Uganda – Treasuring the Pearl of Africa

If you are irritated by every rub,

how will you be polished?

Rumi

Tea from horizon to horizon – too late in the day for picking

The next miles take us to Uganda’s Kalinzu Central Forest Reserve to see chimpanzees, Queen Elizabeth National Park to view elephants, hippos, buffalos and crocodiles from a boat instead of a jeep, and Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park to track mountain gorillas.

When we entered Uganda, we were fingerprinted.  Overall the admission process was quick and trouble-free but that came as a surprise.  I did not know such technology was available in poorer countries. 

Many allege ‘Pearl of Africa’ was first coined by Sir Winston Churchill who was very enthusiastic about Uganda when he visited this colony in the early 1900s.  An earlier source, Henry Morton Stanley, while looking for the source of the Nile, described Uganda as: ‘It is the ‘Pearl of Africa’ that is our object.  I applied that somewhat grandiloquent term to Uganda… the truth is that the term aptly illustrates the superior value of Uganda because of its populousness, the intelligence of its people, its strategic position for commerce, and for spread Christianity – all of which make it pre-eminently a desirable colony for a trading and civilizing nation like ours.’ (1895) The phrase has been repeated by many since as it describes Uganda succinctly well.

Uganda hills by Discover Africa – amazing views

Rated more attractive than Switzerland (expat survey 2016)

Steep terracing

Back to Pluto, men in bright yellow lab coats were anxiously waiting for us to exchange the last of our Kenyan shillings (or some of our US dollars, which they prefer), for Uganda shillings.  They count the money at the speed of light.  They do not accept dollars older than 2009 or with rips, tears, smudges or marks, yet they try to sneakily give back change that is older and tattered…  We catch them and maintain that we also want new money – they reluctantly give in.  I wouldn’t normally use money sharks, but they were recommended by our guide since we won’t be able to be around an ATM or a foreign exchange office for a while.  The money was counted correctly, the exchange rate a tad higher than an ATM so still worthwhile.  With the advent of more and more ATM booths at border crossings, they are becoming a dying breed. 

Others trying to profit from us no longer needed Kenyan shillings are soda or water sellers.  ‘Please spend your last few shillings buying something cold to drink.’  Many oblige. 

The hum of Pluto puts many, who normally stay up late, to sleep.  They miss the beautiful scenery that continue to unfold ahead of us.  This scenario repeats itself for the duration of the trip making me wonder why these folks paid to ‘see’ Africa.  

Turns out this one was a boy!  Don’t judge a book by its cover.

Not happy we didn’t slow down to give candies.

Larger markets full of neatly stacked fresh fruits and vegetables can be seen on each side of the road, signaling we are approaching more populated areas.  Nearby, many young men are busy fixing bicycles, a daily inevitability.  Everything here done on even less than a shoestring, usually not lasting very long.  Fix it good enough to get to school, work, home today… One must be creative and resourceful with so little money.  Heavily ornamented motorcycles missing caps roll by.  Decorations but not gas cap – not sure how dangerous that can be?  Some of the drivers make shin-guards and hand-guards out of plastic bottles, perhaps for when they go through the bushes?

Displaying their toy – empty Red Bull box

Chicken-on-sticks or whatever other mystery meat

Using oily brown paper bag to put pressure on chapati

Some called stuffed rolled chapatis Rolex – yep, like the watch!

Morning routine for many entails putting mattresses and bedding outside before they cook breakfast.  The smells of hot homemade chapatis and porridge fill the air.  To me, the chapatis are reminiscent of tortillas and close to my heart.

Numerous small villages have a communal water pump where women usually gather to fill up the family’s water containers.  With babies on their back, they push the handle vigorously, barely straining, they are so used to the labor this involves. 

Sitting with their mother, kids learn by helping sort the corn kernels drying on tarps, a ‘game’ for them at this time.  A prime food source they will be enjoying their whole life, they are soon taught to recognize the good from the not so good. Women, sitting on the ground, are peeling cassava; the skins quickly eaten by the nearby cattle. Nearby a man is playing ‘drums’ on empty plastic jugs.  

Word for banana in Uganda is ‘matooke’ which also means food.

Average Ugandan eats 500 pounds of banana per year

The highest in the world!

From a bunch, seen here, to a hand, what we usually buy at stores,

to a finger, a single banana. 

A bunch can weigh 100 pounds, imagine the weight on this bike!

