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A 17-day adventure by Chris Read more
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  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 2

    Just like that and I'm off again........

    January 6, 2023 in South Africa

    After an 11 hour flight to take Lindani home back to South Africa it was strange to say good bye although I will be seeing him in a weeks time when I fly him and Nkosie back to Durban. So it is a stop over for me in Johannesburg before traveling to Uganda. I have transferred through Johannesburg many times on my trips with volunteers but never sopped of there. Well only once when I was traveling back from a trip and I collapsed before the plane was airborne and I was disembarked and taken to a hospital only to find out I was dehydrated. British Airways popped us on the next flight the following day.Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 3

    Johannesburg

    January 7, 2023 in South Africa ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    I'm not one to sit around so it was an amazing day out spent with TK and Nkosie who had meet me the day before traveling from Mbazwana his home town to Johannesburg on a local taxi (amazed he got there really) the tour guide from Johannesburg. Taking us first to Nelson Mandela's house and Desmond Tutu's house in Soweto. They both lived on the same straight and the only two people to live on the same street and hold the Noble Peace prize.
    The history of Soweto was so humbling and actual stand in Nelson Mandela's home where he lived is so hard to describe. One of those moments when you get a shiver down your back.
    The it was on to the area where a young boy Hector Peterson was gunned down in the apart eight times. Demonstrating for the right to not have to speak Afrikaans has a first language in 1976. I was would have been 7 at the time. To think children were marching peacefully on the other side of the world for their rights and the were shot, makes me wonder if there is anything a young teen in todays world would be that passion about anything. We then took a drive through downtown Johannesburg with strict instruction to put our phones away and we were told that we wouldn't be stopping at any red lights. "So please don't worry." That was the understatement. Nkosie said did I want a black marker pen 🙄😂
    Visiting other countries trying to understand other cultures has to be the beginning of trying to understand the one planet 🌎 we all live on.
    Then to Johannesburg Tambo international airport to fly to Uganda with Nkosie, a really adventure for him only the second time on a plane since our trip to Tanzania
    I will be visiting Uganda over the next week with my CoCos Foundation hat 🧢 on. Where in lockdown we help a group of amazing people from Club House the Socail media app purchase a farm to support 1🌍1 street children.    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 4

    Enrebbe Airport Uganda

    January 8, 2023 in Uganda ⋅ ☀️ 30 °C

    Boy that was a long flight after travelling from the UK to SA then on to Uganda 4hrs on a little plane. ✈️ Reminded me of the good old days when you thought you were going to run out of runway before you got airborne. Before we get on the ground crew insist we must wear a mask 😷 Covid regulations are still strong on Uganda flights. Mask what Mask..? No one told us we needed one. 🙄 Insteps a mum with 3 children all boys that have been running up and down the walk ways driving everyone made with their energy. There Mum had spare marks in her handbag and came to our rescue. "A nice shade of pink" but ha who's complaining if it means we get on the flight...lol
    We land in Uganda at 2:30am
    visa check ✔️
    passport ✔️
    yellow fever certificate ❎
    flip were is it..?
    After much hunting around I found it. Boy I hate that feeling. 😩 immigration check ✔️
    We are in.!
    We told under no circumstances that we should leave the airport before our guide arrives at 6am🙄.
    So time to sort out the usual stuff money exchange and the all important SIM cards for the phone. We buy a couple of bottles of water and take the opportunity to grab a Power Nap before a 9hr drive to the west of Uganda. 6am arrives and we meet our guide for the next 3 days William stands there with a sign to identify us. Lol......we are the only ones come out of the airport. 😂

    UGANDA
    We leave the airport in the dark William says that it will get little around 7:30am has we drive around the suburbs of Kampala with the sun raising you can start to feel and see the country coming alive with activity. We drive through the local roads with a 9hr drive ahead of us and already you can see the difference of Uganda to South Africa. The people here move with a purpose everyone seems to be heading somewhere doing something. Maureen my freind in the UK from Uganda said we had to have a driver when we were here. I full understand why. It is hectic the main mode of transport is the boarder-boarder (motorbikes) they have been brought in from India, young or old male or female everyone is driving them darting around with often the whole family onboard going to church or carrying their produce to the market to sell. But what ever they are doing for the car driver it is hectic. (thanks for the tip Maureen)    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 4

