November 10 -14 Uganda

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Day 34 - 39

Ah....from Nile Porch Lodge overlooking the Nile! Wonderful "half tent/half lodge"accommodation ...very exotic and lovely, sleeping and showering in the open .

We had a short and uneventful flight from Nairobi to Entebbe with the very nice free continental brekkies that we have come to love on local, short flights . The Nairobi airport was the most amazing mix of people from all over, especially the "sultan" garbed men and their ladies...just gorgeous dress!

Patrick,our driver, met us and we were off for a short tour of Entebbe,a very nice,small, modern city of a million, then to a very nice interpretive centre to see lions, zebras, monkeys etc and after lunch to Nagambi island on Lake Victoria . The chimp sanctuary was amazing, about 60 rescued chimps who cannot be returned to the wild, living in a very open, natural space at varying stages of being integrated to the bigger groups...all females have implants so no babies...except one called "Surprise!'...really good work going on here!

Then off to Masaka for the night and onto Engagi Lodge in Biwind ...just an absolutely lovely eco lodge with the best accommodation, service ever!.....next day....gorillas...to say it was a hard hike is an understatement...almost did us in!...but after a 3 hr climb straight up, we hiked for under an hour at the top through the thickest rain forest vegetation imaginable and there in an "Avatar like setting was the gorilla family with whom we visited at very close range for an hour...worth it!...then the 3 hr + hike back!...a hot, humid, hard day but with the help of "the team" , we made it...the highlight of the trip.

On Tuesday, hot bumpy 11 hr ride to Jinja for Jeff to raft the Nile and Dianne to enjoy the tranquility of the lodge. Then an overnight-er to Amsterdam.

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