My charities & safari expedition to Uganda (picture heavy)

[Miss Z]

Hello again after what seems like and probably has been a good while!

At last my A levels are over, I've had my final days at my school of the past seven years, and am getting set to move down to London to start training to be a vet as of September. :)

However, in the past few days I returned from the most inspirational and eye-opening trip to Uganda, as part of a small group from our Sixth Form, carrying out charitable work and making time to explore this beautiful 'Pearl of Africa', from it's bustling capital, Kampala, to the vast stretches of Queen Elizabeth National Game Reserve.

It took me a year to save up, arm myself with a hefty list of innoculations and of course get together all the necessary anti-malarials and mosquito repellants and other such potions, but my gawd, was it worth it.

I have never seen a country whose inhabitants generally have so little, and yet are so welcoming and pleasant. Walking down a street, children run to hold your hand with smiles and shouts of 'muzungu!' (white person), and anyone on the street will greet you by asking how you are. It's humbling and wonderful and I think not fully comprehensible until you yourself have experienced it.

Some people may be aware of the recent terrorist bombings in Kampala; yes, I was in the city when they occurred but well out of harm's way. The culprits, according to local reports, were Somalian suicide bombers rebelling against a Ugandan presence in southern Somalia. 74 people were killed as they watched the World Cup finals, more later died of their injuries. It was a chilling reminder of the unrest that is omnipresent throughout Africa, but I strongly discourage anyone believing Uganda to be unsafe. Indeed, I have felt more anxious for my camera's security in parts of Manchester than I did even in the poorest areas of Uganda.

Before I get onto the pics and explain more about what I did out there, I'll finish by willing anyone who gets the opportunity to go to Africa, particularly Uganda, to grasp it with both hands and to immerse themselves in everything this exquisite continent offers. Laugh with the kids, dance with the people, drink as much waragi as you can handle (which generally isn't much... not for lightweights! :D) and take in the beautiful sights and sounds of such a unique place.

I'm going to try my best to get back there in the next few years. In both the national park and farming areas, vets and vet students are becoming increasingly sought after, and some veterinary experience there as part of my university course would be phenomenal. :)

Anyway, I'll stop typing here before I go on and on! Pictures coming next post.

[Miss Z]

I'll sort my pictures into 3 categories; Scenery, People (and our work), and Wildlife. I think that covers most of the areas.

Scenery

Starting with the capital, Kampala. We stayed here for the first week, then returned for a few days after our trip to South-Western Uganda. From our guest-house atop Namirembe Hill, we could see the expanse of the city. It really is a city of two halves: half number one is traditional 'street-side-shack' Kampala...

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... and half number two is 'Western-influence' Kampala.

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Nevertheless it is heaving with culture. People are everywhere, the streets, the roads, working pockets of land; day and night you cannot find a street without people on it. Likely spots are the boda-boda, possibly the most dangerous taxi service in the world - a pad on the back of a motorbike, and most passengers choose to ride without holding on!

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Also every morning the trucks bearing matoke, the local bananas, are delivered to the floor markets. They are used traditionally to make a sort of stew of the same name, by mashing with plantain, wrapped in banana leaves and steamed. It's not the tastiest thing you will ever eat in your life, believe me.

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The beauty of misty Kampala at sunrise, and the country stretches at the other side of Namirembe at sundown, is awe-inspiring.

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More next post...

[Miss Z]

6 days into the trip we visited possibly the poorest area of Kampala; the slums at Katanga. This is a place where many refugees from Rwanda and other surrounding countries have ended up, as well as unfortunate Ugandans who failed to find work in the city.

Walking down the streets is like stepping back in time to working-class Victorian London. The streets are littered, narrow, slicked in sewage, and stifling from the aura of cramped living. Yet these are the places people wash, cook, sell from tiny stalls, and where children play. It really is, from the perspective of an MEDC inhabitant, a piteous existence. Yet, even here there is music, and smiling, and the kids' faces light up when you sneak them some sweets from your pockets. No-one complains, life just goes on. They are fully aware that until the Ugandan government acknowledges the severe state of their living standards, very little can be done in the way of improvement, so for the moment, they carry on.

