mass update

well, I've been pretty bad about posting this past month, but i figure it is better to spend time enjoying my life then spending time writing about it, right? that said, my last two weeks in Arua were great -- i loved working with NRC despite the really intense areas of work and desperation I've been looking at. had the chance to make some new good friends at the last minute, and build stronger relationships with those who, by the end of my five months there, i could call old friends. in so much that i had not one, but three official going away events. a friday night at oasis, with all the proper NGOs in town being represented, a dinner party at Per-Olaf and Jelena's, and a proper farewell at 'The Indian'. It was great that Phil was present to meet all these folk and have a slight glimpse at where I've been living working this year...the next point to mention is that PHIL IS IN UGANDA! yay! it was a bittersweet departure from arua, but his presence and our travel plans certainly made it more palatable.

More details/photos/memories/feelings will have to come when i'm not at an internet cafe in mbarara.

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Again, at an internet cafe in Mbarara, after darting to reach a Western Union by 12:30 on a Saturday, I can write with a bit of ease. Bank calamity has been partially absolved. Not worth posting details - hakuna matata, right? I'm sure Phil is sick of me telling him things along this vain, but hey, "This is Africa" (please pardon my use of the worst quote ever). But hey! This IS Africa!! Tuesday we reached Murchison Falls, where we stayed at a lovely hotel (with bad bad bad operating procedures and horribly annoying missionaries that were singing far too frequently...) on the south bank of the Nile River. A few game drives yielded spottings of buffalo, uganda kob, birds a plenty, antelop, bush buck, etc. The highlight of the visit was the River Boat launch, where crocodiles smiled widely, and lounging Hippos burped frequently as we cruised up towards the base of the tremendous falls. Actually, that wasn't the highlight -- the visit to the top of the falls was! absolutely incredible. photos will have to explain further.

From Murchison we headed southwest, via Hoima, to Queen Elizabeth National Park - the park harbouring the greatest diversity in the country. We stayed at Jacana Lodge - a gorgeous gem with a fullboard price that nearly rivaled my salary for the past five months. Yesterday we started with a game drive at 6:30 AM - spotting multiple prides of lions, elephants, kob, etc - before chimp trekking at the Kyambura gorge, and then heading with a packed lunch to the Kazinga Channel for a river cruise and ending the day with a drive through the crater lake salt mining fields. All fantastic, with little much I can say -- you know how I do. Photos are a must. Until greater bandwidth exists, i'll keep you waiting!

Proceeding to Lake Bunyonyi now, Rwanda (GORILLAS!!!) on Monday, down to Kigali, and back to Kampala by Friday. A quick tour for Phil through K'la's hotspots before he leaves for Dubai on Sunday, and I head to Nairobi...

hope your trails are as fruitfull as mine! XOXO.