Saturday 13 Sep - Thought it about time I did a bit of an update. Currently
sitting on the southern shores of Lake Albert in the Semliki Valley game
reserve. It is boiling hot even though there is a cool breeze blowing in off
the lake. Although we can't complain as we wanted sunshine and warm weather
when we left Ethiopia and that's what we're getting. Don't think it'll last
too long as we'll probably be in the rain forests in the not too distant
future.
Can't remember when Matt wrote his last blog so if I repeat any of it...
ignore it. We spent 3 nights at Lake Nkuruba and didn't really do much at
all apart from chill out and watch the monkeys and birds. We had dinner
there one night and decided we should try the local Ugandan food, so we
ordered matoke with groundnut sauce and cassava with beef. Matoke is mashed
plantains (some sort of green banana) and when cooked it is slightly like
mashed potato but not as nice and as for the groundnut sauce - it looked
like cat puke, but we did eat it. Cassava is a bit like parsnip but drier
and once we'd mashed it up in the beef gravy it wasn't too bad. Luckily
enough we don't have to eat local food every night.
We came down to Semliki valley game reserve on Thursday and stopped off at
the Semliki lodge for a drink. Have to experience the life of luxury now and
again but I'll do without it if it means no going back to work. We had lunch
at the lodge courtesy of the US Coastguard. No they didn't pay. When we
arrived we asked if it was possible to have lunch and as they normally only
cater for the guests staying there Kristin (runs the lodge with her husband
Mark) said if there was food leftover she'd be able to sort something for
us. Luckily for us there was. It was much appreciated, and free!
We then went through to the chimp research camp to find out if we would be
able to do a chimp trek the following day. They said it would be fine and we
could join the researchers on their walk which would leave at about 6.00am.
We camped at the research camp and woke up next morning to thunder and
lightning and a bit of rain. We joined Justice (ranger with the medicine -
rifle), Charlotte and Phineas (both students from Cambridge) and had to walk
to the forest in the dark and luckily didn't encounter any lions, buffalo or
any other wild beast. We got to the forest as the chimps were de-nesting
(getting out of bed). We spent about 6 hours in the forest with them and
they had quite a lazy day, which meant we did too as we didn't have to
follow them for miles. The noise they make when they call is quite
disturbing as it sounds as if they are really aggressive. It was really
special to spend time with the chimps and to see what they get up to. A
birthday I won't forget in a hurry.
After that we headed to the campsite on the lakeshore via the lodge, had to
have a birthday drink didn't I! Matt then cooked a veggie curry with coconut
milk - it was delicious and then we had some of my birthday pressie,
Cadbury's chocolate. And don't forget the beer. Then it was into the tent to
wait for the hippo's to come out to graze but I didn't see them and Matt
sure didn't as he was fast asleep.
Today we decided it was time to do something completely different - ready
for this Oz - we tried fishing. Didn't catch anything although we had to be
really careful not to catch birds. Not what you think , the birds were
flying past when we were casting and it looked at times like they wanted to
eat our lures. Will try again tomorrow. Oh and Matt nearly caught a Pied
Kingfisher that was very interested in the lure in the water, needless to
say he reeled it in post haste!
Latest news on ablutions - decided that bush showers and bucket showers are
the best as they are outside and you don't have to go into any grotty dingy
damp rooms. As for loos, long drops are still gross especially when Matt
tells me he has seen bats flying in them. So when we get back to
civilization please don't worry if we go out into your garden for a pee or
shower!
Only got about 7 weeks left, how time flies.
3 comments:
Sue - glad you had such a birthday 'party' with the chimps. Question - the 'US Coastguards' - seen before or after your drinks?! Presumably escaping the current hurricane engulfing Texas?
'Long drops' sounds er intriguing - NOT for more details here though!
Wot - no waypoints
Love Dad & Parvin
Hee, hee guess I will have to be teaching you and James how to use the toilet when you are back...
Better luck with the fishing next time.
Love Sal
What no fish ??? After all the sophisticated equipment I gave you and the hours and hours of training on how to hook a plastic packet in the Jukskei river ;). Good to hear that you are trying, perhaps you should use one of the birds as bait, then technically you could call it "fly" fishing.
Ozz
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