We were advised not to take people's photograph in the slum unless they gave permission, not for fear of a violent reaction, but because some people may be suspicious about what we would do with the photographs. In which case, I snapped the rooftops of the slums. The sad thing is, I took this photograph from the grounds of Kampala's Mulago Hospital, a place the slum residents desperately need, but cannot afford.

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Now, moving on to Kabale; a smaller town about 200 miles south west of Kampala and in the Southern Hemisphere, hence the touristy-ness. :)

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Here was quite the experience! Our arrival to our place of residence for the next three nights was not without complication. A twelve hour minibus journey meant we arrived in the dark, and the weight of people plus suitcases restricted the bus scaling the imposing dirt track up a hill. When we did manage to walk/be dragged to the top, our accomodation was a shell of a building, basically walls, a front door, and some beds. 'Roughing it' is rather appropriate. Yet after a few days, we did learn to love it, pit latrine and all. And later I shall come onto our transformation of the place.

Whilst we were in Kabale, we visited beautiful Lake Bunyoni, the deepest lake in East Africa. This is definitely a prospect for Uganda to set up a tourism base. Unlike more famous Lake Victoria, it's suitable for swimming and boating on, and virtually untouched and unspoilt by mankind.

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Lastly on this topic, a few scenes of Queen Elizabeth National Park. I have plenty of wildlife photos taken here coming up later.

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The Kazinga Channel, the place where I got my best wildlife snapshots. It's said that the boat trip across its waters is one of the things you must do before you die. Can't disagree with that one.

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Sunset in the park is unlike any other. The sky becomes brilliant orange, and ground dusky, and the naked eye can see the sun sinking behind the mountains.

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People photos coming up next post.

[Miss Z]

People of Uganda, and our charity work

Our first week in Kampala was orientated primarly around visits to a small primary school on the outskirts of the city called Good Samaritan Primary School. Travelling down a dirt track through a tiny village takes you to two small buildings, without floors, paintwork, and many classrooms without doors. It's the bare minimum only. Kids rushed to greet us, and I have so many wonderful memories from there. I didn't think I'd enjoy my time there half as much as I did.

Starting with our welcome, the choir sang and danced for us with songs of joy and praise to God for our visit. You'll notice a few don't have shoes, and some cannot afford the very small amount for the uniform either.

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My best friend and I became ingrained with the reception class, which the Ugandans call 'Baby Class'. At this stage, their English is very limited, but it didn't take them long to learn the words 'Sweetie please, muzungu.'

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Putting on sunglasses is another popular benefit of having visiting muzungu.

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The two photographs below were taken by friends. The first is my best friend, Katherine, and I with Baby Class, with the children 'pointing at the teachers'. The second is a little girl who quietly came up to me for a hug and stayed there for a good while. She was too shy to speak, but I did learn later that she was an orphan. Indeed, many of the children there are orphans, their parents part of the missing generation killed off by AIDS.

Sadly, when we returned to Kampala after our week in Kabale and on safari, three children in our class had died from complications related to HIV. I didn't notice this little girl there that day. I hope she was not one of those poor kids. :( :(

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Many, many more....

[Miss Z]

Once it was break time, all hell broke loose as the muzungu were free to be dragged about, petted (one particular muzungu had her long brunette hair repeatedly pulled up, down, tucked behind her ears and generally fiddled with :p), and mobbed for sweets. It was one of the funniest but greatest experiences of my life. I started quite a little following, since my name must sound vaguely Ugandan as they found it quite simple to pronounce, and I soon had a little gang forming. I did have to clear up a few scraps about how many could hold my hand at once without it being yanked off.

