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Published: August 23rd 2008
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I have just finished the first leg of my East Africa trip. I have scored a really good group which age in range from 29 to 40. There are 5 guys and 5 girls. 6 Canadians and 4 Aussies. Uganda is a very green country which has tonnes and tonnes of hills. My legs have got a great workout. We spent 2 days travelling down to Biwindi. I have been very suprised by our accomodation. I have had my own room and the food is great. I am beginning to exercise some self control and only eat what I need.
So now to the good part...... when we arrived in Biwindi we did a 3 hour waterfall trek. This was to prepare us for the hike we would endure the following day. The tracks are very wild and you find yourself climbing over logs, branches, through mud and rocks. When we finally made it to the top of the waterfall we all jumped in the water for a swim. I tried to go under the fall but its force just kept pushing me away. The day ended with a little time to get to know the new group a little
Kanydnyi
I could have touched him if I really wanted. better!!!!!!!
So we didn't have to start our Gorilla track till 8 am as they had trackers out in the rainfoest trying to find them early in the morning. We were split into groups of eight and we were told that we would be treking the Mubabre group. This is the smallest group of only 9 gorillas but it is the most use to human contact.
A truck was able to take us some of the distance but then we had to get out and start hiking. Lets just say that when you have sat on a bus for over 1 month and not execised, hiking can be pretty tough. Because I was the slowest the day before they made me the pace setter but within 15 minutes I was overtaken by the whole group ha ha ha ha.
After treking for more than 1 1/2 hours we made it to the edge of the rainforest. We walked for about 1o minutes before we met up with the guides who had found the gorillas earlier in the morning. This was considered a short amount of time to hike. I was very lucky! The other group trecked for 3
hours. So once we met the guides they prepared us and then started hacking their way through very very dense folaige with massive maschetti knives. (sorry bout spelling) Within 10 minutes the guide moved one branch to the side and we could see the Large silver back sitting there watching us just as much as we were watching him. I was breathless and overwhelmed by the site of this creature in it's natural habitat. I did nothing but cover my mouth in the fear that I would scream with excitement.
He took of pretty quickly to the rest of his family and we began hacking our way through more scrub till we made it to a clearing of trees. When we got there we watched the silver back climb up the tree like it was the simplest thing even though he looks so heavy. Then I found a spot to sit and one by one they all started to climb the tree for feeding. I moved to the base of the tree and would have sat there for about 1/2 hour just watching them play in the trees. It was difficult to takes photos as the light was really
bad but I got some great video footage. Then a mother came down with her baby and I moved to watch them. After 40 minutes they started to come down and before I knew it I was within arms reach of one of the gorillas eating on the ground. It was scary, amazing blah, blah, blah. I was lost for words!
We all sat there in wonder watching and then the guides called us to view another gorilla that had come down from the tree. Because everyone was soooooo close to Kanydnyi they did not want to leave but I decided to go. Been the only one to go I found myself very close to the gorilla that they call "The Babysitter' (Muyambi) because he always protects the smaller gorillas. There were four guides behind me and they encouraged me to go up really close and take a photo. As I lifted my camera I could not help but feel that she was not happy with my presence and all of a sudden I had this gorilla charging towards me. OH my Buddah!!!! Worst of all I could hear the guides worrying and one of them grabbed my shoulders
Me with My Port- Kenneth
Kenneth is a student and for $20 us carried my bags during the treck. and pushed me to the side. As he did this Muyambi charged past me and into the guides then took off like a flash of light. My heart was nearly popping out of my chest. Although I was a little shaken up I was not really worried until all the guides asked if I was ok. They said that this doesn't usually happen!!!! Great!!! of course it happens to me!
In the meantime the silver back was still sitting up in the tree and began to make unhappy noises. The guides had to make special calls to let him know that we did not mean harm and were friendly. He did not take his eyes off us the rest of the time. We stayed for about 1 1/2 hours and it flew.
We then treked back and arrived back at camp by 2.30. By 3 o'clock a few of us decided to tour the village and we went and visited the pygmy people. These guys originally lived in the rainforest like the gorillas but were forced to become civilised in 1990 and now have set up a good life for themselves. They performed a dance for us. They
Dancing with the Pygmys
Yes the dude in the blue shirt is and adult are soooooo tiny. I looked like a giant! There was even a 2 week old pygmy baby. As they danced terrential rain began to fall and we got stuck in the village. Luckily the truck came and saved us after 2 hours.
I have so much more to tell but will leave this one at that. Needless to say that I slept like a log that night.
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Belinda L
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Wow....looks and sounds like its been an interesting adventure !!! I cant begin to imagine how amazing it would be to be up so close to these animals. My heart would be jumping out of my chest too!!! Be careful and have fun. Miss ya heaps :-)