A young boy carries a see-through plastic bucket with hardboiled eggs and a salt shaker inside.  He is selling them but preserves each of the eggshell, absolutely nothing going to waste.

Many nurseries pop up along the road, far too many it appears.  People sitting in the shade waiting for rare buyers.  Such a business doesn’t need a large investment so many entrepreneurs are giving it a go.

A woman wearing a beautifully tailored red dress and shoes is carrying a hoe on her head – will she be working the field in that outfit?  

Rice fields as far as the eyes can see

As we turn a corner going downhill, rice fields unexpectedly appear and take over the left and right sides of the road.  I didn’t know there could be so much water available to grow rice in Africa.  Many homesteads have small ponds where they raise their own tilapia fish.  Water hyacinth reproduces rapidly in the unfarmed marshes, a few men wade waist deep in the water.  It looks like they are picking the hyacinth but for what purpose I do not know, perhaps feeding their herd?  Papyrus grows along many waterways, the same papyrus used long ago to make paper in Egypt.  It is the poor’s man thatch roofing, easy to find but not long lasting. 

Naked boys and men are playing or bathing in pond, river, or lake waters.  Girls are not allowed the same privilege.  Should they go in the water they would stay fully clothed.  Nearby baboons watch both the bathers and the traffic, nonchalant and disinterested, aware there is no food around. 

Very young kid tending fruit stand of only a few jackfruits

Two toddlers peek out of a slightly ajar ancient cockeyed door.  They are curious but shy.  The house is small and has seen better days, termites having taken their toll.  To the very poor, doors are reused when building new homes.  This door could’ve easily fronted a succession of five or six houses by now. 

We see reminders that we are traveling in malaria zones – more and more people sell mosquito netting along the road.  Some next to coffins of all sizes, a hint perhaps?  We are taking our medicine daily.  Others take it weekly, but their type of medicine gives them very odd dreams and makes them groggy for a whole day.  I am glad I opted for the daily dosage even if it is a bit more inconvenient.

We stop for groceries in Kampala, the capital, before heading into the forest.  The place feels wealthier than Nairobi.  The unemployment rate being 11% compared to 45% (Nairobi) and it shows.  Much newer cars, modern construction, and stylish clothing worn by many!  There, we get checked with a wand when entering shopping malls.  The 2010 suicide bombing that killed more than 70 people, still fresh in people’s minds.  Guards of each gender at every ingress give you a lookover to ensure you have no weapons.   

Collecting by hand is usually done by women

If cut by hand, collecting can be done every 7 days and is the most expensive tea

If cut by scissors, collecting can be done every 9 days

If cut by machine, collecting can only be done once a month

Just emptied tea leaf bag and getting ready to start again

Pulling tea leaf cutter on skids over the dense tea plants, near floating…

Bringing tea to be weighed

The fresh leaves have no smell, only when dried

A bit further like giant green amoebas, glossy tea bushes of various shapes hug the hills.  We are now in tea country.  The plants are so close together it is difficult to see the sticky red dirt holding their roots.  Pickers must push hard to make their way through the mass of tight branches.  The plants are so dense, heavy machinery with slides floats on top of them.  

Wall of wood…

Huge piles of wood are stacked at the tea estate, it is used to dry the tea but increases deforestation.  This plantation, Ankole Tea Estate, is so large (1,415 acres) it has its own school, clinic, and small airport.  A good picker gathers 100 kilo/day for approximately US$2.50.  The whole estate growing 5 million pounds (2.3 million kilos) per year.  Although an easily sold commodity, farmers get little money.  Some are still unpaid for work they have done between 1989 and 1994 to rehabilitate a dying agriculture on behalf of the government.  They have sued but are still waiting for money today.  Most tea farms are now owned by Indian companies and nearly all tea is exported to India.  

First crossing of the equator on the African continent in Kenya

Second equator crossing, this time in Uganda

We are shown how at equator there is no Coriolis effect

Kalinzu Forest of Chimpanzees

We arrive at dusk and quickly set up camp near the Kalinzu Forest to enjoy what is left of the night.  We get up early and split up in two teams of about nine to search for chimpanzees.  The morning is a bit cooler, we are over 4,500 feet (1,400 meters).  I shiver in the morning fog, eager to walk so I can warm up.  Each team shadows a woman using a cell phone with GPS coordinates following directions from trackers who left hours ahead.  They wear gumboots and carry machetes which they jokingly call their guns.  By their count, there are about 40 chimpanzees constantly on the move in this 56-square mile (145 sq. km) forest.  The trackers do not speak English, only our guides.  (I read later that there are an estimated 300 chimps here – not sure who to believe, maybe they were referring to a family of 40 within the 300).