    Bwindi Forest National Park

    January 8, 2023 in Uganda ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Along our way we stop off for breakfast with an extra treat at * town. We are now on the line of the equator. In the middle of all the shake houses and businesses the Equator restaurant has popped up run by a local man who saw an opportunity and has made a thriving business from the tourist.
    *picks a flower from his little garden and takes us to a bowl. With a well rehearsed demonstration he fills the first bowl up with water and then waits till it settles and then pulls the plug. We are standing in the southern hemisphere and has we watch the the water drains away clockwise has he drops his petal in you can see it clearly going clock wise. Nkosie looks decisively unimpressed. We then step over a white line in the ground and *announces we are now in the Northern hemisphere. He once again fills the bowl up and the. Let's the water out this time it goes anti-clockwise. Nkosie Jaw hits the floor. "How come.?"
    *moves to the middle of the white line and announces that we are now standing in the centre of the equator. Once again the bowl is filled up and the what is released the petal is through in and boom....
    it's sucked straight down the plug hole. Nkosie says is it black magic.
    It's a first for me to be on the equator line.
    It's only 7:30am and it feels like we have been awake forever. Time for breakfast Williams says. Popping over to a little souvenir shop which also doubles up has a restaurant they make us very welcome and Nkosie orders Burger and chips, William Rice, cooked Banana and Irish potato. "I thought this was breakfast....lol
    A cheese omelette for me, with avocado and tomatoes. Then after a long chat about the local religion (mainly Catholic's) we are back on the road.
    Uganda is full of hills the land is rich and fertile and everywhere you look there is something growing.
    Coffee ☕️, Bananas 🍌, Beans 🫘, Potatoes 🥔, Peanuts 🥜, Mangoes 🥭 and with all that growing of food everyone where ever where is growing it, transporting it and selling it. The bananas taste like bananas I have never tasted before, they pack a punch.
    Why are the Ugandas so proactive.?
    Why are they so self sufficient.?
    Has we chat to William slow we manage to join the dots up and get answers.
    1. Their government does not look after them. You have a baby you don't get paid out for that baby it's your responsibility. Unlike in South Africa where you get paid every month for child support.
    2. In fairness the Ugandas land is so rich and fertile everyone is grown something but they can. In South Africa this is not the case in the area that the CoCos Foundation works it is mainly sand.
    Has we drive up into the mountains with it raining hard the water running down the banana leafs this day Is one experience not to be forgotten. Fortunately Nkosie is sitting on the cliff side......lol. As we speed along a narrow single dirt track the 4x4 I think William thinks he is a formula one driver...😂 not for the faint hearted.
    1hr later we arrive at our camp where we are staying the nigh. It is basic but has everything we need a bed a shower. Dinner is served at 7:30pm what amazes me is here we are in the jungle and jet the service and the food is amazing. When I asked Lindani what's the thing he misses the most about africa he always said the sun and the service. I get it buddy.!

    After dinner we sit around the camp firer always the best thing about been here. An old boy place a tune on a local harp and we reminisce about the day and Williams driving..lol
    We retire to our tent ⛺️ for the night and the boys have prepare our beds with a hot water bottle and mosquito nets. Has I close my eyes I hear the sounds of the jungle and the Gorillas 🦍 in the distance.    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 5

    Bwindi Forest National Park

    January 9, 2023 in Uganda

    The alarm goes off at 6 am. It's the start of the new day it's pitch black outside and a little bit cold. I get out of my warm bed and then jumping to the cold shower with some reluctance. As I pull back the tent door, the Sun is just coming up and the mist is hovering over the valley of the jungle.
    We go up the stone path for breakfast, the two boys greet us and they have cooked poached egg on toast.
    They season food so well here.!

