(I forgot to mention in our Serengeti post that we had also toured a banana plantation and village in Mbe Tu Wmbu, Tanzania and stayed at Meserani Snake Park (http://meseranisnakepark.com/) - an incredibly important resource for the people living in and around Arusha - before crossing into Kenya. And yes, we will be updating/expanding that original post once we're back in Nairobi - hopefully with pictures!)
After leaving Nairobi we travelled to Gilgil (where our friend Jade lives) to visit the Saidia Children's Home. The children living there - nearly 50 at the moment - have been abandoned or orphaned, many of the latter due to AIDS. The home opened in 2004 and takes care of as many children as possible at all times. One of the founders - Jane - told us that adoption in Kenya is next to impossible, so the staff at the home do their best to create an environment where the children feel safe and loved, but also where they can learn important life skills so that they may be successful once on their own. In addition to supporting the children, the women running the home have also created support programs for other people in the community - counselling and education for addicts and prostitutes, and literacy glasses for the grandmothers of some of the children who reside at the home (who contribute to their ongoing care through the sale of crafts). We had a really nice morning playing outside with the kids, followed by a special lunch - rice, chapatis, cabbage stew - which they cooked for us. It was sad to see so many children at the home, but they all seemed happy and healthy. (Not to be a cynic, but I couldn't help but wonder if they are given any special instructions before the white tourists show up, wallets in hand.)
After leaving Gilgil we went to Nakuru, a beautiful area in the country where our beloved Mach is from. (He pointed out his village to us on the way, and the campsite where we stayed that night was actually where he learned to cook/where he worked before signing on with Dragoman.) It was a nice stop because Mach finally got to go home - for the first time in months - to see his two little girls. Because he was away, we had dinner prepared at the campsite...by his sister! It was delicious (of course). I really don't know what we're going to do when we have no "Mach meals" left. :(
While in Nakuru we did a game drive in Nakuru National Park where we were treated to some up-close rhino sightings (our first in quite a while). Black and white rhinos grazing together, and a baby rhino as well! It was nothing like tracking them on foot in Zimbabwe, but it was still awesome.
From Nakuru we spent a night in El Doret before crossing the border into beautiful Uganda.
So, when you think about taking a holiday, you probably don't think about Uganda (if you consider Africa at all), but here's why you should: it is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, hands down, and the people are absolutely lovely. Everyone we see (almost) smiles, waves and yells greetings when they see us - even the adults! (That's really common where the kids are concerned, but most of the adults just kind of stare at us as we roll by.) The women here seem especially happy to see us, and often smile and wave even before the kids do.
Our first night was spent in the capital, Kampala, and was uneventful except for the traffic and crazy-loud birds. As it was the last day of Ramadan, we could hear loud music and celebrations taking place in the city below our campsite. Once we left the city, we spent two nights at a tea plantation in Kibale National Park. Though the weather was overcast and rainy, it didn't prevent us from our intended purpose - getting close to the incredible chimpanzees!
Chimps are humans closest relatives, and when you see them in action, it's very easy to see why. They're simply incredible! We had to hike through the forest for nearly two hours before we found them, but when we did...wow! Their calls are almost deafening to hear - think screaming, barking, and catcalling all in one. They also bang their fists on the hollow base of certain trees, creating a drumming sound which can be heard several kilometres away!
The park officials - who led us in groups of four - advised that no one should get closer than 8 m in order to prevent the spread of disease (which goes both ways). In reality, however, you let the chimps determine how much space is between you which in some cases was as close as 1 m!
It might sound strange, but the chimps were incredibly beautiful. Their features and expressions are just amazing - you feel like they understand who you are and what you're thinking. We were able to spend about an hour with them, watching them swing in the trees, stuff their faces with leaves, mate, carry their babies, play, and study us. On a few occasions they would drop down suddenly from tall trees and run right by us - it was insane!! We were just in awe of them. Because we went in the morning and the forest is dense we don't have National Geographic-worthy photos, but we'll try to post some once we're back in Kenya.
