Drokpa Journal

Dates Traveled: January-February 2008

Uganda

Once again it’s time to put fingers to keyboard to outline what I’ve been up to during my most recent six weeks of adventure. I left the vessel on January 16th and flew to Entebbe, Uganda, via a night in Dubai. I met Rhona at the airport and we proceeded to Kampala, where we spent the next 2 days simply relaxing. One night we sat outside under the stars smoking a cigar and drinking rum she’d brought with her from her recent travels in Cuba. It’s a tough life, but somebody has to do it.

We had signed up to do a three-week trip with Intrepid through Uganda and Tanzania. I’m not normally one for organized trips, but it was the easiest way to ensure we could get permits to see the mountain gorillas. On January 20th we set out on what we thought would be the easiest part of the trip - meeting the group at the designated hotel. Wrong! We drove around for over an hour, asking locals every few minutes if they knew where the place was located, only to be met with blank stares. We finally got word that they had gathered instead in a parking lot of a supermarket…as you do. It seems the meeting point hotel is new, not completely finished, nobody answered the telephone, and none of the locals knew anything about it. Aside from that it was a great place to meet!

When we arrived at the parking lot we met the leader and other passengers for the first 2-weeks of the trip. The Africa trips are different to the trips I (and Rhona) led in that they have a maximum of 21 people/trip. Our trips had a limit of 12 people. However, we found ourselves extremely lucky in that, because of the regional problems with the post-election riots in Kenya, we only had 6 passengers. Our transportation for the trip rolled up soon after we did - a large overland truck, so we jumped on and proceeded to our campsite for the night. The first night was spent getting to know everyone and learning what was expected of us. As the trip was described as ‘participatory camping’, we were expected to pitch and break down our tents, help with the cooking, clean the inside of the truck, wash dishes, and help perform any other tasks that came up. We also learned that we’d be crossing into Rwanda to see the mountain gorillas rather than seeing them in Uganda. Bonus!

Jinja - Uganda

First stop after we left Kampala - Jinja. Jinja is located near the source of the Nile, so after pitching our tents we did a bit of sightseeing. We first drove to Bujagali Falls, which are more a series of large rapids. It’s said that during Idi Amin’s rule truckloads of Ugandans were brought here and simply dumped into the river. Today’s entertainment at the falls still centers around the possibility of death - young Ugandan men who will travel over the falls with nothing but an empty jerry can as a float. It amazes me what people will do for a few measly dollars.

Next up was the source of the Nile, which it must be said was quite a disappointment. The river simply flows out of Lake Victoria, but we looked, snapped a few photos, visited the monument indicating some of Gandhi’s ashes had been scattered here, and left.

The next day two of our group opted for the whitewater rafting, which is supposed to be some of the best in the world. However, I was already feeling too distanced from day-to-day African life - a feeling that unfortunately remained during the entire organized portion of my break. Because we were self-contained in our truck we had very little dealings with Africans. I’m accustomed to being right in the middle of everything when I travel - local transportation, cheap guesthouses, local eateries, and walking around a lot, so it was quite a shock to feel so removed from the action. To get some of that interaction that I love, Rhona and I (and the remaining 2 passengers) opted to head to the nearby town instead of going rafting. We wandered through the market and town for several hours, which at least started to give me a better understanding of the region and those who live there.

Lake Mburo - Uganda

From Jinja we headed to Lake Mburo National Park, with a stop at the equator for the requisite photos and souvenir shopping. On the way into the park we saw some of the many animals for which Africa is famous - zebras, impalas, topis, water buffalo, eland, waterbuck, warthogs, and hippos. After pitching our tents close to the lake we walked to the water’s edge to see the hippos cooling off - sometimes completely submerged, other times just their eyes and nose breaking the surface of the water.

That night we sat around a campfire and listened to the animals in the bush behind camp. We also saw silhouettes of waterbucks as they passed within a few meters of where we sat. Lake Mburo was the first time we were advised to use the buddy-system in the middle of the night. If one person needed to use the toilet, the other would wait outside - shining a headlamp to ensure the coast remained clear. As hippos kill more people in Africa than any other animal, it was a warning which most people took to heart.

