Time Travel

And now we go backwards in time (how cool is that?!) to trips in Uganda. I’m completely awful and I’m going to guess at most of the names. However, I don’t think there’s anyone who can gainsay me anyway!

Right – so in no particular order.. Dad and I went to Kibale national park where there are chimpanzees just waiting to be oogled at. It was kinda scary in a way as these boyos climb quite a way up the trees to eat fruit. Hard fruit. Fruit which, when dropped from 30m above would really hurt if it hit. Which it didn’t.. but still.. quite offputting really.

Then another weekend it was off to Queen Elizabeth National Park, beautiful. Stayed at a place called Mweya Lodge. The Queen herself has stayed there before and will be staying again when she’s next in Uganda for the Combined Heads of Government (CHOGM – much building going on for it). It was a ridiculously nice place – incredible service – for example, you’d come back from dinner to find your bedside light on and a corner of the sheet folded back so you could get in with ease. Crazy. Still, a lovely place to go so big thanks to mum and dad. Had to drive past the equator + obligatory photo op..

We also looked in at the site for the Mountains of the Moon University (dad’s project). Currently they rent buildings in town – but will be moving out to the new campus once the road is in and the buildings up…

Another day we went off to see a friend of theirs (Steve) place – who is making a new up market lodge kinda place. He has learned how to make log cabins out of a book! It’s really pretty damn impressive… He has hired local people and really made an impressive go of things – and he’s only my age too!

Another day it was off to one of the local schools that mum and dad have been helping. They’d bought them (with donations – esp thanks to Mhairi’s parents) a water tank, and also mosquito nets from my brother’s (Matt) parents in law.. so we went out to see the place. I 1/2 wonder if it wasn’t to show us that the wonderful new water tank didn’t actually have the piping in place to make it really usable. All fixed now though.

Finally – we went to a place called the ndali lodge. This place was really quite special. I suppose it is like what Steve’s place will be when it’s finished. I didn’t take a pic – but the guy who runs it – Aubrey – has the most incredible bachelor pad. Huge high ceilings, a bathroom which is raised and looks down over the lake – simply incredible

Finally just a few random pictures.. one of mum and dad in trad dress. It really was so special to be out there and see what they have managed to achieve in such a relatively short amount of time.