And finally I thought I'd try some comparison photos of 2005 & 2011 if this works sorry some aren't quite taken from the same position but you get the idea.
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| 2005 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2005 |
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| 2011 |
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| 2005 |
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| 2011 |
The road from Sorroti to Atirir
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| 2005 |
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| 2011 |
Wednesday, 27 April 2011
Day 15
An early start! the alarm went of at 5am {that's 3am UK time} and having most of the packing done the night before I took my cases down to the dinning room to find that a member of the staff had got up very early to make sure there was coffee toast and fruit available for us before we left for Entebbe at 6.
Wilson was a bit latter than planned but we did manage to get to the airport on time despite the best efforts of the local constabulary. As we drove past the end of the runway I noticed a large American Military transport plane was landing, may be the American Soldiers at the Sorroti Hotel did exist after all.
The flight from Heathrow was 30minutes late landing so that delayed our boarding but we started to taxi out about 20 minutes late, then we sat on the runway for what seemed like an age, eventual the engines went to full power and we shot down the runway . As we past the terminal building i notice through the window that the Military transporter was no longer there.....it seems like the Americans not only robed us of our drink at Sorroti but also delayed our take off!
We arrived at Heathrow 30 minutes late and with a little bit of tooing and frowing we met up with Joe who drove us back to Canterbury.
All in all another interesting trip to Uganda.
Now when do I go back........................
Wilson was a bit latter than planned but we did manage to get to the airport on time despite the best efforts of the local constabulary. As we drove past the end of the runway I noticed a large American Military transport plane was landing, may be the American Soldiers at the Sorroti Hotel did exist after all.
The flight from Heathrow was 30minutes late landing so that delayed our boarding but we started to taxi out about 20 minutes late, then we sat on the runway for what seemed like an age, eventual the engines went to full power and we shot down the runway . As we past the terminal building i notice through the window that the Military transporter was no longer there.....it seems like the Americans not only robed us of our drink at Sorroti but also delayed our take off!
We arrived at Heathrow 30 minutes late and with a little bit of tooing and frowing we met up with Joe who drove us back to Canterbury.
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| British Airways Boeing 767 awaiting us at Entebbe |
Now when do I go back........................
Day 14
Having left Murcheson around 1pm on Sunday we had an unplanned day in Kampala.
We did visit the African Craft Market in the morning where we were presented with some 30 plus shops all selling much the same crafts at much the same prices. Some of us took the opportunity to buy gifts for those back home whilst I doggedly fought the temptation to buy another African drum........{a very nice Senegalese djembe}
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| Ok I resisted the drum but an African Drumming stool jumped into my shopping along with this nice batik |
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| this was a gift from Wilson |
We then spent the rest of the day reading or listening to music around the guest house. Apparently I fell asleep on the balcony but this I will strenuously deny.
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Day 13 Easter Day
Woke early and watched the sun rise over the Nile valley then ate breakfast outside the thatched bar at Red Chilli Rest Camp, with other visitors.  |
| Breakfast Guests |
We then packed the van and went down to the ferry to take a boat trip up river to the base of Murcheson Falls. I had expected the same twin deck boat we had used six years ago but no it was a small boat that only carried 14 passengers this meant that we were much closer to the shore and had a wonderful experience of the wildlife. 
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| Murcheson falls from the river |
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| Goliath Heron |
After the boat trip was over we drove to the head of the fall where the whole river Nile is forced through a 7 metre wide gap in the cliff at a rate of 1000 cubic metres per second, amazing!
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| Looking down from the head of the falls |
We then did a quick dash back to Kampala through a tropical storm, to stay our last two nights at Kolping Guest House.
Comment of the day:
Dave to Wilson "When do you put your windscreen wipers on?"
Wilson to Dave "When I cant see where I'm going"
Day 12
We set of from Sorroti to travel to Murchison Falls nature reserve for a relaxing two days to finish our two weeks in Uganda. Not far from Lira as we started up a steep slope two lorries crested the ridge ahead side by side! It was only the skill of our driver Wilson that avoided a serious accident. We ended up on the edge of the road at an angle of about 35 decrees.
This wasn't the only problem on the trip as we found at the entrance to the park the $15 entrance fee is now $30 and only lasts for 24 hours with the difficulties we had had getting money out of the ATM in Sorroti this was a fee to far and we had to restrict our stay to one night. Fortunately the park officer accepted that the regular visits made by Dave Sally & Jen for School Connect made them honorary Ugandans so they got in for $15 each.
The food was good if the accommodation basic but the stories from George need a hefty does of salt!!
This wasn't the only problem on the trip as we found at the entrance to the park the $15 entrance fee is now $30 and only lasts for 24 hours with the difficulties we had had getting money out of the ATM in Sorroti this was a fee to far and we had to restrict our stay to one night. Fortunately the park officer accepted that the regular visits made by Dave Sally & Jen for School Connect made them honorary Ugandans so they got in for $15 each.
Still we had a nice drive through the bush and saw Ugandan Cobb, Hartebeest, Duiker, Elephant, Warthog & Giraffe. When we arrived at the rest camp we were told that a Park Ranger would be telling stories round the camp fire that night if we were interested.
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| George & his campfire |
Day 11
We arrived at Atirir at around 10 to find 16 wheelbarrow loads of sand and four bags of cement dry mixed in class room one awaiting the water so we started mixing and supplying the plasterers with their needs. By the time we left the site to go the Mosses' house for lunch we had plastered most of both end walls of the room this was a great team effort by all of us.
Lunch was in the 'village' of Mosses family and was rice and chicken {a staple meal served to all visitors it would seem} we then left as the rain started and by the time we reached Atirir to drop Francis off it was a full blow tropical storm, the first real rain that Atirir has seen this wet season, just what was neeeded.
It was sad to say good bye to the team of plasterers as there is still more work to do, but we have limited time so farewell it must be.
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| Dave in a supervisory role |
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| Rich & Paul hard at work |
It was sad to say good bye to the team of plasterers as there is still more work to do, but we have limited time so farewell it must be.
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Days 8 9 and 10
We have two missions whilst in Soroti one is for the Schools Connect Staff to visit Ugandan Schools linked to schools in Kent. The Other is to do some more work on the classrooms I help to start on 2005.
I along with the rest of the male members of the team are charged with helping local personnel to plaster the walls of at least one of the rooms we built in 2005 hard work in this hot climate.
We were also invited to attend the graduation of 9 of the Schools former students this happened on Wednesday (day 9) and was not what I had expected.  |
| The nine graduates having been greeted by flag waving cheering women |
We preempted lunch on Thursday (day10) when William, a local farmer, picked some of the mangoes from the trees in the school grounds. The tastiest mangoes I have ever had the joy to eat.
In the evening Dave Cy' Sally and I went to the Sorroti hotel for a drink only to be turned away by a Ugandan soldier who said the hotel was close because American soldiers were staying there!!
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