Traveling to Kibale National Forrest National

We had quiet the experience traveling today…  Early pickup in Entebbe for our flight to Kasese.  First security check point was arriving at the airport where we were asked to leave the vehicle with all of our belongings in it… and walk through metal detectors while security searched the vehicle.  We made it through that check point.  Now we arrive at the airport terminal for security check point #2, this time it is a free for all trying to get your bags through the scanners and make it through the metal detectors.  We set off the defectors several times… it didn’t like our jewelry… now all of our bags are through the scanners and we are stuck on the other side… hmm we didn’t like this at all.  Now we put all the jewelry through the scanners and we finally make it through.  Ok, onto the ticket counter to check in.  We are told to sit and wait then they will come get us for our flight.  After five minutes they come get us and take us through our 3^rd security check point.  This time computers out of the bags, shoes off and jewelry off.  You would think after three security check points we would feel safe and secure flying… well not really… Kim had knee replacement surgery a few years ago and her knee sets of security check point scanners everywhere …not here!  Next concern Cheryl and I had two identical bottles of water and at the third check point we were told to empty one of them… well she waited while we drank a little bit of the water but never made sure it was empty.

We finally made it to our plane… an 11 seater for a 55-minute flight.  What a hoot!  We landed on grass at the Kasese air strip… very soft landing!

Next we met Davis our driver for the remainder of our trip.  Super nice guy from Rwanda (which learned is really pronounced Rhonda).  We drove 2 ½ hours through many villages and one rural city of Port Fortal.  It is amazing to see how Uganda people live and work in these areas.  Life is not easy here, people work VERY hard for little.  We saw many people walking and biking on the roads carrying huge loads of wood, bananas and pipe.

We arrive at our home for the next two nights Kyaninga Lodge (pronounced Chi-nin-ga).  Our elevation is now 5000 ft.  (and we feel it)  Holy crap this place is beautiful!!!!  The lodge sits high on the cliffs above Crater Lake.  We had a wonderful lunch when we arrived and then off to our rooms.  WOW, just wow!

 

 

 

 

 

A few options for activities in the afternoon, we decided on doing the crater walk (on our own), which they said was a 1 hour 30-minute walk around the cliffs of the crater.  It was incredibly beautiful walk!  During the walk we watched a storm roll in… it was moving fast, but turned and went in a different direction.  We may have taken the long way at the end of the walk, we ended up walking through a village (where all the children came out to greet us) to get back to the lodge.  Cheryl was the only person that was convinced we were not lost!

 

Casualty report

-        Cheryl stab her finger while sewing our backpack together….

-        After 24 hours in a bed of rice, Kim’s iPhone still won’t wake up!  :^(

We are sitting out on the deck writing this blog watching a thunder and lightning storm and listening to the wonderful sounds of Africa!  WE LOVE BEING IN AFRICA.