Had a bignbreakfast at the restaurant, first time in many weeks. The track I chose was along the lake for about 20kms which was slow but with amazing vistas as it wound through the hills and farmland. Then a great winding tar road for 25 km and then back on gravel for 76km. to Buhoma through Bwindi Impenetrable Forest . Megan had warned me about the loose gravel on this stretch, and a lot of the corners were like driving through thick talcum powder . A local on a 150 Chinese bike with 3 up came around a corner towards me and lost it in the powder and went down. The passengers were fine and he hobbled around for a bit while they picked up his bike and had I been 5 seconds ahead he would have nailed me. The road went up to 8000ft and just twist and turns all the way which was great on a bike , except when there is two trucks barreling at you , with total disregard of you on a corner. I could not believe the speed they were doing around the corner, luckily for me it was an inside corner and I was on the left in the marbles.
Megan was on this road stopped waiting for a truck to go by , which he did and side swiped her pannier throwing her and the bike into the ditch , luckily she was not injured. So the fun was gone and I hugged the blind corners for the rest of the way and did not encounter any more lorries. That route ranks high up on the dirt roads I have taken , being scenic along the lake and high up in the forest and coming across a lot of villagers who were very friendly, will be a memorable one.
Got to Buhoma Community Camp which is at the entrance to the park and pitched my tent on nice green grass and the only person here.
A kid from The Gorilla Doctors befriended me and we walked through the village which has just small stores with carvings of masks and gorillas , some really nice stuff. I see Jack Hanna is a director with the doctors and the little boy knows him as he lives there with his uncle who runs the camp for them. There are quite a few American veterinarians involved in the project and a few from Uganda that provide all the medical needs of the gorillas.
While I was in the village a gorilla was in the camp and they came to call me but I was gone , I wish they never had told me. It is $600 for an hour with them and that's cold hard cash , no credit cards so even if I was going to go I couldn't get the cash for six days from the ATM. When I get back I will just go hang out with my brothers for an hour and save a bunch of money. At 5:30 the heavens opened and it bucketed down , African style . Was so bad that they gave me a Rondavel to sleep in , cause they were concerned I would get wet in my tent , which was awfully nice of them. Second bed in two weeks and I still wake up at 3 am !Got up this morning and went to inspect my tent and it was bone dry , so now I am convinced that Marmot tent is the best out there , with those monsoon rains and not a drop inside is unbelievable.
So am in the bouma having coffee that overlooks the rain forest and the lady charges in calling me to come and see a gorilla just outside the kitchen , and there it was munching away. What are the chances , now I don't have to go and hang out with my brother's, what a relief.
Megan was on this road stopped waiting for a truck to go by , which he did and side swiped her pannier throwing her and the bike into the ditch , luckily she was not injured. So the fun was gone and I hugged the blind corners for the rest of the way and did not encounter any more lorries. That route ranks high up on the dirt roads I have taken , being scenic along the lake and high up in the forest and coming across a lot of villagers who were very friendly, will be a memorable one.
Got to Buhoma Community Camp which is at the entrance to the park and pitched my tent on nice green grass and the only person here.
A kid from The Gorilla Doctors befriended me and we walked through the village which has just small stores with carvings of masks and gorillas , some really nice stuff. I see Jack Hanna is a director with the doctors and the little boy knows him as he lives there with his uncle who runs the camp for them. There are quite a few American veterinarians involved in the project and a few from Uganda that provide all the medical needs of the gorillas.
While I was in the village a gorilla was in the camp and they came to call me but I was gone , I wish they never had told me. It is $600 for an hour with them and that's cold hard cash , no credit cards so even if I was going to go I couldn't get the cash for six days from the ATM. When I get back I will just go hang out with my brothers for an hour and save a bunch of money. At 5:30 the heavens opened and it bucketed down , African style . Was so bad that they gave me a Rondavel to sleep in , cause they were concerned I would get wet in my tent , which was awfully nice of them. Second bed in two weeks and I still wake up at 3 am !Got up this morning and went to inspect my tent and it was bone dry , so now I am convinced that Marmot tent is the best out there , with those monsoon rains and not a drop inside is unbelievable.
So am in the bouma having coffee that overlooks the rain forest and the lady charges in calling me to come and see a gorilla just outside the kitchen , and there it was munching away. What are the chances , now I don't have to go and hang out with my brother's, what a relief.
great story...again.... look forward to seeing these pop up every few days.
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