Uganda!

Sunset at Hairy Lemon

               For this year’s winter we’ve decided to visit Uganda again for few reasons. Firstly becouse there is great risc that it’ll be gone soon – as they are planning to build the dame 16km downstream from our favored place which will flood all area 25km above and secondly as World Championships will take place this year at very fast wave- Garburator, Canada but also even though our last year’s Costa Rica trip was so amazing – i was missing surfing those great waves in such a pleasant water. That’s why as most of freestyle kayakers this year we’ve came here.

Our flight got delayed by 5 hours, thanks to that after horrifying flight (few hours of turbulence we arrived to Uganda in the middle of the night. Luckly our boats've arrived without any issues and our driver did a good job and was still waiting for us! After we took all the equipment we went straight to Hairy Lemon. We've had our first adventure just after leaving Kampala while we were trying to buy water for ourselves. Instead of 22 thousands of Ugandan Shilings (about 8 dolars) they tried to charge us 220 which (nearly 80 dolars!). But as we've had good mood we just waited till they've figured out that instead of 2 packs of water with 18 bottles, they were trying to charge us for 18 packs :) After this funny but still friendly incident we arrived perfectly for breakfeast to our beloved Island – Hairy Lemon. As every time it just pinches your heart when you see beauty of this place and hang around just listing to the wind, watching monkeys drop leaves over you while you are having your breakfeast and snake running after geko for all day. After eating breakfeast consisted of scrumbled eggs, bacon and mostly frutis which reminded us how amazing the fruits should taste! We chiled at one of chill out zones, took lunch and then went straight to the wave as soon as the water came up!

It's very hard to describe how amazing it feels to get into warm place, with warm water and then get to surf such an amazing wave there with bunch of friends! Oh yeah, upon arrival it was great to catch up with so many friends , Paul Palmer, Kalob Greedy which i haven't seen for few years now! And plenty of other people arriving and leaving.

It's increadible thing you just get to one place and you can meet so many people you know there who just come to hang out at wave and chill!

This year it was pretty hot. Pretty much all the time the temperature varried around 30 degrees. We've had Nile Special coming in nearly every afternoon and sometimes before the lunch. Club was on at Mondays and Sunday was perfect for rest days as it didnt really bring proper levels for any of waves.

In between the sessions we've had a great time playing Catan (this game is addictive! Spent so much time playing it), reading book in chill out zone, or playing football every afternoon!

The other day, with Ondra and Palmer's familly we went to village nearby and ended up in school playing with kids and teaching english!

One of my favorite parts were evenings, while already going to sleep, i spent every night watching a sky for some time, it's so beatiful over there!

Except paddling hard, there's been new climbing wall, and "monkey garden" - great place where you could do some work outs or stretching.

When the wave was busy, Paul and us went went for Cool Shaker (Diamonds) – wave at rapid just above the Nile. Luckly in our unluck, boda drivers messed it up and drove us to kalagala instead of there so we've had to run whole river down. But it was also great experience and good fun, especially becouse we've had great low water to catch Hair of the Dog wave and then we've hanged out at Cool shaker for some more time, was a great day at river with Nile surfing in evening!

After one week we went to hang out in Jinja, catch some internet, check mails and get in touch with world. As always we've spent some time watching amazing crafts,arts and how did the town change in 2 years time since we been there.

After two weeks Adam has arrived bringing for me my Heart Rate meter and i've started my master thesis research which concluded 3 rides at hole, 2 at wave and 3 at flatwater. Becouse of this I had to go to the river 7 times! But i was enjoying it alot, hanging out with different people, getting to know the river very well, catching all the waves, and finally running Itunda twice from middle and once from the top (thanks Clay and Gav for run!) Was very nice and fun to watch it from Kayak perspective, hehe.

The other day, Ondra, Adam & myself along with our US friends Bryan, Marian and Kat, went for Fanta wave downstream. I havent been there yet , the wave was quite hard and you had to paddle one and half hour on flatwater to get there but as the wave was quite busy, and the Fanta was only to ourselves and especially – it was new place to explore, it was great fun with friends!

Great surprise to us was when one day our friend Hollie has visited us at Lemon and invated us over to the Lake Mburo National park – Rwakobo Rock where she'd stay next months! We've been considering it for a while and finally decided to do it ! Finally for me it was first time into "true" Africa. Get out of the Island, go see western Uganda and get into sawanas. We've decided that we will go there in 2 last days before leaving, so our stay got a little bit shorter as on first days we've had perfect timing – sometimes we were only 3 people at the wave! Later on, the last week got very crowded, it was over 15 people in the queue!

