Bball Story

Sunday, 25 February 2018

Gorillas galore!

The Mubare family of gorillas appeared to be doing well. They were relaxed in our presence and we were able to be quite close to them. Some of the gorillas were in the canopy feeding and others were already getting ready to rest. Apparently, the gorillas typically feed for a few hours in the morning, have a nap, then awake to feed again. They may move several times during the day but do not move after nightfall. The group that we watched had several babies and mothers, a silver back and several smaller males. The lighting and closeness of the undergrowth made photography tricky and most of my pictures are of poor quality. I did get one decent video clip of a gorilla moving down the path with her baby on her back. She walked right by me, literally brushing up against my leg. Amazing. I tried to upload video to Youtube so I could add it here but the internet speed is too slow. I will need to add it later. In the meantime here are some memories of the day. The young couple from New York have promised to send me some of their pictures. They were better photographers!

Mom and baby.

Eating small fruit.

Pondering our presence.

Turned his back to us!

Just hanging around.

Youth

Silver back

Snout was not white. That was the sun reflecting.

Time for a rest!

First Gorilla Hike

Had a good sleep in my tented camp which was really just a hotel room under canvas. A bit of luxury in the jungle. After breakfast I was driven to the meeting point for the trekkers. In the Buhoma area of Bwindi, three groups of eight trekkers are allowed one hour with the gorillas each day. I was one of the lucky eight going to see the Mubare family, a family of 16 gorillas located a 45 minute drive away. In my 8 were the young New York couple that I met on the Areolink flight. They were staying at another hotel but we were to hike together after all.

This is where I stayed.

Luxury in the Jungle: Two kingsized beds in my tent.

There was also a shower and this tub with a window looking out into the rainforest.

After the drive we began a hike up through a village and into the park. Most villagers have small farms and I saw small plots of sweet potatoes, bananas, tea, and coffee. The coffee trees were in full bloom and so fragrant. There was no question as to where the park boundary started. There was no sign or gate, but there were trees. It is illegal to cut trees in the park or to harvest any of the native fruits or plants that grow there so as you approach you see a distinct difference in the landscape.

Flame tree in the foreground and tea in the background.

An easy upward start to our hike.

Fragrant coffee tree.

Taking a breather!

Initially we were on a bit of a trail but it was quite rugged in sections. I had debated as to whether to hire a porter but was so glad that I did. Yes, it was a luxury to have someone carry my pack but the real value was in his assistance with the terrain. I am reasonably fit but my knees have taken a beating over the years and I had tweaked my right achilles two weeks before the trip. Without Johnson's help I am sure that I would have fallen, twisted an ankle or injured a tendon. He kept me safe. At $15 US per day, it was the smartest money I spent. Later I learned that the porters are lucky to get one or at most two days of work per month. If you ever go to see the gorillas, hire a porter. You are supporting the local people and like me, you might discover that you really need it.

Me and my porter, Johnson!

This lovely young couple was celebrating a delayed honeymoon, 10 years later!

Blue Devil Fan in the Jungle!

Johnson kept a close and attentive eye on me and had no apparent difficulty with the terrain. The group included two armed guards with AK47s to protect us from stampeding mountain elephants. We didn't see any but later I heard that another group did. They are dangerous and unpredictable. The group also included two guides with walkie-talkies and they were in constant contact with another two guides who had left hours earlier to locate the gorillas. The length of your hike is unpredictable and depends entirely on where the gorillas decide to be that day. Trackers locate them and then direct the guides to them. We were walking one way and I was at the back with Johnson as I was clearly the weakest link in our fairly young group. At one point there was a lot of walkie talkie traffic we were directed to turn around and head back to where we had come from. Now I was at the front and Johnson kept pushing me on. We got separated from the group and were following the head guide and I could tell that we must be getting close. Now we were deep in the jungle. There was no trail and moving was tricky. The incline was incredibly steep, the undergrowth was damp and slippery and the vines were a constant trip hazard. Now I was really glad for Johnson. A turn or two later and Johnson pulled, whispered and pointed. There, in front of me was a gorilla. Eventually the entire trekking group caught up and we moved a bit further ahead to
where we found the silverback and the whole family. We sat and watched them for an hour. They were feeding, grooming and resting, all within 8 to 15 feet from us. Later, Johnson
whispered that I was the first to see the gorillas in our group. I suspected that was what he was up to as he kept pushing me to stay with the tracker.

First sighting!

Arriving at Bwindi

After my clinic visit it was a very short drive to the entrance of the park. After passing through my driver drove a short distance and then parked on the side of the road. "This is it", he said. I looked around but could see no tented camp. Another glance revealed a series of concrete steps leading up into the forest. Oh, it is up there somewhere. And now we walk. A porter carried my suitcase but still the hike up had me huffing and puffing. I took it to be the litmus test. If you can't make it to your room then you have no business trying to see the gorillas. As I started up the steps I was startled by the most beautiful turquoise butterfly. It fluttered a few feet in front of me and literally lead me up the path. So beautiful. Later, the next day, after I had finished my first gorilla hike, and as I exited the rainforest jungle another similar butterfly fluttered in front of me on the breeze. She was there, welcoming me to my dream adventure and watching it succeed. Those of you who know me well will understand the significance of those events!

Park Entrance

I Penetrated the Impenetrable!

View from my table. This is where I ate my meals!

