|
|
You can lose everything, but nobody will take away what you saw and what you experienced...
............ 
Apr 06, 2005 02:00 PM My gorillas... not in the mist!
Yes, this is the place many people dream about...
In Rwanda, on the slopes of the Virunga volcanos you will find
few families o mountain gorillas...
It cost a lot to see them in their natural environement
but I decided that it is worth to pay the price once in your life...
I was very lucky - the family of 10 come out of the jungle to eat the bark of eucalyptus trees...
I saw them /and photographed/ on the open space in their full glory... Unforgetable... they walk sometimes just 1 m from me!
The rangers speak english and are very knowledgeable...
The time of the visit is limited to one hour - at the end the family went back to the jungle I took also few pics in dense forest...
What a day!
|
Apr 05, 2005 02:00 PM Motocycle to the border...
In the Ugandan town of Kabale I stayed in the Visitours Hotel - they offer to the visitor the most expensive room they have. Ask for the room with shared bath - it will cost you less /6000/.
Kabale lies only 24 km from the border with Rwanda and there is no problem to find transport to the border crossing on the main highway - the ride cost 6000 TSH. But I made a chice of more adventours route - by once-a-day bus to Kisoro via mountain, gravel road climbing to the clouds with spectacular views - almost 3 hours for 6000 TSH.
Kisoro is not interesting. The motobike-taxis wait there to take you to the border crossing Cyanika - they charged 7000 for the bumpy, 11-km ride.
Formalities are simple for tourists, no extra payments. You can change the rest of your tanzanian currency to franks. Just take care - let they not cheat you - 1 TSH is worth 0.33 franks!!.
Picturesque volcanos are in the clouds above you!
Welcome to the new country - RWANDA !!!
Minibus will wait for you to take you for 400 fr to the nearest town - Ruhengeri... Enjoy!
|
Apr 04, 2005 02:00 PM Uganda - 50 bananas for 1 USD!
It took me long 7 hours by bus to move from Kampala south - to the town of Kabale - it is about 400 km. Bus was a nice junk, but the people very friendly... Bus is departing when full - no timetable. The price of the ticket is negotiable - ask local people for the local price first. I paid 15 000 TSH. We drove through banana country - on the stops people always offer food through the windows - the bottle of mineral water /0.5l/ cost 500 - and this is also the cost of the bunch of bananas - 17 pieces. 1 USD is worth 1750 Tsh so for 1 USD you can get 50 bananas... Bon apetit!
|
Apr 03, 2005 02:00 PM At the sources of the Nile river...
It took me full day to move from the Muchirson Park to Jinja.
Hitchhiking, taking two crowded minibuses /matatu/ one by one...
Yes, I am at the sources of the Nile...
Tomorrow at the morning I plan to visit famous Nile river rapids - just 11 km from the town.
You can get there by motocycle taxi - they call it boda-boda - it will cost 2000-3000 depending of my bargaining power. It is worth to be there before 9 am - you will avoid entry fee - another 3000!
And then - new destination - Rwanda!
|
Apr 02, 2005 02:00 PM New magnificent falls to my collection...
It is far way from Kampala to Muchirson Falls National Park in the north of Uganda. Take a public bus to Wanseko /12000 USH/ and try to hitch into the park on the country road... That's what I did.
The best solution will be to take 3-days tour oferred by Red Chili Company - 135 USD all incl but food - they will take you by their transport from the capital to their camp in the park...and back.
From their camp I took a boat /15 USD round trip/ by Victoria Nile to the bottom of the falls. From the boat you can see them from ca 1 km distance. To get closer come with morning boat - go by mouintain path to the top of the gorge and come back for the boat pick up in the afternoon. It is hot and sweaty walk but the view of the thumbling Nile cramped in the 6-m wide gorge in magnificent!!! The fall is only 45 m hight but vERY powerful - worth the effort!
|
Mar 31, 2005 02:00 PM Greetings from Uganda!
It was morning when I landed in Entebbe - small town on Lake Victoria where main airport of Uganda is located. You can get the visa on arrival here... Then look for the transport to the capital - Kampala.
Do not take white - yellow taxis - they cost a lot. For just 1000 Shillings the white-blue shared taxi will take you to the Entebbe taxi park and from this place another - similar to Kampala. 2000 in total - only slightly more then 1 USD...
Kampala: on the hills, crowded and smoggy with strong sun - after 2 hours walking around I got a headache... But the people here are so different to the West Africans - open, friendly and helpful - and they speak english! Welcome to Uganda!
|
Mar 30, 2005 02:00 PM Last day in the West Africa...
Happy to be back in Douala I found good, airconditioned internet cafe on the main street of Akwa quarter. It is so hot and humid here that without a/c I cannot afford to spend 3 hours at the computer. It cost 800 CFA per hour at CYBERDOT.com to response all letters and update my travel log. In front of the cafe they sell big bananas /50 CFA/ mango /25 CFA/ and papayas /100 CFA/; in the market they cost even less...
Tonight at midnight I have my flight to Entebbe - Uganda.
No, it is to risky to go overland via Congo... I got air award ticket for this flight /long live KLM!/. In Uganda new segment of my voyage will start/: overland south - to Rwanda, Burundi and onward. It is time to pack my backpack again and take a taxi to the airport /3000 CFA or 2500 if you bargain well/.
Keep your fingers crossed! Love to all of you!
|
Mar 28, 2005 02:00 PM Bimbo, Bimbo - CAR - what a place!
There are many missions sprayed out of CAR. I was lucky to find priests from Poland working there - in the village Bimbo - south of the capital. Their unpaid work is worth highest appreciation - apart from church activities they build schools and help suffering people. The church seems to be here the only organization who care about them - trying to improve their life. I stayed 2 days at the mission - it gave me opportunity to see everyday life in the countryside - what they do, where is the important water from, how they prepare their manioc meals...
Thank you my dear countrymen for your warm hospitality and all patient explanations; Lets God bless you and your work!
|
Mar 27, 2005 02:00 PM CAR - Bangui - The haunt starts after dusk...
The capital of CAR is located on the Oubangui river... Congo on the other side. Bangui centre of the city is very compact - just for one hour walk. A lot of mango trees... Beautiful flame trees in blossom. The best view of the river is from the best in town Obangui Hotel - cheapest room 35000 CFA.
Whites are not safe on the streets - police and soldiers ask for passport and... money. Because white means here RICH !!!.
Ahy photos except those from the hotel are risky - you will pay... and pay and be happy that they will not take your passport with them - it take days to have it back!
But the real hunt starts after dusk - a lot of police cars on the streets, they stop every car - also us... You dont have your belt fasten, you drive too fast or too slow... Money, give money... 15 000 CFA is normal payment for soldier with a gun. Pay and escape home!
|
Mar 26, 2005 07:00 PM To the former Empire of Bokassa - why not?
Douala is at the moment the only african air gateway to the Central African Republic. I decided to take my chance and what is going there... It was early Easter morning when I boarded Camair plane in Douala airport. 10000 departure tax in cash. Very few passengers. After 1.5 h flight over the green, lush jungle we landed in Bangui. Immigration officer asked me: your reason of journey?
TOURISM???? No tourists in Bangui since long time...
Bad time to come: two weeks ago there were elections. No results so far. Unrest possible...
White expat took me to the city and I attended the Easter mass in the cathedral - full of people but only few whites - interesting ceremony and nice songs...
I am in the CAR - such a strange place! How to survive?
|
Page:
295 296 297 298 299 300 301 302 303 304 305
|
|
|
