Farewell Parties

We threw a 'Farewell' party down at the VSO garden. It was lovely that so many of our Ugandan friends and colleagues came. The staff from the college, colleagues from Case Clinic, UCU staff, the Thunderbirds ladies rugby team, some of the artists that donated their work to the two exhibitions for UCU, VSO's and VSO staff....lots of people who have made our life in Uganda such fun! The rugby girls gave us lots of presents including the barkcloth hats and a shirt for Rob and a dress for me. VSO gave us some baskets and one of Rob's hospital colleagues gave him some wonderfully patterned shirts.

We were invited to join the 'Thunderbirds' ladies rugby team for Sunday lunch by one of the players who is also a referee. The girls had a game of touch rugby and Rob joined in!

The staff at Case Clinic threw a 'Thank you and Goodbye' party on the hospital roof for Rob.There were snacks, beer and soda and Rob had to give a speech! It was fun mainly because it was the first event we have attended where people danced...including Rob!

One of the staff at college said we should not invite them to say farewell but that they should make a party for us- culturally it was not right!! I said it seemed to me to be a good excuse for another party.....college are planning something for next week I am told!

Last Safari!

Here is the most spectacular view from a pool or a bath we have ever had.......across the Karamoja plains watching herds of...not wildebeeste but Jacksons Hartebeeste, zebra, buffalo, jackals, waterbuck, Patas monkeys, it was great! The pool was cut out of the rocks and looked over towards the moutains on the Sudan border. Our last safari was going to be good!

Last weekend we were able to book a flight to Kidepo National Park, the most remote of the parks up on the northern border of Uganda with Sudan. It was wonderful staying at

Apoka Lodge, the only one in the park.As you can see the views over the Karamoja plains were spectacular...from the banda, the outside bath, the pool...everywhere! We saw lots of animals and birds, many while we were sitting in the bar! You can just see the buffalo near our banda!

We were able to do several game drives and saw the lions again after eating a buffalo so they were lying quietly, ignoring us completely looking fat and full! Lots of birds to add to my list! We went on a night drive and saw Cerval cats and a Genet cat.....quite unusual. We were also able to go on walks and saw these hartebeeste....what will we see back in Saltash????

Christmas 2008

Certainly no chance of a 'white Christmas' for us this year although the first few days when we arrived in Melborne were pretty cold!We spent a few days enjoying Melborne and were able to celebrate Alice's (daughter) birthday and meet some of her friends. We set off to drive along the 'Great Ocean Road'. The views were stunning and we stayed at some lovely places along the way.

We walked in the rainforest...different vegetation from the forests we have seen in Uganda.

Above is the photo of the Twelve Apostles we have seen so many times when Alice has had visitors, this time with us in the photo!




Then we met up with Edward's (Alice's partner) parents in the Grampian mountains. More wonderful scenery, different again with spectacular views, waterfalls and rock formations.

It was a great weekend and another beautiful place.

Then we flew with Alice to spend Christmas with Robert's cousins in Perth. The weather was hot and I achieved my dream of eating Christmas lunch out in the garden with ham and turkey cooked on the barbeque! It was a lovely family party. On Boxing day we travelled with them to the Karri valley to spend a few days in a lovely quiet chalet in the forest, this time Karri trees with Kookaburra's and Kangaroos! We walked high in the trees (40m) on a slightly swaying walkway which was a bit scarey! Trees still towered above us!

It was a great trip and we are now back in

Kampala packing and sorting ready to return to the UK on February 18th. The adventure will be over!