Early the following morning an armed guide came to camp to collect us for our walking safari. We only spent a few hours wandering around, but it’s always nice to be on the ground with the animals instead of safely ensconced in a vehicle. I enjoyed the morning.

Queen Elizabeth - Uganda

Next up - Queen Elizabeth National Park. As happened on the drive into Lake Mburo, we saw quite a few animals before we ever arrived at our campsite, with the most popular being the elephants feeding right next to the road. We had a sweet campsite - and had it to ourselves, so it was an enjoyable three nights in the area.

We generally went on a couple of game drives each day - morning and late afternoon. Seeing hippos and elephants were always highlights. We also saw many varieties of gazelle and antelope, but most of us wanted to see one of those being eaten - bring on the cats! Unfortunately, we never did see a lion or cat while in Queen Elizabeth. I’ve read there used to be many more animals in the park, but Idi Amin’s retreating army, the Tanzanian army which occupied the country after the ouster of Amin, and trophy hunters have all taken their toll.

Early one morning we headed to the Chambura Gorge for a walking safari to see chimpanzees. The gorge was beautiful - a lush oasis in a barren landscape. We walked down into the gorge and immediately encountered the chimps, which at the time we thought was fantastic. We were mesmerized for about an hour as we watched them go about their normal life - traveling through the treetops, grooming, having sex, and raining golden showers down on those standing too close! When it came time to leave we sadly turned our backs on the chimps, but we were all under the impression that we’d be walking for a few more hours through the gorge to see other animals. Nope - we climbed back out of the gorge and jumped on the truck. Disappointed! Seemed like an opportunity to do a bit of nice walking had been wasted.

While in the park we also took a boat ride up the Kazinga Channel. Hippos were the main focus, though there were birds and some water buffalo as well.

Lake Bunyoni - Uganda

From Queen Elizabeth we proceeded to Lake Bunyoni, which is described as the most beautiful lake in Uganda. No arguments here, and we had a gorgeous campsite to ourselves on good grass near the lake. We got in too late to do any activities, though most of us were simply looking to relax anyway. We spent a night there before popping across the border into Rwanda.

Parc National des Volcans - Rwanda

The first thing we noticed about Rwanda was that it seemed to have a bit more of an ‘edge’ to it, though I suppose that stems from the genocide of 1994. More on that later.

The following day was to be a free day, so Rhona spearheaded a plan to hire a car and driver for the day to visit the Genocide Memorial Center in Kigali, eat lunch at the Hotel des Mille Collines (immortalized in the movie Hotel Rwanda), and visit a couple of churches south of Kigali which were scenes of genocidal violence 14 years prior. We were told the vehicle could accommodate 5 people - two of the other passengers wanted to join us, and we gave the fifth seat to our Tanzanian cook who had never been to Rwanda. All was right with the world. Or not…

The following morning our chariot arrived, our very cramped, can-uncomfortably-seat-four-but-no-way-five-fit-in-here vehicle. I didn’t feel right telling the cook he couldn’t go - I thought it was something he should be able to experience. Plus, I was hoping that I’d be able to return later in my break on my own, so I reluctantly gave up my seat and watched the others drive away.

I decided to wander down to the park headquarters in the hope I could do a hike in the region. There are several volcanoes so I was hoping to stretch my legs a bit. My revised plan was to do the walk to Dian Fossey’s grave and that of her most beloved gorilla, Digit. I convinced myself that would be a good alternative to not being able to go with the others. However, I was told that walks only leave at 7 AM, there were no unguided walks in the region, there were no guides available, and that I was basically out of luck. And so began my wasted first full day in Rwanda. I ended up doing laundry - yes, that’s much better than any of the alternatives. Or not.

The next morning was ‘The Day’ - we were going to see the mountain gorillas! We arrived at the park headquarters at 7 AM and were provided with a guide. We learned that there are only about 700 mountain gorillas remaining in the wild and they can be found in Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. We were told which group we’d be visiting, what to expect, and the rules for gorilla viewing - one of which was to always keep 7 meters between yourself and the gorilla. After our briefing we piled into a vehicle for the 1-hour drive to the trailhead. After a short walk we acquired two armed guards who would accompany us for the remainder of the trek - it seems that some tourists were killed back in the late 1990’s so now armed escorts are de rigueur.

