Jinja - source of the Nile

Saturday the 17th was our day trip to Jinja - about a 2 hour drive from Kampala and is Uganda's second largest urban centre. We didn't see much of the city itself, we skirted around it and headed out towards the Nile. The source of the Nile is a spring coming up from the ground out of Lake Victoria. You can't see the spring now as the river has been dammed and the only evidence it is there are bubbles breaking the surface.









It was beautiful on the Nile itself, very calm with just a few fishing boats about and resting by the water. Uganda is a bird watchers dream, however I am not studied enough (or interested enough to be honest!) to worry what their names are.

Our next stop after the River Nile was to Bujagali Falls where we were able to see the rapids. We paid two local men 5,000 shillings each to ride down the rapids holding only a jerry can. I know it's something they must do regularly for tourists and it was obvious they knew the best parts to swim through, but I did wonder if it were wise to be encouraging this sort of behaviour.

Lunch was at the Nile Resort, a beautiful hotel down the road from the Falls. I ate my first Tilapia, a local fish which was absolutely gorgeous. I know it doesn't look particularly appealing but it was yum, I assure you!

I'm here ... and it's HOT!

I'm made it to Uganda safely and without any dramas... Praise God! The flight was uneventful, it was easy to get a visa and all our luggage turned up. I can't believe it was only this morning we arrived, it feels like days ago now.

The team and I have just returned from the Bulrushes Babies Home and the babies were really sweet.





















These are children found abandoned at hospitals, police stations and rescued off rubbish dumps. The home is designed to hold 60 children between the ages of 0 - 2 years but there are currently 109 in residence... that's a lot of nappies, changes of clothes, bathing and feeding to do!



The most premature baby they ever had there weighed just 850g and was 5 months early but now he is thriving; they have excellent care for premature babies. I got to hold a few, the most determined I think! Those that could crawl or walk would come to you and try climbing up your legs and into your lap and then they were very difficult to put down. Not because I didn't want to let go but they didn't.



When they started to cry as I walked away, it was heartbreaking but it is obvious they are in great hands so that made it easier. We were told we weren't allowed to take any with us, so unfortunately I had to leave all those gorgeous kids behind. At least I know they have an excellent future ahead of them in the hands of the Watoto Organisation.



The country is much as I expected after having travelled to India in 2005, though there are some subtle differences. The billboards on the sides of the roads are similar to what I'd see in the UK, however I did see one today that said "HIV Positive? Take your medicine daily". Just a reminder of a disease that affects so many out here.

I will leave the rest of my observations from the last 7 hours (has it really only been that long since we arrived?) for another time, and will have to post photos on here (if they will all fit) when I get back. Tomorrow we are off to Jinja where I will get to go on the Nile and see it's source. How exciting!

Away I go!

After a year of thinking and planning, the day has come when I depart for Uganda. Only 9 hours to go and I'll be on the plane and I am nervous and excited at the same time. I started the Malaria tablets yesterday and thankfully there have been no side-effects, so I am off to a good start! I've just been into town and bought my builders gloves so I can lay bricks without breaking a nail and made sure I have enough foreign currency. Now I am finishing packing and ticking off my mental/paper lists to make sure I've got of everything.

I hope to update this a little whilst I am in Kampala - there are internet cafes around I am told, however it depends on whether we have time to get to one that will determine how often I write here. If there isn't much added in the next two weeks, there certainly will be when I get back!

Thanks for all the prayer and support everyone is giving me, it has provided me with extra confidence and anticipation of good things to come. I look forward to sharing news with you shortly.