SD3: Wild and Mysterious

When you consider that Uganda is about the size of Minnesota, Bwindi to Mweya doesn't look that far on a map. But, don't forget, This is Africa.

You stop for tea at a Tea Plantation.





You stop in at the store to check out wireless modems (don't work with the iPad unless you remembered to bring your own router...) and cell phone options for Gordon the Guide.



You blast past National Geographic quality scenery and wildlife.



And you let your mind wander and ask yourself whether there really was something wrong with the vehicle and Gordon's cell phone or if your guide has some other mysterious agenda whilst driving you about one of Africa's politically and ecologically fragile borders....



But then you arrive at Mweya where National Geographic meets Euro-style Fabulous Resort.







Gordon hustled us into the Luxury Boat (as opposed to a tourist boat) and we experienced a guided cruise on the channel between Lake George and Lake Edward. We saw a few dozen birds that we had never even heard of before and lots of animals that we had only seen in places like the movies (all photographed with my cheap little camera)























I am not kidding. Please don't accuse me of exageration. All photographs here were shot by me with a little bitty Nikon CoolPix.

And then we returned to the spa resort to relax by the pool and check our email on the wireless high speed internet.

INTERESTING ASIDE
Fairly early on SD1 we ran into another guide who seemed to be a Big Buddy of Gordon's (well, actually, Everybody seems to be a Big Buddy of Gordon's...). He only had one tourist with him; a fortyish American male who introduced himself as Keith and who said that he worked for "The Government.". Every day, no matter where we went we kept running into Keith and his guide Robert (ramping my Personal Conspiracy Theory Meter into high gear). After the Luxury Boat tour, Keith and I were both in the Fabulous Eurospa lobby availing ourselves of the superb wireless internet and he struck up another conversation, making me feel obliged to ask him to join me and Isaac at dinner. Anyone who knows me knows that I HAD to find out what the guy was up to and anyone who really knows me well will understand the following:
Keith claimed to be an "analyst" with the Department of Defense. He said that he had been stationed in what I (affectionately) refer to as "The Eye Rack" as a "Middle East Specialist" immediately after what I (affectionately) refer to as "Bushie's Big Boo Boo" or "Dubya's Disaster". He told us that even with his level of clearance and experience he had never been able to figure out or find anyone with a plausible reason for the US invasion. He explained that for that and other reasons he had moved on to become an "Africa Specialist". I politely told him that everyone knows that we invaded The Eye Rack because Dick Cheney and his buddy Rummy owed a favor to some rich guy who was lusting after some priceless treasure in the Iraqi National Museum and the US spending a trillion bucks on a senseless war was the most logical way to get it for him. Keith seemed intrigued, leading me to suspect that he was probably a high school teacher from Iowa telling us a Big Story. Well, my mother always told me that the best part of travelling is the people you meet. Keith is in this photo but if I pointed him out to you and if he really is who he says he is, he might have to kill me.



-Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Impenetrable, Bwindi National Park to Mweya, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Western Uganda