Last week we've been spending pretty much whole afternoons hanging out at wave, paddling, sitting at rocks, watching others paddle, playing with local kids and just feeling our paradise.

But everything has it's end. So when the time had came, we've packed up our equipment and said goodbye to all our friends and Island, promising that we will come back as soon as we can! It's probably the place whose leaving cost me the most. The life there just gets it's own pace and track.. you just live kind of normal speed instead of 100x faster then what's natural for human and this days make us do that to stay "on the top of the wave". But, we were still there! One more adventure to live. We left to Kampala to Fat Cat backpackers where thanks to kindness of place we could leave our boats and bags and carried on just with our backpacks. 6 in the morning next day we took bodas through Kampala and drove to Bus station. Begining was horrifying! Upon arrival they've had nearly pulled us off the bike to go with them to the bus! They kept shouting and pulling just to go with them. Just to remind to those who already know and for those who don't – in Uganda, except driver there is also kind of manager, who is responsible for catching the people from the street or from stations to go with them. Same as in Matatus. The difference was there were couple of buses there all trying to collect full board to leave. Just after we got our seats and caused some serious stir among the crowd – as seeing Mzungus (white people) in the bus was serious entertainment. There were few guys who jumped into the bus with armful of watches, flip flops, detergents and all those things they were trying to sell. Kind of shopping mall which comes to you. After hour of waiting we've left to lake Mburo. There was one more surpirse awaiting. You know that moment when you travel abroad by bus and driver puts on some movie so people dont get bored? Well, in Uganda there is a guy with kind of instrument (stick attachted to small log with string connecting farest ends and one more cambered stick with strings) which actually is supposed to be similiar to the violin and starts singing and playing. He didnt really got into Ondra's taste but i kinda liked it as sample of local culture and as i've always fancied their music. After 4 hours of travel we've arrived to "village' – pretty much few huts around the road with of course chapatti tent. So we've ate Rollex (rolled chappati with scrumbled eggs with onions and tomatoes) and took boda to get to Rock Rwakobo!
 Hollie was waiting for us already so after arrival, we just had short lunch, walk around the place (which is AMAZING really, all of you should get there if only given an opportunity. There are great huts, amazing dining place where you get sick view over the area all around and to National Park! And while you are eating bamboos are coming along with impalas to watch you and play nearby, sick!)

 So after this we grabbed a bikes and went to Safari riding a bikes! I have to say it was the most amazing adventure i've had. Watching everything around, chasing down zebras, impalas and everything while riding a bike in between bushes and taking animal roads, just SICK! Then we found a great rock, chilled at top of it and came back. It's just so hard to describe the views and thigs we've seen. Unluckly we didnt meet any Hipos, Hyenas or Lion but still it was great. We also made up our own track across the hill and literally through the bushes and horny things , ouchie! But was soooo cool ^^!

 After this we've had a great dinner, reaaaally tasty! And as it got dark, we took a car and drove for night game! Which meant we stood inside after rising the roof and with huge torch we were trying to find blinking eyes in darkness to spot some night hunters. Start was quite good as we've seen giant African weasel and later Bush Pig which is super rare to see! It was amazing experience driving through it, seeing night life of impalas, topi and other animals. Unfortunetly near the dead zebra body we've spotted while biking there were no hyenas or lampard but still it was great. In the morning we've went for walk to National Park, watching the area from other perspective. It would be so great to spend there more time.. There are so many bike paths and places to see, camp and just observe the wildlife there! 

 But unfortunetly again, it was time for us to leave so we could make our plane on time! We drove back with our friend Chris who is the park owner, picked up the equipment from fat cat and drove to the airport! Luckly we left early , as the Uganda's president was coming back from somewhere and whole city was in huge traffic JAM becouse of shut down streets. Luckly we got there on time but after we arrived and wanted to send our boats we were said that they are not sure if they can take our boats. We got really mad! We've had all papers for it, we've been calling British Airways office before dozen of times and still we had to stress for 2 hours until they have fixed issue with our boats! They had to call the BA office in London and ask them.. Probably it was sure that we can take it back but still, was very stresful. Anyway, all in all it turned out good and without any issues i made it back to Poland.

The trip was amazing! So glad i could make it back to our paradise. Hope to go there again as soon as possible. But the thing that everyobody should be aware of – it's said to last only for 3 more years! So if you havent been there yet, or you been there and you love that place, go there and enjoy it as much as you can. Uganda goverment stated that they are building the dam! But let's not give up our hopes, keep on sharing the votes, tell your friends, share videos, build up awareness everywhere you can. Let's dont let them to destroy our and Ugandian's treasure!

~Bartosz