    We leave the Bwindi camp and travel to an out post where we are going to start our days trakking to the Gorillas 🦍. William drops us of at the out post where we are met with two mean carrying AK47 machine guns. (for our protection I might add)
    We meet the local ladies who preformed a travel well and good luck dance that we see the gorillas.

    We move off in the 4 by 4's, then park on the roadside. Maureen appears from no where a tiny lady she is going to be our guide for the day. She gives us the instructions.
    We have to wear masks.
    We must stay together.
    We mustn't let the gorillas dead in the eye if they come to waters.
    And she has some sticks for us to help to balances on the way down.
    We start to descend down the mountainside, but before we do, we catch a beautiful view of where the farmland ends and where the voice starts. There are 351 square kilometres of Bwindi forest with 459 Gorillas 🦍 50 families
    22 are habituation. The government has ordered that no more land should be cleared for farmland in order to try and protect the gorillas.
    It's to the same the world over for wildlife. There are too many human beings on our planet, squeezing the wildlife out, but what do you do? Humans have got to eat..! In the Uganda
    The people worked incredibly hard to maintain a living out of the land..
    we descend down the mountainside. God, it's steep…!
    For 30 minutes we descending trying not to grab the trees with spikes on and the nettles, then suddenly a little our ranger Maureen put her hand up, which means we have to stop. Silence comes over us all and then there's a huge crack on the branches above us in a tree. We all look up there in front of us is a mother gorilla with her little baby.
    There are times when in the presents of Wild life that you can only be in oar. We hear a loud grunt behind us and has we turn there he is the make silver back. If you thought the mother was big then you now understood that you were in the presents of a beast that at an moment could choose to end your days......
    Maureen have the sign not to move....lol has if anyone was going to go. We all knelt down taking a submissive position. The Silver back also sat down and with one gentle motion took the branch of a tree and stripped it from the leafs and then started to much on them. Maureen gave the sign that we could all get a little close. So very slowly we all edge forward on our bums. He looked up grunted and we all froze, that was far enough.
    We spent the next hour observing this family of 7 them foraging arguing over mushrooms 🍄 they had found and swing up In the trees above us.
    Maureen then said we had 5 mins to go. Truly I could of stayed there all day.
    What you then remember is the steep climb that you have to take to get back to the road. 1hr of almost a vertical climb. Flip I'm unfit..!
    We eventually pop out on to the road there stood little Maureen not a bead of sweet on her and breathing normally. There I was breathing like a stream train and sweating like a pig.
    The guy next to me was polish and he was in a right state. He asked me how old o was. 53 I said your fit...lol
    How old are you I said 33. I didn't feel that bad.
    Maureen gave us our certificates and we posed for photos.    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 5

    Lake Bunyonyi

    January 9, 2023 in Uganda ⋅ ☁️ 21 °C

    William then arrived with our trusted 4 by 4 and we were off. Our next stop and place to stay for the night was about 3hrs drive south to Lake Bunyonyi which means Small bird. We started to climb up a mountain winding our way to the top. Once there we went along the ridge and then it hit us.......

    Lake Bunyonyi the deepest lake in Africa 900 meters. Peppered with little islands 29 of them, William announced we would be staying on one of them for the night. Nkosie face was a picture. How we going to get there he said. By boat, was the answer. I'm not to sure it he looked happy nervous or just scared. We drove down the opposite mountain side and the appeared next to a little motorised boat. In we all popped luggage and all and then off we went. Nkosie nervous so changed to now if happiness.
    The little canoe cut though the water like butter. We arrive on the island to be met by a young man with a warm flannel on a wooden tray.
    We were then loaded on a gold buggy and off we went to the top of the island. Arriving there we were take trough to a veranda which over looked the other island. It was soooo beautiful.
    After settling in William asks us if we would like to hirer a canoe 🛶 and canoe around the island. With that decision made William jumps into the rear of the canoe I jump in the middle and then Nkosie jumps in the front. But with in seconds he jumps out and says no no no..!
    It's not safe. Me and William took it out to show Nkosie all was good. We then returned and a very reluctant Nkosie got back in at the front, then then real fun started. To many chiefs and not enough Indians sprang to mind. With William trying to instruct Nkosie and Nkosie stuggerling to understand we spent about 20mins going around in circles.
    They finally sorted it and we slowly but surly made away around the beautiful island of jahukwe.
    The lake was so calm the perfect way to end a day.    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 6

