Uganda

We bailed on our planned hike up Mt Longonot because some of us wanted to sleep in and others were still sore from yesterday’s bike ride. We left Lake Naivasha with plenty of time to get to the airport, or so we thought. Yet 50 minutes before the flight to Uganda we were tearing though the airport to make the flight. It worked out. Phew!

The drive to Bwindi Impenetrable Nationa Park was long and filled with tons and tons of police checks (picture steel spiky strips on the road) and speed bumps. We left Entebbe at 8 and arrived at our lodge around 5. What a view!

At the information point, we received our briefing. Lots of history and tips about being around gorillas. Our were trekking with a mom and her university-age kids. Needless to say, I was the weak link.

Our guide, and two armed rangers, led us through dense brush up and down the mountain. I have new respect for the Hobbits’ journey and have no idea about Kathleen Turner did the jungle in Romancing the Stone – well fine it was a movie. Anyway I was winded pretty much the whole time. I also saw machetes in action, they can saw through trees!

Don spotted the first gorilla in a tree. In addition to our guide, trackers were feeding information about where the family we were tracking was.

At one point the silverback sprang up suddenly in my direction. Quickly I turned to run. But then he settled down. Otherwise we were like wallpaper to the gorillas. We had an hour. Wow!