Tuesday February 19th

I wrote this blog two nights ago and just when I tried to post it, the network shut down. I ask God for patience, and He gives me internet. So, here I am, back by popular demand.

Well, I have survived hosting my first ever safari. It was absolutely amazing. With only a few mishaps, everyone made it back safe, very tired, but very capable to change a flat tire when needed...I will explain.

We all left Kasana at 5 am in order to catch the ferry across the Nile at 12 noon. If we didn't get on that ferry, we would have missed our boat ride down the Nile. 4 hours into our trip everything had gone so smoothly, I was amazed. We were about an hour away from the River Nile when we got a flat tire. So, we were changing a flat tire in the middle of the African bush. The tire change went remarkably quick and we made it on the 11 am ferry, which put us ahead of schedule, so everything worked out well.

Everyone got checked into the hotel and everything looked good. We had lunch and were getting ready for our 2 pm boat ride down the Nile. Well, at 1:55 our driver still wasn't there to take us down to the boat. The Nile really wasn't that far from our hotel (probably about 400 yards) but we were not advised to just walk down there because the hippos and elephants are very free-roaming. I wasn't really concerned about the elephants, but the hippos, well that's another story. Every year, more people are killed by hippos in Africa than by any other animal (that was the last statistic I have heard). Thankfully, our driver showed up and raced us down to the boat dock just in time to wait. I don't know why the hotel staff told us that we needed to be on time for everything when everyone is on "Ugandan" time. So, once again we waited. Our wait was entertained by elephants that were remarkably close to us and a little scare from a hippo.

The boat ride down the Nile was absolutely amazing. We saw so many animals, including wart hogs, crocodiles, and plenty of hippos. How can a creature that looks like you could cuddle it be a killing machine? The boat ride went as far as Murchison Falls and came back. I was a little disappointed that we weren't able go get closer to the falls, but it was still impressive.

Now I can say that I have spent Valentine's Day on the Nile. Sometimes, I just had to stop and think, 'I am in Africa and I am on the River Nile.' I was in a place that I have only read about and have always wanted to be, but the fact that I was there and I am in Africa still seems a little surreal. I guess that it is the "Small town girl" in me.

The next morning came quietly and very early. Somehow I knew that it was going to be anything but quiet. The game drive was so much fun. We saw African buffalo, giraffes, baboons, elephants, Jackson's hartebeests, orbis, the Ugandan kob, (which is the official animal of Uganda...i think that's what our guide told us), the Defassa waterbuck, a few other types of monkeys, and lions (everyone said they saw them, but I could not see them, they were so far away and must have been looking in the wrong spot, so I'll just say that the mounds of dirt were lions).

Sadly, the game drive ended and we had to get on the ferry to cross the Nile, so that we would start to make our way home. While we were waiting for the ferry to come, we were just checking out the hippos that were in the water just below us. Katie (the other host) and I decided to get a better picture of the hippo, so we walked closer. I'll just say that the hippo made it known that he really didn't want us that close and kind of gave us a run for our money. He got out of the water and that was all that I saw because I turned and ran, as did Katie. The hippo didn't make it completely out of the water, but was just wanting to show us who was boss. I have learned my lesson about how those "cuddly looking animals" really aren't so cuddly.

On our way out of the park, we drove to the top of Murchison Falls. What a sight to behold! To see that much water go through something so narrow is incredible. I can try to describe it but my explanation would just not do justice.

After exiting the park, we had to stop in a town called Masindi to change tire number 2. This stop was welcomed, as the gas station has restrooms (western style even) and snacks (including ice cream, so Betsy you can have some). An hour later, we were back on the road to drive the last 4 hours back to Kasana.

40 minutes out of Masindi, tire number 3 needed to be changed. This tire was a blow out and thankfully our driver had repaired the spare tire back at a gas station near our hotel. 45 minutes later, we were back on the road and by the grace of God made it back to Kasana without anymore flat tires.

Hosting my first safari was definitely a learning experience. This was the first safari that Katie or I had ever been on, but we made it and the team really had a good time.

The team left Saturday morning at 4:30 and it really was sad to see them go. It is crazy how one can get so attached to 16 complete strangers in the course of two short weeks.

Thank you all for your question in your comments. I will be posting the answers to them in my next blog.

All in all, my first safari was an experience that was truly unforgettable. For Christmas, I didn't get a hippo like I wanted, but I did get one for Valentine's Day.