    Jinja Uganda

    January 10, 2023 in Uganda ⋅ 🌩️ 24 °C

    It's time to travel again..!
    Today we are making the long journey back to Kampala and then on to Jinja. 9hrs to Kampala and the 3hrs to Jinja.
    Driving often gives you time to think and reflect. The last couple of days have been truly amazing and I have manage to tick off some from my bucket list.
    Nkosie and I are so inspired by the Ugandans.
    Their passion to be self sufficient.
    After a long drive we arrive at Kampala ready to meet out new driver and the lady that has assisted us to purchase the farm here in Uganda Paula.
    We pull into a shell garage and then from no where Paula arrives with her big smile and crazy hair. To be honest it was her hair I noticed first.
    The driver arrives and hour later and we say our good-byes to William.
    We pile into our now posh car and off we go we don't go very far when we end up in a traffic jam. Now I know why we have to have a driver. It's chaotic, complete madness the border border motorbikes come back to you from all directions cars do I have where they like it seems to be a complete free for all.

    It gets dark and we are still travelling. Then suddenly there is an almighty bang. Fortunately, our driver hits a police, spike blockade that goes across the road, piercing straight through a front driver-side tire. We limp along until the car comes to a halt. Now what?
    There are no police on site so both and causing me start to do what we have done many times before and change the tire. Driver calls the owner of the company and within minutes he arrives and takes over.

    We are once again up and away travelling to the hotel.
    After travelling for 15 hours, all you want is a bed and a shower, but maybe not in that order. We arrive at the Nile village spa hotel, place that was chosen for us to be able to relax after a hectic day at the children's home. As we walk up to reception, the lovely lady behind reception says how many I help you. I show her the booking confirmation and then she types away on her computer and unfortunately our booking has been cancelled.
    But in a very sweet manner, she says she has a room available for us in her sister hotel across the road. Exhausted I'm not ready to pick a fight. We then pick up all our bags and walk 250 yards down the road with men walking around with machine guns. We finally get to a hotel and get booked in shower and bed. I am exhausted and Mr and Nkosie looks like a walking zombie.    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 7

    Bugiri, Uganda

    January 11, 2023 in Uganda ⋅ 🌩️ 26 °C

    We will jump into the back of the car,
    Mandela and Nkosie and myself a bit of a squash.
    Mandela directs us to the home of the children. With a huge wall around it and a massive iron gate.
    The gates started to open and out popped this little faces all smiling. Has the gates opened to reveal the Home of the children, the first thing I saw were all these amazing quote written on chalkboards.
    Nkosie and Paula where then show the rabbits 🐇 that Mandela normally speakers about on club house. They have the rabbits to teach them responsibility. As Nkosie picked his up it started to jump around. Nkosie was so unsure. Mandela asked him to hold them by the ears to calm them. We then went to the main hall where all the children meet. Has I was walking there 3 boys ran up to meet me and dropped to there knees and the held out their hand to be shaken.
    This for me seeing the children drop to their knees just didn't seem right. I asked them to stand up. Mandela said it was a sign of respect.
    So I stand corrected.!

    So many shoes of the front of the hall, so I thought I was best I slipped mine off to. There was a massive cheer has o walked into the hall and there were 5 chairs prepared for us to sit on.
    Mandela calmed the children down who were so exited to see us. When they were all focused he then introduced me formally to the children and then asked them to do the same back.
    Has each child did this I gave them a high five. 20 mins past and we were still doing high fives....lol

