Crossing the Equator

 

February 16 – Day 3

Another travel day.  We rise early and meet Davis with bags packed at 7:30.  It quickly becomes apparent that all our baggage will not fit inside the van and there is considerable discussion about how best to arrange things, given the risk of rain.   We finally get things sorted out with 4 bags on the roof and a reasonable amount of room inside for passengers. 

We are travelling to Fort Portal, which will be the westernmost area of Uganda that any of us have visited.  So, north to Kampala, but avoiding the congested inner city, then heading northwestward as the urban environment gradually gives way to farmland and wetlands.  We pass fields of matoke, coffee, and rice, along with eucalyptus plantations.  Coffee is one of Uganda’s main agricultural export crops.

Some random views from the road of Ugandan life

 

Progress is slowed by several bathroom breaks, re-stocking drinking water and pops, ATM adventures, speed bumps, etc..  There are 5 or 6 police roadblocks we encounter.  Most vehicles are waved on, but our van is pulled over every time.  A grumpy officer will walk about the van, peering inside and require Davis to produce his driver’s license.  Apparently they are cracking down on drivers without the proper license classification to drive tourist vans.  He says their poor disposition is probably because they are reluctant to demand payment since a video of an officer requesting a bribe went viral.

We stop at a photo op spot marking the equator.  Carly and Scott purchase a hand made mask from the local vendor.

Seated:  Jamie & Alicia. Rear: Bonnie, Alan, Sue, Scott, Carly

 

Brunch consists of Rolexes from a stand in one of the towns.  The name comes from shortening “rolled eggs”, and the meal involves fried eggs served on a fried chapatti rolled up with onions and diced tomato.  They are inexpensive, filling, and delicious.  We later buy a couple of roasted corn cobs from a roadside vender, but none of the tourists find it appealing.  Davis says he will happily enjoy them later, and stashes them on the dashboard.

 

It is 5 pm by the time we roll into Kibale National Park, which will be our destination tomorrow for chimpanzee trekking.  There is a group of baboons scattered along the roadside at a large speed bump.  As we slow, a large male leaps onto the hood and peers into the windshield.  Apparently he likes the looks of the corn.  We laugh as the imposing creature jumps ship as we accelerate away, recalling that we had ridiculed Davis for being reluctant to put luggage on the roof, worrying that monkeys would steal the bags.

 

Davis tells us that our hotel in Fort Portal is only another 20 minutes away, but we time the drive to take 50 minutes.  After grabbing more water at a small supermarket, we drive through the small city to our luxurious Nyaika Hotel.  The staff are very attentive and friendly, offering a fresh fruit drink and hiking our bags up the 1 or 2 flights of stairs.  Feeling exhausted, we all retire to our rooms and order room service meals.  The food quality is variable, but overall fairly good, and early bedtimes are required for an early getaway tomorrow.