Saturday September 4, 2010 – Rafting and horseback riding

Saturday September 4, 2010 – Rafting and horseback riding


It rained last night. We lay in the tent too early this morning listening to it pitter patter on the fly. I guess it doesn’t matter much for rafting as everyone is soaking wet anyway. The Dragoman crew were taking down their tents at 6:30, so we were up as well – unfortunately no breakfast til 8. The bonus was we were the only ones in the restaurant-bar –except the red-tailed monkeys who were hopping about in the rafters and in and out of the adjacent trees. Soo cute, and making the funniest little squeaky noises. But the day cleared, we got breakfast, and Elizabeth is marginally better, enough to give the rafting a go. But it’s classic hurry up and wait – after a number of false starts and me fussing about (I admit it) by about 10:00 the buses from Kampala had finally arrived and there were a pile of people milling about, drinking coffee, and anointing themselves with sun lotion in preparation for a day on the river. Those combining with a bungee jump did their jumps, and we all cheered from the deck (one of those things I never have a desire to do – can’t believe Elizabeth jumped in New Zealand). But eventually all became order, lifejackets, helmets and paddles were handed out, bananas were issued for last minute calories, and off they went. Sarah and I watched from the deck as the rafts went down the first mini rapids below us, trying to figure out which raft was Elizabeth’s, the rafts surrounded by a flock of kayakers to pick up those that end up in the river and generally perform rescue tasks.
Sarah and I settled in for an exciting morning of moving the tent, laundry, and playing with the cats until I caught up on a few things and it was time for riding. Riding was back over the bridge to the other side of the river and down the opposite side almost opposite where were staying. They have a lot of horses, which generally looked very well cared for. New Zealand woman who is the keen horse person and competes in three-day events in Kenya, and her Australian husband run the place, catering primarily to tourists who do rides along the Nile. So Sarah and I were helmeted and mounted up on a couple of very placid steeds for a sedate walk along the bank of the Nile, which was very high up and also very photogenic, and then back through the villages. Sarah went first, led the whole way by an African groom, I followed, and then I was followed by a second groom on foot to make sure none of the kids in the villages got too close. Sarah thought it was hilarious that I was behind her and kept telling me I was the slowpoke and I needed to hurry up. Not quite sure what she expected I was going to do, but she thought the whole thing was pretty funny. The ride back through the village was actually quite interesting as the guides told me the names of the plants growing in peoples gardens –s me like beans and bananas were pretty obvious, but things like their sweet potato and yams weren’t. There were lots of coffee trees in flower, and a scent almost like orange in the air which might have been coming from them. So we had a nice ride, Sarah was totally thrilled, and then we watched the horses being rubbed down and everyone being put into their stalls for an afternoon feed. Definitely a big hit of an activity.
And then back to camp, with a stop in jinja to change money (oops, banks close at 1:00 on Sat) and to pick up a chicken pie, chocolate brownie, and ginger squares at a local bakery. Treats for after dinner. Sarah has developed a regular round of visiting in the time we’ve been here. Brenda, who turns out to have had a developmentally delayed sister, has all the time in the world for her and Sarah offers to pain her nails for her. Sarah is also a big favourite with the cooks for the overland trucks – she wanders over while I am doing stuff in the car and the next thing I know she is busy chopping vegetables and stirring things and getting fed cookies and crackers, and according to her beers although I don’t quite believe that part. The guys are really really patient with her and keep insisting she is no problem –a far cry from home where people are always so busy she in mostly in the way.
IT’s past 6 when Elizabeth and the rafting group get back – tired and soggy and variably sunburnt. They had a good day – Elizabeth was with a pretty good crew. Their raft overturned once and dumped them all out, she got turfed out on another set of rapids, and they all had a good time swimming in the smooth spots in between when it got to hot. Although their guide apparently made them paddle a lot more than some of the others so they will all be stiff as well as bruised tomorrow. The Jinja rapids are serious white water rafting and really exhilarating, but a new dam being constructed down the river will wipe out most of them next year – hard to argue with Uganda’s need for electricity, especially since the current dam and powerplant is apparently approaching its “best before” date. I guess both of us now have bragging rights for “I rafted the rapids before they were flooded”. Have to get t-shirts made.
Dinner in the bar, some more upside down kayak tricks – Brenda gives it a go and then so do I, getting bright red sambuca all over myself – which Sarah takes rather exception to as it stains fingers pretty well and she keeps thinking it is blood and telling us to wash our hands. Elizabeth fades early, a major accomplishment to make it this far considering how she has been feeling. Sarah and I watch the rugby with a bunch of locals, mostly from South Africa, Australia, or New Zealand, and then head off pretty early ourselves. Must have been that exhausting hour of trail riding!