Bump-starting a car near a leopard in Uganda

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Uganda day 4
Bump-starting a car with a leopard nearby in Uganda

A 5am alarm call…..woohoo!
We had both flaked out very quickly and early last night but the alarm still came as a bit of a shock. The shower was fixed now so we both had hot showers and the water came out of the right place.
Our room is in a complex that has an electric fence to keep out animals and a gate and guard to keep out n’er-do-wells. The reception and restaurant is about 100 metres away. When you walk in the dark a guard walks with you and shines his torch at the herd of waterbucks that come every night. There is a football pitch and some houses in this area and it seems a strange and expensive way to do things.
You are walking past people who have very little with a phone that is probably worth more than they make in a year at least. There are Unicef school marquees here too though so hopefully things will improve for them. We had a discussion with Zed and he was amazed that, in such a rich place as Britain, there are still many children starving, food banks and people who can’t afford to eat three meals a day. We explained about the Tories and he understood. Given recent events we may need some Unicef marquee schools too.
After the car started…..at the third attempt….we headed off in the pitch black night. The headlights are pretty crap so we can’t see far ahead and, I guess, neither can Zed. I did see a checkpoint for the fisheries though and there have been quite a few checkpoints around. This one was to check that fishermen hadn’t been catching fish who were too young while I presume others are to prevent poaching.
The system seems to be well organised and Uganda has realised that looking after their animals is good for both revenue and the animals of course. There are a number of ramps and things to slow you down and I would hope that part of that is to protect animals crossing the road. Alongside the large costs of trekking and game park fees to assist the animals it all seems pretty well run.
On the way, Zed had to slow down to get over some rumble strip type things whilst going uphill. He stalled the car. It wouldn’t start. Another bump start. This time from a friendly passer-by.
Today’s first activity was one we added when we got here and is another chimpanzee trek….well it’s been a while! This one was at Kalinzu forest and is a lot cheaper than the previous one. Apparently this is because it is a private enterprise.
After eating some of our huge packed breakfast we met our guide Pathias. He was tiny! Even Claire was towering above him so she looked smug all morning. He gave us a briefing and then with our trousers tucked into our socks* we headed off into what they call a forest….
*The things you do to follow fashion eh.^
^It’s actually to keep out biting ants.
Forests Vs Jungles: we had been told that a jungle is more dangerous because of the animals therein. So when you’re trekking through somewhere with tall trees, dense undergrowth, snakes, vines hanging down and a guide using a machete to cut through the undergrowth….that’s just a forest right? I disagree!
We have been up and down very steep and slippery hills, tripped over all manner of things, been caught up in vines and traversed over and through mud and streams. We had been joined by two Italian ladies and one of them was the first to slip over. Claire then sort of fell over as she stepped in a hole between two tree roots. When she pulled her foot out her boot remained in there and the guide had to fish it out. Then the other Italian lady slipped over. All were okay by the way.
Claire then pointed out to me that I was the only one that hadn’t fallen over….I suspect not to congratulate me but in amazement or because she expected me to be next. Given my recent spate of accidents it was pretty amazing thet I remained the only one not to fall over. Well my Mum did tell me to be careful yesterday!
We were out for four hours and saw chimpanzees, baboons, black and white colobus monkeys and the tail of a red-tailed monkey. They were all very high up in the trees and, unlike, two days ago, we didn’t see any on the ground at all. I probably have no decent photos but had a great time none the less. It was hard work but worth it. Bit of a stiff neck at the end from looking up most of the time but now I know how Claire feels every day. And Pathias even more so.
If you had to choose between the two I would go for Kibale despite the extra cost. The chimps there spend more time on the ground than those here and that’s in general apparently, not just today. When the chimps here are on the ground they move very fast (apparently) whereas in Kibale they spend plenty of time relaxing at the bottom. If you had a worldwide choice then Jane Goodall’s place in Tanzania is the place to go.
On the way back, Zed stopped at a viewpoint where a young boy in tatty clothes gave us a guide to what we could see, in excellent English. Another viewpoint had no guide and not much of a view to be honest. Our next stop was to photograph a group of elephants that were in range of my lens! There were quite a few as there was one on his own and another smaller herd.
We had lunch back at our lodge and then had a two hour wait until our afternoon game drive so we went back to our room.
This afternoon’s game drive was to fill the spare time we would have had so anything would be a bonus!
About 50 yards inside the park there was a large herd of elephants with small calves right at the side of the road. We thought we were going to get charged by some of them but they all passed quite closely behind us. What a start!
We then saw a bushpig family with two bushpig piglets (or is it bushpiglets?) and they are pretty rare apparently. There were the usual waterbucks, buffalo and kobs as well as an imperial eagle, a maribu stork and some fishing eagles too plus some very colourful kingfishers.
Not going bad so far.
Then there was a choice of two roads one of which Zed said was the best road (I think) and then he went the other way!! What are you doing man??
And then Claire spotted a leopard. Just sat on the ground at the side of the road. They’re normally up distant trees or in thickets so this was special. Zed switched the engine off so as not to frighten it away but then another noisy truck sent the leopard skulking back into the undergrowth.
And then the car wouldn’t start.
We offered to bump-start it but Zed didn’t want us getting out of the car. But what else could we do? Claire stayed on lookout while I pushed the car backwards until it started then I did a quick manly pose and jumped back into the car.
We drove off and fifty yards down the road was a lion sitting in a tree. A great find but, considering they are very rarely alone, it makes me getting out of the car an even better story to tell with no need for elaboration…..not that that won’t happen as the years go by….
Lions aren’t normally known to hang around in trees but a small number do and this one was very content and just stared at us from the comfort(!?) of a cactus tree. Zed decided not to switch off the engine…..
Claire would have stayed there all night but we dragged her away and headed out of the park. Zed very kindly said we would have an extra 30min game drive as we were here to enjoy ourselves and we headed over to the other side of the park.
There were a number of cars circling a thicket as apparently there was a leopard in there. We decided not to hang around with that bunch of losers as the leopard was well hidden. A guy in another car was just sat playing with his phone so I took a picture of him because, you’re on a game drive in Uganda and there’s a leopard nearby you pillock!! Zed was full of himself and telling everyone about the lion in the tree so the other vans headed off that way. Lions, like their domestic cousins, are bone-idle and so it would probably be there until morning.
We saw some more elephants (with babies), kobs (with babies), warthogs (with babies) and waterbucks (where are the babies guys??).
As some rain started to fall we headed back to the lodge where dinner was waiting for us. And it was different and great yet again. While it would have been nice if our tour company had let people know I was vegan and Claire is vegetarian like they suggested they would, everyone has been great and helpful.
On the way back there had been a bit of a jam on the road as an elephant was crossing. That doesn’t happen every day for us.
Tomorrow we have a lie in as we don’t have to be up until 5:30. Idle gits I know.

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