Endo and Bronchs in Uganda advertising

Grinding peanuts

Skirts required

Driving in Kampala

Day one!!

Glad we did the city drive around first. Elaine won't let me rent a car! don't know why, maybe the left hand drive with right hand steering wheel cars! Went to the bank to change money and the first thing you do is go thru metal detector surround by guards. Then you see the line going out the lobby and around! those are people just waiting to do regular banking! Must take most of their day!. Am now trying to figure out if the 650,000 shillings I have in my pack makes me almost a millionaire!!! (really only $250, but I can pretend!! About to try an up load some pix!

We're here !!!!!!!!

After two days of traveling, at least we think it was two days, we are finally on Ugandan soil.  We are absolutely exhausted and will be turning in shortly.  So far just driving from the airport to Kampala we have seen some eye opening experiences.  However, that was just the beginning.  As Paul (our guide) drove up to the entrance of the hotel we were met by three camaflouge clad "gentlemen"  with what we think were AK47 machine guns  that stopped us to see if we were carrying weapons.  Once they semi searched the vehicle they let us pass.    Our next surprise is that each of our beds is surrounded by mosquito netting.  Should be interesting trying to get up in the middle of the night and forgetting its there.

We won't always have internet access but will be here for two nightsd.  We're tired but other fine.

Almost Time

Can you guess how excited we are?  As the old song by John Denver goes..."our bags are packed and we're ready to go..."   Peg are you ready?

Thanks for all the early birthday and travel well wishes. 

By the way there is a gorilla in a sanctuary in Kent, England that actually walks erect. Perhaps you can catch him on You Tube.  Looks a lot like someone I know :)

Slideshow

Be sure and check the "mini" slideshow we have set up for you towards the end of the front page.

Itinerary

As long as I have the itinerary sitting in front of me I'll give you a short synopsis of our trip:
Leave 1/29.  Charleston to Detroit to Amserdam to Entebbe in Uganda arriving 1/30
1/31 Tour of Kampala the capital city of Uganda.  We plan to visit a school   on this day.
2/1 Murchison falls on the longest African river-the Nile
2/2 Game drives and afternoon boat cruise
2/3 Transfer to Hoima and possibly another game drive
2/4 On the shadow of the Mountains of the Moon.  This night we stay in the Primate Lodge (actually for 2 nights) which was highly recommended so we added it to our trip2/5 Chimp treking, other Primates and Birding
2/5 Trasfer to Queen Elizabeth National Park which includes a boat trip to look for Hippos
2/6 Game drive and trying to find the Tree Climbing Lions
2/8 Transfer to Kinigi in Rawanda after another game drive
2/9-2/11  Gorilla tracking for two days and visit to Dian Fossey's grave on the third day
2/12 Transfer to Lake Mburo National Park, boat ride to various island and a game drive
2/13 Game drive, craft shopping stop over at the Equator and departure day :(
2/15  Arrive home

We hope that we will have internet access along the way to fill you in on what we actually got to see each day.

2 days, but who's counting

We are trying to contain our excitement and tend to our pre trip tasks...and there are many.  We did come to a "major" decision today to buy another rolling duffel bag as our primary ones were stuffed...and of course we will want to bring "a little something" home.  So, after running around to three places I think I found one with enough room for us to share.

Time entered for postings on our blog

We have set the blog up to post the time of day in Kampala, Uganda so it may look like we're up in the middle of the night posting but hopefully we're under a tent listening to the roars of lions, etc.

Listing of follower

For some reason, unbeknownst to me, friends who have signed on to follow our  blog are not listed.  My son said I have to comment back within a period of time which I may not have done.  Bear with me if you get invite after invite.  Thanks, Elaine

the challenge of setting up a blog

This maybe more difficult than planning our whole trip.  Google makes it looks so easy.