It is still dark enough, we hear bush babies’ (galagos) cries but we do not get to see the small nocturnal creatures.  Through the faint sounds of faraway traffic and tree cutting, we hear the jungle waking up, birds, bees, other creatures unknown.  Fog is disappearing and soon some will complain of heat and humidity.  At times we are asked to be completely quiet, which I am not particularly good at and get scolded for not doing properly, so we can listen for the chimps.  At times we stop so our guide can get her bearings based on what the tracker is telling her.  At times we just listen for certain types of whistles, another way to communicate.

Amazing climbers, always on the move

Trees along the maze of crisscrossing paths have various markings.  Some have yellow or pink tape with coordinates relating specifically to various quadrants of the Kalinzu forest.  Some have notches cut out of the bark, some very fresh, some much older.  These are also used by the trackers to give directions to our guides.  Without the trackers, it may be impossible to find chimpanzees in only a half-day trek.  The terrain is not the easiest and our guides are fast.  Glad to be in shape. 

We finally reach the trackers who keep looking up.  I hear things I believe are leaves or small fruits falling and head in that direction making the trackers unhappy as I discover the chimpanzees before they do.  We all reach them eventually. 

These advanced trackers are called ‘habituators’. They work with the same chimps for years and the chimps get used to them and recognize the difference between them and poachers who want to kill them for bushmeat.  These trackers take down snares, keep some of the paths clear,  and constantly are on the lookout for poachers.

Giving you a glimpse of just how high they are – difficult to make out details

Chew and spit out, chew and spit out

This is what comes out, also falling on your heads

Cleaner nests than human beds by face2face

We walked for half a day.  The path, very windy, steep in places, and narrow.  Humidity quickly picking up as the day warmed up.  It seemed unlikely that we would find any chimpanzees, time flying by without a sound, but we finally came across a few males, way up in the canopy.  The group couldn’t agree if there were two, three, or possibly four, they were moving around too quickly and too often.  Our guide alerted us not to stand directly below any chimp as they like to go to the bathroom while in the trees and spit their food bolus out once they have absorbed the nutrients.  Although we saw them, they are so far up, it was difficult to make out any details. 

We watched for about 20 minutes, amazed at their dexterity, agility, and how quickly they could appear and disappear.  They did not seem to pay attention to us, minding their ways.  The most amazing part was to hear their call to one another.  It reverberated and shook the forest it was so loud.  Our guide says these calls are not aggressive.  I try to believe her.  We walk much slower on the way back and our guide has time to educate us on the various plants we see along the way, some medicinal, others poisonous or edible. 

Queen Elizabeth National Park – Land and Lakes

Next, we head out to Queen Elizabeth National Park for a safari first then a cruise on the Kazinga Channel, between Lakes George and Edward bordered by the Congo to the west and Uganda to the East.

Who is that m’zungu (foreigner)?

For lunch, we stop by the side of the road and, as usual, kids gather to check us out.  Gary talks with some of them.  Through Peace Corps, he taught in Kenya in 1980-82 and remembers bits of Swahili.  They speak with him, sing for him, and laugh with him.  As conversation progresses the subject of church song comes up (what they have learned to sing outside of home) and with it, the kids’ demeaner changes to much somber and reserve.  They curtsy when they are done singing and are no longer smiling.  What a sad state of affair, the way religion is teaching them to fear.  As soon as that subject is forgotten, smiles and happy open faces quickly return. 

Afterwards, someone gives them each a candy (even though we were told no candy, no money) … and they return the wrappers when they are done.   Touching their hands when receiving the wrappers, I noticed just how amazingly soft their skin is for kids attending to daily chores.  They are beautiful.    

In general, younger kids want to touch Gary’s white beard, it is something different and unusual. 

Some will go to the extent of jumping up to reach it.  Many young ones are afraid of white men, they are taught early on that the white man (aka boogie man) may come and get him/her if they don’t behave.  Thankfully they get over that very quickly but, in a few cases, they are really scared and cry loudly.

Campground cabins

Look at the details of pebbles, bricks and thatch!

Another beautiful lizard that kept going around the corner out of reach

I couldn’t stay to take more pictures as bees invaded the area

Arriving fairly late again but the campground staff is cooking dinner for us, giving us more time to set up tent and clean up.  By the time dinner is ready it is completely dark out and the electricity goes out, so we have a candlelight dinner – so fun! 