While we trekked our guide was in radio contact with the trackers. They generally follow a gorilla group for an entire day until they bed down. They then go back to that point the following morning to track them again. Unfortunately, the trackers weren’t able to find the group we were meant to be viewing. However, they’d come across another group which had nobody scheduled to view them that day, so we changed plans. Our new group was known as Amahoro, which means ‘peace’ - a sign of hope after 1994. There were 17 members of the group including 2 big silverback males and a 3-month old baby. It only took us about 2 hours to catch up to the trackers, and the going was easier than I’d been lead to believe it would be. There was a trail which we followed for most of the hike, though the rain from previous days, and the light rain at the time, meant that it was extremely muddy!

We left our packs with the trackers, grabbed only essential camera gear, and walked the remaining short distance to where the gorillas were located. As we walked up we were greeted by an unhappy silverback who was making aggressive noises and violently pulling on branches. That got my heart racing, but it also put a smile on my face. I love experiences that make me feel alive. The guide and one tracker made soothing grunting noises to calm him, and we wound our way through the jumble of bamboo and other vegetation. We ended up amongst the group, with gorillas on all sides. Some were feeding, others were playing, but they were all quite active - moving around a lot. We couldn’t have asked for a better experience. A mother and her young playfully wrestled around, while a young sibling tried to climb up a nearby branch. Snap - and he tumbled back to earth. A few times the mother beat her chest in the way we expect of gorillas. However, it had a much different sound than I’d anticipated - it sounded like someone tapping on hard plastic cups.

We had been versed in the 7-meter rule - the gorillas obviously hadn’t. They continually closed that gap - at one time actually grabbing our guide. Another time I was filming when a gorilla came towards me. As I slowly retreated the gorilla continued to close the gap, and would have been within touching distance if the guide hadn’t stepped between us. Most had similar stories that day. The only downside to the experience was that, because of the rain, the gorillas were huddled in a very dark thicket of growth which meant that it was difficult to get decent photos. I didn’t even try - opting instead to video the encounter. The photo that I’ve attached here was taken by Rhona, who seemed to get the best shots out of anyone that day.

To minimize the impact on the gorilla groups, all viewings are limited to one hour. All too quickly our hour had passed. We turned our backs on the group as they bedded down for the day, grabbed our backpacks, and trudged back downhill through the mud. It was a good day.

A few details for those interested in seeing the mountain gorillas. First of all, it’s not cheap. In the middle of 2007 the price rose to US$500 for a permit. We’ve been told they’d like to raise that to US$1000. That’s for an hour with the group. There are a maximum of 8 people who can visit a group at a time - with one viewing per day. In parks such as Parc National des Volcans or Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park which have a lot of gorilla groups, that equates to about 32 or 40 permits available each day.

Lake Bunyoni - Uganda

The following morning we crossed back into Uganda - past an area which had been used as a United Nations refugee camp during the Rwandan genocide, and also during some of the problems in the DRC. That night we were back at Lake Bunyoni - Happy Birthday to me! A day late from having a truly memorable birthday experience, but the cook managed to bake me a cake in a pot over an open flame, which I thought was pretty impressive in its own right.

Kampala - Uganda

We next pointed the truck back towards Kampala. At one stage we saw people carrying jerry cans approaching from all directions. I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many jerry cans as I saw in Africa, but this was something even more extreme than the norm, and we were scratching our heads as to what was going on. Until we saw the overturned tanker by the side of the road. The chance to siphon off some free fuel had seemingly brought everyone out of their homes for miles in all directions.

That night camped in Kampala was our last as a group - our 2-week adventure had come to an end, and we’d all be going our separate ways the following day. Three of us were continuing on with another Intrepid overland trip, one was flying to Canada to find work to fund further travels, and two were heading home. It was a good group and we all appreciated the benefits of having such a small group for those two weeks. For one, we were able to take up more space than is typical in the lockers where all of our stuff was stashed. It also meant that we could spread out in the truck, and even lie down when we were feeling tired - luxuries which we didn’t have during the last week of our trip, though we didn’t know that at the time.

