2008!

Happy New Year!

We returned to Uganda on January 10th having enjoyed a very hectic but very enjoyable month in England and then a few days in Cape Town on our way back. It was great to catch up with family and friends but were very pleased to return to the warm, bright sunshine! The first week back we had no power, no internet or telephone so we definitely knew we had returned to this 'developing' country!

Teaching was hectic for the three weeks of the in-service teaching programme but I really enjoyed being back with the huge classes (over 100) of very appreciative teachers. We then had some time before our pre-service students return so I was able to join Rob on a field trip to one of the charity projects.

We went to Queen Elizabeth national park to Ishasha to see the trench they have dug and the fence to keep the elephants from wandering out of the park and eating the villagers crops. It is 20kms long!

We stayed in a town called Kihihi which was very busy and 'African' and had several game drives in the park. We looked in vain for the famous tree-climbing lions but they had killed 2 buffalo and so remained on the ground. We decided they were too full of buffalo to climb! It was brilliant, QE is a lovely green park with many animals. We also went to Rwenshama on Lake Edward to see the rescue boat station. The hippos were just off-shore where the fishermen were bringing their boats out! Hope these photos give some idea of what a great trip we had.....we are so lucky to have this opportunity!

Herds of Buffalo (Queen Elizabeth NP)

Elephants (Queen Elizabeth NP )

These 2 young bulls posed for a few photos and then started to threaten so we left them in peace!

Rwenshama-fishing boats on lake Edward

hippos in the water!

Vultures at a buffalo kill

Ishasha wilderness camp. Congo border just across the river so they have closed the camp for safety. It was an idyllic spot with many birds and hippos in the water - very close!!