Saturday, April 16, 2011

Saturday

We left at about 11 am to drive to Murchnson Falls park. It was on the road to Gulu, thankfully a paved road. Along the long drive, we stopped at “McDonald’s”, a favorite stop of Jim and mine. It frightened Mara who had never been swarmed by a pack of teens shoving chicken, goat, sodas or whatever elese they had into the car. Jim and I had some goat, grizzly goat, but tasty. It is about 2,000 shillings a skewer but it was a hassle trying to find the right hand to place the money into. A phenomenon. Drove some more. We ate at late lunch at a nice club behind locked gates with an armed guard. I had chicken, no menu- just chicken, fish or goat or another round of rice and beans, and chatted. It was Larry, Mara, the music professor from the University of Cincinnati, Jim and I.  Our next stop was Mara’s trip to see the rhinos. Jim and I waited and had something to drink outdoors. A sweet dicdic entertained us and we shopped a bit. The last rhino in Uganda died in the 80’s so the US started their collection. There were 9 now and 12 more were expected to increase their population. Apparently poachers would cut off the horn to make and sell its products and leave the rhinos to die a slow death. So now, there are armed guards.

Then we continued to a motel near the falls. Mara and I shared a room; Larry and Jim the same. We ate dinner outdoors. I had fish, which I wish I hadn’t, and chatted. A beautiful moon-lit evening was shared. Larry kept on his computer –frankly everywhere we went. He had this month long subscription to a modem that worked EVERYWHERE. It cost about $40 initially and then about $15 a month. If I were staying longer, and I knew how many times the internet would be down, I would have known enough to get one of those. Next time!