I enjoyed Uganda as I thought it was a beautiful country with extremely friendly people. There aren’t as many tourists as in Kenya and Tanzania - something I obviously enjoyed, and there are several areas worth visiting. We weren’t able to reach a few places that interest me - Murchison Falls and the Rwenzori Mountains, so those are now on my ‘list’.

Nairobi - Kenya

On February 2nd the three of us who were continuing on with Intrepid boarded a Kenya Airways flight to Nairobi, arriving at the hotel 30 minutes before the group meeting. We quickly learned that political events and their aftermath had forced Intrepid to modify some of their trips. As it was deemed unsafe to spend too much time in Kenya, they had combined two trips into one, giving us a total of 19 passengers that last week. Our trip didn’t change much - we only lost one night in Kenya. However, others had booked trips spending a majority of the time in Kenya, so when they came with us to Tanzania it was a major change to their itinerary.

Outside Arusha - Tanzania

We left the following morning, packed into the truck much more closely than had been the case during the first 2 weeks, for our journey out of Kenya and into Tanzania. We passed through the town of Arusha and settled in a campsite about 16 kms out of town. Where did all the people come from?!? It turns out we hadn’t just been spoiled with a small group in Uganda - we’d also been spoiled by the lack of others at the campsites. Here there were seemingly tents everywhere, though I was told by the guide that that was nothing - that normally there was no space between tents because they were packed in so closely. He said the troubles in Kenya had kept the numbers down, but it was still a lot more people than I cared to have at a campsite - I wasn’t impressed.

Mto Wa Mbu - Tanzania

Before leaving the following morning we checked out the display of snakes that were kept behind glass. I chuckled at the mice in some of the enclosures - huddled in corners and obviously aware that they were to become breakfast. And as the snakes got bigger, breakfast had to increase proportionally - a few enclosures had live chickens awaiting their fate! There were also a few fenced enclosures for crocodiles, though apparently wildebeest weren’t on the breakfast menu that day.

Our first stop that day was at an overlook of Lake Manyara. We then stopped in a small town where we were guided on a two hour walk of the region. We visited a hospital, walked through banana plantations, saw locals making wood carvings, drank banana beer, and saw some paintings by local artists - one of which we bought. It was a nice morning.

The afternoon was simply a short drive to Mto Wa Mbu, where in the evening we saw a cultural show of singing, dancing, and acrobatics.

Serengeti - Tanzania

We next descended to the Serengeti, with a short stop at Olduvai Gorge to learn of the hominid discovery made there back in 1959 by Mary Leakey.

Our drive to the campsite in the Serengeti had us excited for the upcoming days as we saw many zebras, wildebeest, gazelles, impalas, and even a cheetah. The park had us back in buddy-to-the-bathroom mode, so we pitched our tents in a protective arc - all doors pointing inwards. One of the mornings we awoke to hyena tracks through the campsite, but no roaring lions were to be heard while we tried to sleep. And nobody disappeared while making a late-night run to the toilet.

We spent a fair bit of time in the Serengeti - the first afternoon, the entire next day, and then the following morning. During that time we went on several game drives and saw elephants, zebras, giraffes, waterbuck, topis, monkeys, and hippos. We saw many tasty morsels - impalas, kobs, and gazelles - but nothing chasing or feeding on them. We did see a few lions, which always seemed to be sleeping, and a few hyenas, but nothing exceptional.

An extra activity on offer was an early morning balloon ride, so some of the group parted with US$479 and took to the air. Rhona and I thought about it but in the end we chose not to go up - it wasn’t any better for spotting game and you were in a basket with 16 people. And it was expensive. We’ve heard it’s cheaper, there aren’t as many people in the basket, and probably better, in the Masai Mara so we’ll try to do it there sometime.

Even though we didn’t really see an abundance of exciting animals it was still interesting to see the Serengeti. I enjoyed the landscape as it’s what I envision when I think of Africa - extensive grasslands dotted with sporadic trees.