Ugandan tea plantation workers are paid for every kilo of fresh, vibrant green tea leaves they pick. Each mature cluster of leaves has two main leaves and a little half leaf. As you can imagine, these clusters weight next to nothing, meaning it takes very quick hands to amass a kilo. The going rate is about 68 Ugandan shillings per kilo, but some people - including a group of workers we met - are able to earn as much as 72 shillings. Our tour guide - a young, strong, vibrant young man - told us that he worked as a harvester for two months. On his first day, he picked 14 kilos - on his last, he was up to 48. A skilled worker can harvest a little over 100 kilos of leaves per day, netting 6,800 to 7,200 for his/her labour. Oh, did I mention that 2,700 Ugandan shillings is equivalent to $1 USD? What these people have to go through just to survive is truly humbling. None of us would want to do the work they do, and certainly not if it meant that we still had to go home to 5 or 6 other people in a one-room mud hut in the middle of the mountains. I took a photo of one of the workers which I plan to put next to my desk (should I have one again). I hope that seeing his face and remembering all that he goes through to survive will help me to remember how incredibly lucky I am. "There, but for the grace of God, go I..."
After leaving Kibale we camped at Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we took part in an afternoon boat safari. Holy hippos, Batman! We came across a different school every 10 metres or so, and one in each group showed us its teeth. Awesome. While out on the water, one of our travel mates - Julie - received a text message from her mobile provider which provided a very sobering moment for us all. It read: "Welcome to the Democratic Republic of Congo." Though we certainly knew how close we were to the border the thought that we had actually crossed into the DRC whilst out in the water was chilling. Routinely ranked as the most dangerous place in the world, particularly for women, the DRC is not a place any one of us would consider visiting. Thankfully, our boat turned around within a few minutes of that message. (More on reasons why Congo is so dangerous to come.)
After Queen Elizabeth National Park it was on to stunning Lake Bunyonyi, which was probably our most beautiful camp to date. We spent the afternoon swimming and jumping from a 7 m tree platform (which seemed much, much higher). It was a very good day. The next morning we crossed the border into what I believe is the single most beautiful country I have ever seen in my life - Rwanda.
What do you remember about the year 1994? I was 11, and Court was 12. My most vivid memory is of finding out - in my family's kitchen - that John Candy had died. I also remember, a little over a month later, the death of Kurt Cobain. I wasn't a Nirvana fan, but I do remember all of the media coverage of crying teenagers, candlelight vigils, and MuchMusic special clip packages which followed.
I remember the international community getting all worked up over the very unfortunate deaths of these talented individuals. What I don't remember is anyone giving a shit about the senseless slaughter of nearly 1,000,000 fellow human beings in tiny Rwanda between April and July. One.Million. Not only murdered, but raped, tortured, dismembered, lynched, thrown into pits and septic beds where they were pelted with rocks until their screams for mercy stopped. Children given machetes and forced to murder their families, neighbours, friends. Fathers forced to rape their daughters, mothers forced to cut off their sons limbs. Churches burned to the ground with hundreds of people huddled inside. What happened to the "never again" sentiment of the Second World War?
We can't say we didn't know that something terrible was happening. Canadian Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, who was the UN's Force Commander in Rwanda, told the UN in JANUARY of that year what was about to happen. And yet, every request for assistance was denied, and not one soldier was dispatched by the UN to help. Not one, from any nation.
Can you even imagine? People being murdered all day and all night. No one cares. No one helps. French troops show up at the end and create a "safe zone" which essentially operates as an underground railroad for the war criminals they helped to arm and train. Where did they escape to? Zaire, now known officially as the DRC (which has no doubt helped it to become one of the most horrifying places on earth).
The Kigali Memorial Centre is the most heartbreaking place I've ever been. On that site alone 259,000 people are buried in mass graves, some of whom have never been identified. Inside, the memorial tells the tale of a country in which the people were set up to hate each other due to the encouragement of German and then Belgian governments who created divisions and bred discontent. The title of Tutsi was initially bestowed upon those who possessed more than 10 head of cattle - it had nothing to do with where you were born, or how you looked. And as the years passed, the majority grew furious with the minority's power. Does this sound familiar yet?
After leaving the memorial - which also features excellent displays on genocide from around the world - we went to visit the Hotel Rwanda (which has an entirely different name) where 1,200 people were given refuge during the genocide. (If you haven't seen the movie yet, go get it.)
It's so hard to imagine that such a beautiful place was so filled with horror such a short time ago. Rwanda is the cleanest country we've visited BY FAR - plastic bags are banned here, and every citizen must participate in a day of community service each month. The people are incredible. The cities are the most modern we've seen on the entire continent. It's surreal.
As we walk around, it's hard not to look at anyone over the age of 17 and think, "You were here. What role did you play?"