Bwindi Community Hospital Tour

After landing in Kihihi, my driver for the next 4 days met me and we left for the Bwindi Community Hospital, my first stop. This small but thriving clinic was founded in 2003 by Dr. Scott Kellerman and began as an outreach clinic located under a tree. Originally the mission was to provide free health care to the Batwa Pygmies who had been displaced by the government when the Bwindi Impenetrable forest was declared a National Park in 1993. Like most displaced indigenous peoples world-wide, leaving the forest did not improve their lives. Landless and unable to continue to live their native way of life which was centred around the flora and fauna of the rainforest, the Batwa moved into villages where they were used as cheap labour and suffered a multitude of hardships. When Dr. Kellermann arrived to do a health census of the Batwa he found alarming rates of HIV, malaria and needless suffering and death from diarrhea and other preventable diseases. And so seeing a need, he started the clinic.

It has now grown into a 112-bed hospital providing health care to a population of over 100,000 people. The organization that I was previously involved with, Buy-a-Net Malaria Prevention Group (BAN) helped to create an outreach program (HEAL) which serviced 101 remote mountain villages. BAN funded the purchase of boda bodas and hired nurses to drive to remote areas to provide basic health care, training and education of preventative health practices. The project was very successful but was downsized after three years due to lack of funding and the inability of the BAN Charitable Board to stay solvent.

So, with a planned trip to Bwindi, I knew I need to visit. I dropped in unannounced and was warmly welcomed. Barnabus, the communications Lead, was amazed that I had been involved with BAN and gave me full tour.

The hospital offers a wide range of services, from the treatment of HIV, diarrhoea, malnutrition, malaria and other diseases of poverty. They also have clinics for diabetes, epilepsy and high blood pressure as well as dental and eye clinics. They have a busy maternity ward and are able to do C-sections. They are one of a few hospitals who offer treatment for fistulas.

The next afternoon, word of my visit had spread and it was acknowledged that Dr. Kellermann was currently working and teaching in Bwindi. The staff arranged a meeting and we had tea together at my hotel where he shared some of the successes of the HEAL program and the clinic itself. We commiserated about the challenges of teaching and a shared love of Africa. It was a pleasant hour of communication in my solo trip.

Located just outside the park gate, this is the Bwindi Community Clinic

Buy-a-Net made a difference!

This is Barnabas, the Communications Team Lead

Areas serviced by the clinic.

Paediatric Ward

Hostel for expectant mothers at risk for complicated deliveries.

The Nursing School

Gorilla Adventure: Day One!

Got up early to catch my flight to the Kihihi airstrip located about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. We took this small plane with Areolink which seats 11 people plus two pilots. It was an uneventful flight and I met a young couple from New York City who were beginning a three country safari experience in East Africa. Although we did not stay at the same hotel I crossed paths with them repeatedly over the next three days.

Areolink!

Happy on my way.

After flying for approximately one hour we landed, let a few people off, continued to Kisoro to drop off a few more and the remaining group got off at Kihini, a small gravel airstrip located in a valley at the foot of the mountains. It was a misty day so my pictures are not great but you can see the change in the landscape as we flew south and west.

Land starts to be hilly with lots of terracing.

Rainforest

Bwindi Impenetrable Forest: Why gorillas?

People have asked me why it was so important to me to see the wild mountain gorillas. There is no better answer than this quote from Dian Fossey, who lived with and studied the gorillas from 1966 until her death in 1985. Although her work was centred in the Rwanda, the gorillas range throughout the mountain forests of Rwanda, DRC and the Southwestern tip of Uganda, where I was travelling.

Fortuitous Indeed!

Not only did I grow up fascinated with her story and also with the work of another famous primatologist, Jane Goodall, I also was heavily influenced by many other images and scenes from Africa at an early age. For example, our family regularly read the Book of Knowledge, National Geographic and watched the series Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom. All of this early exposure imprinted on my brain a map of what was to come.

Jane and her friends.

Marlin Perkins: an American zoologist and host of the show, "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom

Jane and her chimps!

But why did I feel a need to some. It is not an inexpensive endeavour. Gorilla permits cost $600 US per day. Part of this fee is turned over to the park for conservation measures and most hotels also give a percentage towards conservation measures and/or community support. The Wild Mountain Gorillas are an endangered species. They live in only three places in the world. There was no time like the present to come! We are all responsible for our own destiny and we are in control of making our dreams come true. So here I am!

Tuesday, 20 February 2018

Full Day in Entebbe

Relaxing day today in Entebbe. Have recovered from jet lag. The forecast called for rain but the day was, in fact, quite lovely. Some cloudy periods but lots of sun. I met a missionary from Michigan who now lives in Uganda. He is working near the region that I will be visiting next week. We compared some stories and thoughts about our African experiences over the years. I visited the Botanical gardens, a short walk from my hotel. Rather than what you might imagine it appears to be a park area where native trees have not been allowed to be cut down. Apparently the 1957 version of Tarzan was filmed, at least in part, here. And speaking of filming, I was treated to the filming of a music video in the lake at dusk. Lots of twerking and offers of bananas. I am not sure but I think the song playing, in the background, was called "Sweet Banana" by Badman Denzo, a Ugandan reggae artist! Below you can find a few shots from the day. Check the link below to see Tarzan, and the park, yourself!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTUnZtZs2Y8