    We settled back down again and Paula introduced us and then asked the children if there was anything that the children wanted to share. One you man put his hand up at the back of the room and stood up.
    None of us were prepared for what he was about to say next.
    Sir I won't to thank you for the cows you donated to us they saved my life 🤷‍♂️.
    My mother passed and my father passed and I was on the street begging for little food I could. I was beaten main time at night the street is not a safe place to be. I came across Mandela one day hold out my hands to ask for food. He looked down at me and said "boy where is your family" I told him they had passed and I had none. He put his hand on my head and said "do you anywhere to stay" no "then come.
    At this point I look across at Paula and Nkosie and they both had tears in their eyes.
    He took me in to the children home where I meant my now brothers and sisters. We had some cows arrive he asked me if I could look after them. I used to look after cows with my father. I wanted to take my own life many times but I used to speak to the cows and tell them my troubles. At this point that was me done I had tears rolling down my cheeks and the boy was wiping his away.
    Thank you God thank you Bother Mandela and thank you to the person that gave us the cows you saved my life. They are my friends
    Paula stood up in tears and walked to him trying not to step on any children. When she reached him she gave him a hug and he just melted into her.

    The young man asked us if we would like to go out to meet his cows. He explains later that one of the females out of the three had a calf. Now he know for sure to are pregnant and I believe the third one is again. The smile on his face says it all.
    We often can give a gift and we truly do not understand the impact that it will make. (Thanks Damion)

    We leave at 3pm to make away back to the original hotel to try and check in after the challenge of the night before when they had cancelled our rooms. It was my intent that they should pay the difference between the hotel they placed us in and the price of the one we were going to stay in for the next 5 days. Cut a long story short I decided to stay in the much more basic but friendlier hotel that we stayed in the night before.
    (First world problems)    Read more

  • TravelerUganda - South Africa
    Day 8

    Visiting the farm

    January 12, 2023 in Uganda ⋅ 🌩️ 26 °C

    6:30am the alarm goes of and it's time to move again. Today Mandela is going to take us to the farm we purchased on behalf of the donors of the 24hr event that Pete Cohen put on in Club house and raised £10,000 for. Has a charity we were asked to be ca custodial of the money and it soon became obvious that there needed to be a lot of due diligence.
    After many hours and a lot of help from friends that I know used to live in Uganda we had helped Mandela and the charity God InAction was formed.
    Here we are today making the hour journey from the children's home to the Farm. We all piled into the 4by4 again the three of us in the back Mandela, Nkosie and myself then Paula and our trusted driver Hamash

    1hr later after driving through some beautiful countryside we arrive at the farm. Has we step out the car some local people came around to chat to Mandela, but I think mainly to look a me. What is very obvious is that I am have been the only white person around for the last few days. The children pull on the hair on my arms....lol

    With the sun shinning it's time to do a little filmimg and take loads of photos for back home for everyone that supported Mandela to reach his vision. Mandela voice is so quite I realised I had left my mic in the car. I asked one of the lads if they would mind getting it for me. He sprints of like an Olympic run and returns with my while back pack.
    The land is very rich and fertile. It have mango and Jack fruit trees in it which will be great in the future to be able to have fruit for the children.

    Mandela is very keen to walk me to the far end of the boundary. The whole farm has been fence in which various people donated for. We start to walk slow back and Mandela says rain is coming. With one could in the sky I hardly think so...lol
    With an enormous clap of thunder and a flash of lightning from no where the heavens opened literally from the one cloud. Really..!
    Everyone started running back to the car. I quickly grabbed my back pack and then took my coat out. Thank yo the Olympic runner.
    The two I felt sorry for were the two that came on a motorbike boarder-boarder they got soaked.

    The rich red road turned into a running river. Our beautiful white car ended up a rich red..lol. We left the rain cloud behind us.
    We made our way back to the home for the children's. Which was bathing in in beautifully sun light.
    Mandala said we can take the children to the playing fields to play football. We had brought some balls that morning.
    With great excitement the children lead the way to the playing fields. Once there they split into two teams and Nkosie who is used to playing back home was one team captain.
    1hr later Nkosie could be found under the tree 🌳 with his shirt of gasping for air, the children had run him racked.
    With all the children tired after another great day it was time to go back to the hotel . But before we went we were asked if we wanted some fresh pineapple 🍍 when you visit a country one thing I always do is try the fruit of the country it taste so much nicer then the UK.    Read more

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