Tomorrow we head out to see the amazing mountain gorillas - a once-in-a-lifetime safari which we are so grateful to be able to experience. Though I can’t wait to see them, I have no doubt that the thing I will remember most about Rwanda will have little to do with its amazing animals...
After leaving Nairobi we travelled to Gilgil (where our friend Jade lives) to visit the Saidia Children's Home. The children living there - nearly 50 at the moment - have been abandoned or orphaned, many of the latter due to AIDS. The home opened in 2004 and takes care of as many children as possible at all times. One of the founders - Jane - told us that adoption in Kenya is next to impossible, so the staff at the home do their best to create an environment where the children feel safe and loved, but also where they can learn important life skills so that they may be successful once on their own. In addition to supporting the children, the women running the home have also created support programs for other people in the community - counselling and education for addicts and prostitutes, and literacy glasses for the grandmothers of some of the children who reside at the home (who contribute to their ongoing care through the sale of crafts). We had a really nice morning playing outside with the kids, followed by a special lunch - rice, chapatis, cabbage stew - which they cooked for us. It was sad to see so many children at the home, but they all seemed happy and healthy. (Not to be a cynic, but I couldn't help but wonder if they are given any special instructions before the white tourists show up, wallets in hand.)
After leaving Gilgil we went to Nakuru, a beautiful area in the country where our beloved Mach is from. (He pointed out his village to us on the way, and the campsite where we stayed that night was actually where he learned to cook/where he worked before signing on with Dragoman.) It was a nice stop because Mach finally got to go home - for the first time in months - to see his two little girls. Because he was away, we had dinner prepared at the campsite...by his sister! It was delicious (of course). I really don't know what we're going to do when we have no "Mach meals" left. :(
While in Nakuru we did a game drive in Nakuru National Park where we were treated to some up-close rhino sightings (our first in quite a while). Black and white rhinos grazing together, and a baby rhino as well! It was nothing like tracking them on foot in Zimbabwe, but it was still awesome.
From Nakuru we spent a night in El Doret before crossing the border into beautiful Uganda.
So, when you think about taking a holiday, you probably don't think about Uganda (if you consider Africa at all), but here's why you should: it is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, hands down, and the people are absolutely lovely. Everyone we see (almost) smiles, waves and yells greetings when they see us - even the adults! (That's really common where the kids are concerned, but most of the adults just kind of stare at us as we roll by.) The women here seem especially happy to see us, and often smile and wave even before the kids do.
Our first night was spent in the capital, Kampala, and was uneventful except for the traffic and crazy-loud birds. As it was the last day of Ramadan, we could hear loud music and celebrations taking place in the city below our campsite. Once we left the city, we spent two nights at a tea plantation in Kibale National Park. Though the weather was overcast and rainy, it didn't prevent us from our intended purpose - getting close to the incredible chimpanzees!
Chimps are humans closest relatives, and when you see them in action, it's very easy to see why. They're simply incredible! We had to hike through the forest for nearly two hours before we found them, but when we did...wow! Their calls are almost deafening to hear - think screaming, barking, and catcalling all in one. They also bang their fists on the hollow base of certain trees, creating a drumming sound which can be heard several kilometres away!
The park officials - who led us in groups of four - advised that no one should get closer than 8 m in order to prevent the spread of disease (which goes both ways). In reality, however, you let the chimps determine how much space is between you which in some cases was as close as 1 m!
It might sound strange, but the chimps were incredibly beautiful. Their features and expressions are just amazing - you feel like they understand who you are and what you're thinking. We were able to spend about an hour with them, watching them swing in the trees, stuff their faces with leaves, mate, carry their babies, play, and study us. On a few occasions they would drop down suddenly from tall trees and run right by us - it was insane!! We were just in awe of them. Because we went in the morning and the forest is dense we don't have National Geographic-worthy photos, but we'll try to post some once we're back in Kenya.
Ugandan tea plantation workers are paid for every kilo of fresh, vibrant green tea leaves they pick. Each mature cluster of leaves has two main leaves and a little half leaf. As you can imagine, these clusters weight next to nothing, meaning it takes very quick hands to amass a kilo. The going rate is about 68 Ugandan shillings per kilo, but some people - including a group of workers we met - are able to earn as much as 72 shillings. Our tour guide - a young, strong, vibrant young man - told us that he worked as a harvester for two months. On his first day, he picked 14 kilos - on his last, he was up to 48. A skilled worker can harvest a little over 100 kilos of leaves per day, netting 6,800 to 7,200 for his/her labour. Oh, did I mention that 2,700 Ugandan shillings is equivalent to $1 USD? What these people have to go through just to survive is truly humbling. None of us would want to do the work they do, and certainly not if it meant that we still had to go home to 5 or 6 other people in a one-room mud hut in the middle of the mountains. I took a photo of one of the workers which I plan to put next to my desk (should I have one again). I hope that seeing his face and remembering all that he goes through to survive will help me to remember how incredibly lucky I am. "There, but for the grace of God, go I..."
