and my general lack of fitness would have made it very hard, but it has made me determined to come back and do it; so yes I will be cycling and walking around Cambs with those weight strapped to every available appendage again.
A highlight of my visit was to the school that Patrick and Naomi want to assist with volunteers. It is called Melbon School and so I think it appropriate to try to link with it, not least because it is led by an inspirational principle; Pauline. She had me teaching an English class with in an hour of arrival and Science after that. The students are sooo keen to learn and just suck in any information you give them. I have a list of those who want e pen pals in the UK so I will be looking for willing 12 to 15 year olds when I get back. They also had me singing and dancing with them in the afternoon, all well before beer o'clock! It will be a great base for a volunteering/voluntourism project. As, although it is a small private school, Pauline tries to support as many poorer bright children from the community to give them the best chance at a quality eduction to enable then to go on to secondary school and university. And she succeeds, as it is a very high performing school which also gives a good all round learning experience with very few resources.
I would have loved to have stayed longer but had promised to return to Ruhanga before I return to UK so it was with much regret that I left Kenya, particularly Patrick and his family and friends.
The journey in and out of Niarobi again was interesting. All roads in and out are subject to construction, but non of this namby pamby coning and closing of section for this work, the traffic just finds any route through, around, under, over; at one point around 12 lanes (difficult to tell in these random conditions) had to constrict to 2 to go over half built bridge, it being the only way forward. But there was no road rage or very little horn exercise, there is some form of rule but certainly not obvious to a muzungo like me.
I arrived in Nanyuki to again be looked after in the rain until met by my friend Patrick, who I had met with his wife in Ruhanga. He is a guide and they have a tour company here (see link above right, I cannot recommend more highly) and are looking to start a volunteer programme here so I was keen to discuss all that I have learnt.
Nanyuki is a garrison town, with training bases from Kenyan military and police as well as British army, right on the Equator, I got my certificate and the water really did spin in opposite directions at either side; and the base of Mount Kenya. Patrick assured my I would see it. It was good to get a hot shower and a Tuna sandwich as well as the odd beer or two.
So early next morning we set off for a trek to the first hut. There is a track up to this point but not a road so I was fascinated to see a motor cycle pass us, carrying several trays of eggs, along what looked liked a dried up, boulder strewn river bed. When we arrived at the hut I had to shake his hand as he had managed to deliver them with only one or two breakages.
And yes I got fabulous views before the cloud came in again; It is a truly beautiful place and I do not think I have ever been anywhere so quiet, even in Maasailand I was under a flight path for Niarobi. There was little wind and no mechanical sound at all. So still except for bird song. We got to around 3500m high enough to see the giant lobelia and tree heathers. Looking back across the plain, I could see acres and acres of polytunnels (and in the town some of the most beautiful roses ever, this is where those tescos are grown, but they are a poor relation to the ones here). I was glad that I hadn't signed up for the full 5 day trek to the top, the altitude and my general lack of fitness would have made it very hard, but it has made me determined to come back and do it; so yes I will be cycling and walking around Cambs with those weight strapped to every available appendage again.
A highlight of my visit was to the school that Patrick and Naomi want to assist with volunteers. It is called Melbon School and so I think it appropriate to try to link with it, not least because it is led by an inspirational principle; Pauline. She had me teaching an English class with in an hour of arrival and Science after that. The students are sooo keen to learn and just suck in any information you give them. I have a list of those who want e pen pals in the UK so I will be looking for willing 12 to 15 year olds when I get back. They also had me singing and dancing with them in the afternoon, all well before beer o'clock! It will be a great base for a volunteering/voluntourism project. As, although it is a small private school, Pauline tries to support as many poorer bright children from the community to give them the best chance at a quality eduction to enable then to go on to secondary school and university. And she succeeds, as it is a very high performing school which also gives a good all round learning experience with very few resources.
I would have loved to have stayed longer but had promised to return to Ruhanga before I return to UK so it was with much regret that I left Kenya, particularly Patrick and his family and friends.
The journey in and out of Niarobi again was interesting. All roads in and out are subject to construction, but non of this namby pamby coning and closing of section for this work, the traffic just finds any route through, around, under, over; at one point around 12 lanes (difficult to tell in these random conditions) had to constrict to 2 to go over half built bridge, it being the only way forward. But there was no road rage or very little horn exercise, there is some form of rule but certainly not obvious to a muzungo like me.
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