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Zara's gang in full:

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We took donated clothes from local primary schools back in England to give out, as well as pencils, exercise books (since many kids have to share, meaning only some can do work at once), crayons, balloons and footballs, as well as plenty of sweets and biscuits bought in Kampala centre. A few days into our visits, we had a more organised distribution of our donations!

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Yes, these are school sweaters, and the temperature is pretty warm in Uganda. Yet for Ugandans, this is their cooler weather and so think nothing of wearing them at midday when muzungu are seeking fans and shade!

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Katherine and I on the right with our class.

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Myself on the left with the teachers of the youngest classes and Katherine. The 'war-paint' is brick dust from earlier assisting in the building work our school has sponsored for a new hall area. The soil colour is quite something and makes shoes an interesting colour. They could earn a pretty penny in the fake tan business.

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Lots more on the way...

[Miss Z]

Moving on now to Mackay Memorial College, we saw the upper end of Ugandan education. Still, by MEDC standards, the buildings and grounds were basic, but it was a world away from the primary school. I believe that struggling Ugandan families would not be able to afford to send their children here. Nevertheless, the school was very welcoming in keeping with Uganda in general, and again we were welcomed with dancing, music and singing. This display was so colourful and vibrant.

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The school has many worldly projects, such as teaching about global warming and the importance of recycling (here they are making material for burning from old paper and bark)...

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... to very clamorous debates on Ugandan affairs.

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Now to the excellent Nbere dancers, a popular attraction for tourists that do make their way out here. Possibly the best way to experience Ugandan musical culture. They make full use of the traditional dress, dances and instruments.

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Experimenting with the shutter speed to show the colour, energy and fluidity of movement of these amazing dancers.

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More on the way...

[Catty1]

Wow

[Miss Z]

Now came the clever bit of the show. African people about the streets are curiously good at balancing things on their head, and the Nbere dancers took this talent to the extreme. Bearing in mind the dancers were still dancing wildly about as these pictures were taken; what started as one pot...

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... became a few more...

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...and then some more...

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...until....!!!

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Now I take you back to our rather simplistic accommodation in Kabale I mentioned before. The building is owned by a retired canon who had acted as our guide in some areas of the trip, and he had constructed it thus far with the intention of turning it into a hostel for female university students, since there is no university halls set up for them. Of course, though, this takes investment of time and money and work, not necessarily something most people plan in their retirement. In gratitude for his hospitality, we painted the inside of the hostel for him in a day's work, and added a few surprises for him too.

This is pre-work - you can see how empty it is!!

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The first surprise was a mural, consisting of our names on the wall, a bunch of flowers painted by Katherine, and a pair of crowned cranes (the national bird of Uganda) painted by my friend Adam with a little help from myself. My crane is on the right.
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My gift was painting the words 'Amazing Grace' above the threshold. The canon seemed so taken with it that he is considering naming the hostel 'The Amazing Grace Hostel'. The first photo of me painting was taken by a friend.

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More coming...

[Miss Z]

A few photos of general silliness and fun (we are students, after all!) before I move on to what I'm sure you are most keen to see... the animal pictures. Photographs taken by a variety of people on the trip.

Myself wearing the Ugandan dress I successfully bartered for on the markets! :p

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Animals next post...

[Miss Z]

Wildlife

Our safari was naturally the part of the trip I was looking forward to most, and it did not disappoint. The approximately 2000 square miles of beautiful savannah, lakeland and forest is rich in wildlife, although the poaching of earlier years has taken its toll. Rhino and giraffe have been completely exterminated from Uganda, although there are plans to begin a reintroduction programme.

Even in the capital Kampala, a great many birds can be seen, indeed I remember reading somewhere that Uganda cradles about 5% of the world's perching bird species.