After leaving Kibale we camped at Queen Elizabeth National Park, where we took part in an afternoon boat safari. Holy hippos, Batman! We came across a different school every 10 metres or so, and one in each group showed us its teeth. Awesome. While out on the water, one of our travel mates - Julie - received a text message from her mobile provider which provided a very sobering moment for us all. It read: "Welcome to the Democratic Republic of Congo." Though we certainly knew how close we were to the border the thought that we had actually crossed into the DRC whilst out in the water was chilling. Routinely ranked as the most dangerous place in the world, particularly for women, the DRC is not a place any one of us would consider visiting. Thankfully, our boat turned around within a few minutes of that message. (More on reasons why Congo is so dangerous to come.)
After Queen Elizabeth National Park it was on to stunning Lake Bunyonyi, which was probably our most beautiful camp to date. We spent the afternoon swimming and jumping from a 7 m tree platform (which seemed much, much higher). It was a very good day. The next morning we crossed the border into what I believe is the single most beautiful country I have ever seen in my life - Rwanda.
What do you remember about the year 1994? I was 11, and Court was 12. My most vivid memory is of finding out - in my family's kitchen - that John Candy had died. I also remember, a little over a month later, the death of Kurt Cobain. I wasn't a Nirvana fan, but I do remember all of the media coverage of crying teenagers, candlelight vigils, and MuchMusic special clip packages which followed.
I remember the international community getting all worked up over the very unfortunate deaths of these talented individuals. What I don't remember is anyone giving a shit about the senseless slaughter of nearly 1,000,000 fellow human beings in tiny Rwanda between April and July. One.Million. Not only murdered, but raped, tortured, dismembered, lynched, thrown into pits and septic beds where they were pelted with rocks until their screams for mercy stopped. Children given machetes and forced to murder their families, neighbours, friends. Fathers forced to rape their daughters, mothers forced to cut off their sons limbs. Churches burned to the ground with hundreds of people huddled inside. What happened to the "never again" sentiment of the Second World War?
We can't say we didn't know that something terrible was happening. Canadian Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, who was the UN's Force Commander in Rwanda, told the UN in JANUARY of that year what was about to happen. And yet, every request for assistance was denied, and not one soldier was dispatched by the UN to help. Not one, from any nation.
Can you even imagine? People being murdered all day and all night. No one cares. No one helps. French troops show up at the end and create a "safe zone" which essentially operates as an underground railroad for the war criminals they helped to arm and train. Where did they escape to? Zaire, now known officially as the DRC (which has no doubt helped it to become one of the most horrifying places on earth).
The Kigali Memorial Centre is the most heartbreaking place I've ever been. On that site alone 259,000 people are buried in mass graves, some of whom have never been identified. Inside, the memorial tells the tale of a country in which the people were set up to hate each other due to the encouragement of German and then Belgian governments who created divisions and bred discontent. The title of Tutsi was initially bestowed upon those who possessed more than 10 head of cattle - it had nothing to do with where you were born, or how you looked. And as the years passed, the majority grew furious with the minority's power. Does this sound familiar yet?
After leaving the memorial - which also features excellent displays on genocide from around the world - we went to visit the Hotel Rwanda (which has an entirely different name) where 1,200 people were given refuge during the genocide. (If you haven't seen the movie yet, go get it.)
It's so hard to imagine that such a beautiful place was so filled with horror such a short time ago. Rwanda is the cleanest country we've visited BY FAR - plastic bags are banned here, and every citizen must participate in a day of community service each month. The people are incredible. The cities are the most modern we've seen on the entire continent. It's surreal.
As we walk around, it's hard not to look at anyone over the age of 17 and think, "You were here. What role did you play?"
Tomorrow we head out to see the amazing mountain gorillas - a once-in-a-lifetime safari which we are so grateful to be able to experience. Though I can’t wait to see them, I have no doubt that the thing I will remember most about Rwanda will have little to do with its amazing animals...
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