Lions rock

What a great weekend. However, before I begin, I would like to advise everyone that despite the renewal of the hostilities in the Democratic Republic of Congo, I am ok. In fact, I’m not even in the DRC. I am also not in one of the numerous refugee camps that are located in the eastern DRC and so have very little chance of contracting cholera, though if I do, I am currently within 5 minutes of a large and well equipped hospital that likely has an electrolyte solution in storage that could be given to me intravenously.

Seriously though, I’m surprised and delighted that some of my reader’s (re: my mom and my girlfriend) know about the conflict in the DRC. While I know details about the Rwandan genocide, I was largely ignorant of the civil conflict that’s been taking place in the DRC since 1996. It’s been called the African World War, and at one time sucked in six surrounding nations at a toll of 3 to 4 million lives. But I was largely ignorant of this conflict, possibly because other conflicts happening around the world dominate the news? Or possibly because it was just another conflict on a seemingly perpetually war-torn continent far away?

So I don’t know if other conflicts around the world are starting to wind down, or if they’re simply getting boring, but it’s nice to see the misery in Africa is starting to grab some headlines again. It would, of course, be nice if the headlines were about the latest improvements, but I’ll take what I can get.

Anyway, if you’ll recall, my last update had me heading off to Ishasha Plains to see some lions. We left Friday morning and arrived at the park by 4:30 that afternoon. Went on an evening game drive and to my delight, saw two lionesses. Unfortunately they were just lounging on the ground, but thanks to the presence of a guide we were able to go off-road and get within twenty feet. Which was cool until one of them got up and came over to check out the van. I mean I know a van is pretty solid, but there were moments when I wondered how wise it was to be trapped inside a sardine can with a large predator outside. Finished the drive by checking out a python which was lying beside the road digesting a baby antelope.

Camped that night on the plains, which previously seemed like a good idea, but after seeing the lions and the python, I had some rather...active...dreams. My fellow Acts companions, also sleeping in tents, didn’t appreciate the muffled yell of “help” I shouted in my sleep at 11:30pm. Apparently three of them didn’t get back to sleep after that. I would like to note that none of them came to see if I was ok...

The next morning, got up at dawn and managed to see two male lions on the same circuit we completed the previous night, though again, not in trees. Still, a lion is cool no matter where it may be, so we were counting ourselves lucky as we headed out of the park. But just as we were leaving, we finally saw them; two lionesses lounging on the bottom branch of a massive sycamore tree. They made the branch look very, very comfortable, but were kind of funny when one tried to get past the other to get off the tree. Didn’t look like any king of the jungle then. Still, this is possibly one of the most anticipated things I’ve been looking forward to since I arrived in Uganda. Now that I’ve seen them, I feel like I can finally go home. Once I’ve completed a proposal of course...

The group dropped me off at the town of Kihihi and continued on their safari while I headed back to lake Bunyoni to take a few chill days in a relatively cheap, yet kind of luxurious setting. It took me nine hours, three matatu rides, two boda bodas (the first boda got a flat tire half up to the lake, leaving me stranded effectively in the middle of nowhere with night fast approaching, but another boda came by ten minutes later) and a boat ride, but eventually I got there.

I’d forgotten how nice and serene the setting was. And also how there was very little to do. Once I’d sailed around the island, tried out the rope swing and finished my two books, I decided to head back. I’m now back in Mbarara, and likely going to start work on more design even though we technically have tomorrow off as well – it just seems like the most appropriate thing to do. Besides, vacation without some sort of fast physical activity seems to bore me.

Cooking my favourite dish tonight, spaghetti with a side of crickets. I felt bad cooking the crickets as they were still moving, but their legs had been taken off so they couldn’t jump anymore. One of the interns likened the morality to eating shrimp. They were delicious though. Similar to pumpkin seeds.