So I'll begin with birds:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs230.snc4/38838_450062146390_578121390_6499482_8372468_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6499483&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs106.ash2/38643_450084786390_578121390_6499761_5341337_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6499763&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs191.snc4/37892_450089266390_578121390_6499900_8025324_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6499902&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs191.snc4/37892_450089286390_578121390_6499904_7375563_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6499902&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs071.snc4/34928_450094286390_578121390_6500141_421336_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500142&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs031.ash2/34928_450094291390_578121390_6500142_67401_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500142&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs190.snc4/37824_450107286390_578121390_6500362_8020073_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500363&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs170.snc4/37824_450107296390_578121390_6500363_6021382_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500363&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs190.snc4/37824_450107446390_578121390_6500392_1468159_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500467&id=578121390)

Marabou Stork are everywhere; in Kampala they are effectively pigeons! With their ominous gait and odd appearance, they earned the nickname 'demon bird' with our group!

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs197.snc4/38191_450111296390_578121390_6500468_515342_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500467&id=578121390)

More coming....

[Miss Z]

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs232.snc4/38934_450113516390_578121390_6500508_8237458_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500509&id=578121390)

African Fish Eagles were easily my favourite birds to see and many could be spotted in the trees along the Kazinga Channel.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs212.snc4/38934_450113586390_578121390_6500522_6528870_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500509&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs212.snc4/38934_450113596390_578121390_6500524_3161224_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500509&id=578121390)

Now onto the other animals in the National Park:

Elephant:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs112.ash2/38934_450113521390_578121390_6500509_3515017_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500510&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs091.ash2/37896_450096561390_578121390_6500221_908747_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500222&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs091.ash2/37896_450096571390_578121390_6500223_8114851_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500224&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs112.ash2/38934_450113536390_578121390_6500512_1617684_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500513&id=578121390)

Cape Buffalo:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs170.snc4/37824_450107371390_578121390_6500378_1986888_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500379&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs212.snc4/38934_450113541390_578121390_6500513_4952018_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500514&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs232.snc4/38934_450113556390_578121390_6500516_1102592_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500517&id=578121390)

More on the way....

[Miss Z]

Waterbuck:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs090.ash2/37824_450107326390_578121390_6500369_7433093_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500370&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs190.snc4/37824_450107341390_578121390_6500372_2595138_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500373&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs197.snc4/38191_450111341390_578121390_6500477_866108_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500478&id=578121390)

Ugandan Kob:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs190.snc4/37824_450107431390_578121390_6500389_4615828_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500390&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs190.snc4/37824_450107426390_578121390_6500388_1927578_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500389&id=578121390)

Warthog:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs090.ash2/37824_450107351390_578121390_6500374_3641288_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500375&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs090.ash2/37824_450107366390_578121390_6500377_1078285_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500378&id=578121390)

And these were Giant Forest Hogs, sighted much less often than the warthog. We were lucky to glimpse them from the Kazinga Channel.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs232.snc4/38934_450113561390_578121390_6500517_4190132_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500518&id=578121390)

Nile Crocodile and Monitor Lizards were the most spectacular reptiles seen on the Kazinga Channel.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs191.snc4/37883_450123036390_578121390_6500802_4552587_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500803&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs212.snc4/38934_450113551390_578121390_6500515_6065793_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500516&id=578121390)

Still a few more!!...

[Miss Z]

Hippo:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs197.snc4/38191_450111306390_578121390_6500470_1523209_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500471&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs232.snc4/38934_450113531390_578121390_6500511_7626946_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500512&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs112.ash2/38934_450113546390_578121390_6500514_7160755_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500512&id=578121390)

We saw three species of primate in the National Park; Vervet Monkey:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs171.snc4/37896_450096516390_578121390_6500213_2487342_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500214&id=578121390)

Olive Baboon:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs232.snc4/38934_450113571390_578121390_6500519_2470265_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500520&id=578121390)

and Black and White Colobus, a species very shy and considered hard to see:

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs097.ash2/38191_450111371390_578121390_6500483_5467523_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500484&id=578121390)

Undoubtedly, the attraction for all was the chance of seeing a lion in the wild. With only 250 lions left in all the expanse of Queen Elizabeth's National Park, we were advised not to be disappointed if we couldn't find any.