Ngorongoro Crater - Tanzania

As we departed the Serengeti we again saw a cheetah, lions, elephants, and numerous zebras and wildebeest. On the edge of the park we stopped in a Masai village - sort of. Various villages have been set up for the sake of tourists. Masai are brought in from their actual villages to man the tourist villages for a few months at a time. While there they explain their way of life to tourists, but more importantly they try to sell handicrafts. The money they earn is divided amongst everyone in the tourist village, and after their period of occupancy is up they return to their original villages where they disperse any money they acquired. Not exactly a genuine Masai village experience from my perspective, but it was part of the itinerary.

We rocked up and stood outside the fenced compound while the separate, colorful groups of men and women chanted, danced, and leaped. If you envision one tribe when you think of Africa it is probably the Masai, with their colorful blankets wrapped around their bodies and their beaded necklaces. We were split into smaller groups and led into separate low-profile mud, stick, and grass homes where a local explained a bit about Masai life. And then it was time to get down to business. Our ‘guide’ led us outside where we were shown many handmade items hanging on a fence - a fence that encircled the entire central compound. We didn’t actually end up buying anything, but there was no denying why these ‘traditional’ Masai were there - to get as many tourist dollars as possible. Needless to say it wasn’t the best experience.

That night we camped on the rim of the Ngorongoro Crater, and the following morning we were divided into 4 separate LandCruisers - the sides of the crater were too steep for our overland truck. We descended into the crater at 8 or 9 AM and spent until 1 PM driving around looking for animals. The crater is unique in that year-round it contains everything the animals need, making it unnecessary for them to migrate to other regions. Another interesting fact we learned is that only male elephants are to be found down in the crater - the females and young stay on the outer slopes of the crater so they don’t have to negotiate the steep walls of the crater.

While in the crater we saw vultures (at one point feeding on a dead elephant), zebras, wildebeest and their hours-old newborns, hyenas, jackals, ostriches, flamingos, water buffalo, hippos, elephants, and several sleeping lions. However, the highlight was seeing three of the rare black rhinos, including a mother and baby. There are only about 20 in the crater so it was nice to see them.

Nairobi - Kenya

The following day, the last day of the trip, our group of 19 split up and went separate ways. Some were continuing on with Intrepid to Zanzibar, others were continuing with Intrepid to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, and 5 of us returned to our starting city - Nairobi.

The week in Tanzania was nice in that we were able to spend time in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater. We saw many of the usual African animals, though never did get to see anything overly exciting - no leopards, no feeding lions.

The week was also less enjoyable in that there were so many others on the trip - and other groups at the campsites. It also continued to illustrate the downside to the entire 3-week experience in that the only locals we dealt with were those trying to get money from us and those paid to interact with us.

The following day Rhona and I simply slept late, relaxed, recuperated from the trip, checked e-mail, and wandered a few streets near our hotel.

Early the next day we headed to the Brazilian embassy so I could start the process of obtaining a business visa. They were expecting me as most of the work had been done ahead of time by an agent in Rio - thankfully. It meant that I’d be able to get my visa the following day rather than having to wait weeks. It also meant that I wouldn’t have to remain in Nairobi any longer than necessary. By the time we were in Nairobi most of the post-election violence had ended, but it still wasn’t a city with many redeeming qualities - I didn’t feel the need to spend much time there.

After the embassy we headed south of Nairobi to the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust - a home for orphaned elephants and rhinos. We ogled and snapped photos of the young elephants while an employee told us about them, how they became orphaned, and the great work they’re doing at the center to help the elephants. And if you’ve always wanted to sponsor an elephant but weren’t quite sure how to go about it, look no further than the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust

From the orphanage we proceeded to the home of Karen Blixen, of Out of Africa fame, who lived there from 1914 to 1931. It was interesting to see the home and to learn a bit about her life - including the fact that she wrote several books under the pseudonym Isak Dinesen.

A short drive from her home had us at the Langata giraffe center. Now I know the accompanying photo appears as if the paparazzi have caught me in the act of exploring my options - going for someone taller than Rhona, but I’m actually feeding the giraffe…with flair! We climbed the platform, shook a pail containing food pellets, and the giraffe sauntered over a la Pavlov’s dogs. Not content to simply let the giraffe eat out of my hand, I put a pellet in my mouth and leaned forward. It was a bit sloppy, and the giraffe’s tongue was like sandpaper, but it was good for a laugh. However, that’s as far as our romance went - there was no French kissing as that could have been dangerous! The tongue of a giraffe is 18-20 inches (46-50 centimeters) in length. And now you know.