We will get the see elephants, buffalos, hippos, crocodiles and birds from a boat after we see them on land.  Since this park is currently so dry, the animals tend to stay closer to precious water, in this case large lakes and a channel, making it easier to find them but also more crowded with tourists when we do.

The colorful dry grasses of the park

When dry and less lush, it is easier to see the animals

Locals and their wooden boats on Sunday

Walking along the lake towards the channel

Eating acacia

Warthogs (pumbas)

Pumba heaven

Lone elephant (far right), buffalos,

and a bloat (group) of hippos (kiboko in Swahili)

Waking up a bit…

A baby hippo tried nuzzling a buffalo ‘mom’ by mistake

It was quickly corrected although not hurt

Some are born under water

Hippos are not good swimmers – staying in shallow water

Closest relative is the whale

Hippos are the #1 killer of people in Africa (3,000 people/year)

Buffalo and…  Can you see the crocodile to its right?

Crown (or crested) crane, the National bird of Uganda

Kingfisher

Up close

Birds by the Kassinga fishing village

Fish eagle

In flight

Kisoro’s Basecamp to Mountain Gorilla Trek

At 6,200 feet (1,900 meters), we are even higher than where we were when we hiked to see the chimps.  Although I have decided not to go on the mountain gorilla trek, many on our tour went.  My decision is based on a couple things. 

• The cost is prohibitive, nearly US$900 for the day (part of which is 4 hours of driving to/from) with no guarantee of seeing a gorilla.
• A friend of mine had just gone and expressed that when he saw the gorillas, it was like seeing them in a zoo, they were so tame.  I wouldn’t want to participate in more humanization of the gorillas. 

I was content staying around the town of Kisoro and see the locals in action.

Puzzled by this one – at a glass shop

One of many overturned trucks we will see by the side of the road

Crew is taking the fallen load into another truck

Tight hairpin, one of many

The way here was a little nerve-wracking.  Our driver testing his abilities on many hairpin curves, and steep hills.

They carry anything on these motorcycles

This type of sofas is locally made

We are still surrounded by terraces growing among other things, banana, cassava, corn, bean, onion, coffee, millet, okra, peanut (called ground-nut here), eggplant, and sweet potato.  These terraces are neatly manicured, and the lush crops offer an appealing pattern of various greens dotted with small homestead.

Today is market day. It is rather busy yet all I see for sale are cabbages, onions, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, not many choices.  There are no scales anywhere, I am not sure how they agree on price per weight.  Armed with as little as a needle, a knife, thread and a bit of leather, there are men fixing shoes and sandals.  By a bakery, a small boy tries to sell a rabbit, another one just half a cake.  

Near a school, a ten to twelve-year-old girl carries from the oven to a waiting pick-up truck, six bricks on her head.  The load is so heavy she quivers each time she starts moving.  Her much younger siblings only carry one or two each.  

A woman ingeniously tied five corn-on-the-cobs, still in husk, into a star and carried them that way on her head.  It resembles a fancy hat.  When needed they quickly make a donut-like headgear simply using banana leaves allowing them to carry heavy loads more comfortably and securely.  The leaves are readily found and can be discarded without harm to the environment.  

There was much more to see; caves, a lake, Dian Fossey’s grave, Batwa (Pygmy) village, coffee plantations but time made it a little tight to see it all.

Bus under court order… A local said it has been there for a year

Sugar cane transportation

Bike to carry coal, women with babies, all heading to town

Baby foot in shuka (cloak)

Wooden bike and water jugs

Check out the patches on the plastic jugs

Too poor to buy bikes, they make them by hand.  Ingenuously crafted wooden bikes
known as coffee-bikes developed from the need to move all types of heavy
goods including potatoes, beans, lumber and coffee beans.

Clever way to carry two passengers instead of only one

Outside Mama Prossy Pre-Primary School

For sale by side of the road, no one nearby

Cutting old tires in long strips for tying down anything

Yes, Uganda is an amazing place.  I could’ve stayed much longer traveling among the many smiles we saw daily.  Sorry to disappoint if you were expecting mountain gorilla photos, in this case I chose to interact with people over viewing animals.

On a happy note:  Mountain gorilla numbers have gone up 26% in 6 years, read here.

On a sad note:  News of a woman killed by wasps while trekking to see the mountain gorillas came out as I was researching this post – nature is so unpredictable.