But we were lucky.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs177.snc4/38191_450111326390_578121390_6500474_7035795_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500475&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc4/hs177.snc4/38191_450111331390_578121390_6500475_7214409_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6500475&id=578121390)

That is all I will post here (thoroughly exhausted now! :p). If you wish to see more of my photos, plus a few videos of the kids at the primary school, they are all on my facebook page.

I do hope you've enjoyed this thread and that I've given you a little flavour of such a magnificent country. I truly am privileged to have had the experience.

[anna_66]

How absolutely amazing! It must have been the trip of a liftime. Thank you for sharing it.

[Medusa]

This was an incredible trip, to be sure. How fortunate you are to have been able to go. Thank you so much for sharing this w/us. :)

[Laura's Babies]

WOW! I LOVED the pictures... ALL of them.. So much to see! Gee, I loved the ones of the kids, the dancers, the animlas, the scenry.. heck.. They were ALL GREAT! What wonderful memories you will have of that trip for the rest of your life!

[Miss Z]

Thanks :)

Thought these might be of interest too: these are pictures of Northern Iraq as seen from the plane home (we had a connecting flight at Dubai), revealing some rather magnificent mountainous regions. The photos don't really do it justice.

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs030.ash2/34855_450134856390_578121390_6501068_7142846_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6501069&id=578121390)

http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash2/hs030.ash2/34855_450134871390_578121390_6501071_2144874_n.jpg (http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=6501069&id=578121390)

I do hope that one day soon the conflict ceases over there so people can travel to these wondrous untouched areas of the globe.

[lvpets2002]

:eek: WoW All of the Pics were just BreathTaken.. What a life time experience for you.. Thanks for sharing..

[krazyaboutkatz]

Wonderful pictures.:D Yes, I agree that this must've been the trip of a life time. Thanks for sharing this with us.:)

[Taz_Zoee]

Zara, these are amazing photos. I bet that is a trip that you will NEVER forget. I checked them out on your facebook page first then came here for the descriptions. I would have LOVED to visit those schools. I actually had a co-worker who is from Uganda. Thank you for sharing these with us and your experience! :D

[Sonia59]

Thank you for this trip! I started looking at the pics yesterday...so many...I had to come back today :)
This is an unforgetable experience for you. Glad that you enjoyed! Seeing the wild animals must be impressive too :)

[Bengalz]

Your story and photos are so inspiring and such an amazing experience for you and you friends. Well done!!

[lizbud]

Wow, I loved reading and seeing about your trip to Africa. It's
great to be able to experience such an amazing trip.:) Thank you
for sharing some of it with us.

[K9karen]

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You Zara!
Your description and photos are absolutely wonderful and beautiful! You even got the animals to pose for you! Imagine that! ;) This was a trip you'll remember forever, Lucky You! Thanks again! :love:

[caseysmom]

You should be so proud of yourself! If more people did this ingnorance wouldn't flourish. I traveled to Iran in 1999, a more kinder people I have never met. I have also traveled to Europe but unfortunately not your lovely home country.

That is my dream someday is to travel to places like this.

[Miss Z]

No problem. Glad you all enjoyed them! I myself find I can't look at the pictures too much lest I ignite Africa withdrawal symptoms. :D


If more people did this ignorance wouldn't flourish.

Amen to that! ;)


I actually had a co-worker who is from Uganda. Thank you for sharing these with us and your experience! :D

Cindy, I remember you telling me some time ago about your Ugandan co-worker. Please pass on to her my thoughts on what a lovely and inspiring home country she has, she must be proud to be Ugandan. :)

[Taz_Zoee]

Cindy, I remember you telling me some time ago about your Ugandan co-worker. Please pass on to her my thoughts on what a lovely and inspiring home country she has, she must be proud to be Ugandan. :)

Will do! :) She loves her country.