Late that night I rode with Rhona out to the airport. She had a flight shortly after midnight that was taking her back to Japan and the start of work for 2008 - her 3 1/2 months of traveling, and our most recent 3+ weeks of traveling together, were at an end.

I spent one additional day in Nairobi checking out some of the markets and picking up my Brazilian visa.

Arusha - Tanzania

I hopped a small bus for the trip from Nairobi, across the border, and into Arusha, Tanzania. I’d made the mistake of talking to a guide at the bus stop in Nairobi, and he’d phoned his buddy who accosted me once I got to Arusha. He was trying to sell me a trip to climb Kilimanjaro, but initially what I needed to do was head 16 kms. out of town back to the campsite we’d used with the group the first night out of Nairobi - I had some souvenirs to buy! I knew the operator was desperate when he said he’d have his driver take me out there, so I took him up on his offer and he made his pitch as we drove. I knew his type and was pretty sure his was a dodgy, low-caliber operation - later confirmed. It also grates on me when I travel and have to pay good money to hike/climb/camp, since I can do all that for free back home. Anyway, he was offering a 6-day climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro via the Machame Route, at a cost of US$1000. That seemed to be the going rate around town, though I still believe it to be extremely high. Many do that particular route in 7 days, but it seemed to have enough of a safety net built in that it was possible in 6. Given my sordid history that was probably my first mistake, but I was pressed for time.

Back in ‘97 and ‘98 when I was ten-feet-tall-and-bullet-proof, I had three separate run-ins with high altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). The first was actually on Mt. Kilimanjaro, where I mixed in a bit of cerebral edema for good measure. Those times I seemed to bypass the standard acute mountain sickness symptoms - lethargy, loss of appetite, headache - and went straight for the hard stuff - lungs filling up with blood. However, since giving up offshore rotational work in 2001 I’d spent a lot of time at altitude in Tibet, and had climbed as high as 6100 meters in northern India. On those excursions I felt as strong as I always believed I should in the mountains. I was a bit nervous this time since I was back doing the rotational work, and I know what a toll the job takes on my health, but I truly believed that I’d be fine - that I was older and wiser. It turns out I’m just older.

Mt. Kilimanjaro - Tanzania

A cook and I hopped on a public bus to a junction where we met the guide. We then proceeded to the Machame Gate where we registered, organized gear, and hired 2 porters. We certainly didn’t need the porters for my gear. In fact, the cook, guide, and porter had all asked, “Is that all you have?” when they saw my stuff. It seems most people must bring a lot of crap with them on the climb. We still ended up with a fairly large support group considering I was a group of 1 - cook, guide, and 2 porters.

The first day was an easy hike of 3 hours through a lush, green forest. It also set the tone for things to come - I arrived at the campsite before the porter with my tent arrived, and an hour before my guide. I had been a bit concerned when the lunch I was given for the trail turned out to be shredded carrots between two slices of buttered bread. I was afraid I wouldn’t be getting enough food to fuel me for the climb, but I needn’t have worried - all breakfasts and dinners were feasts! I had trouble eating everything, but always forced it down knowing that I needed the energy. The only drawback was that, because I was a group of one, I didn’t have the luxury of camp chairs, table, or dining tent that larger groups had. I simply sat in my tent eating. As I drifted off to sleep that night I heard a Tanzanian guide trying to teach English to a couple of Spanish climbers. Priceless.

The following day was another easy one of 3 hours. We climbed out of the lush vegetation and camped at an altitude of about 3800 meters. I arrived at the campsite around noon, though my tent didn’t arrive until later. It was frustrating, as once again I ended up sitting outside in the rain awaiting its arrival. I spent that afternoon bored out of my mind! In the past I had always gone off on exploratory hikes once I reached camp. However, this year I’d vowed to play it safe and simply relax in camp - saving my energy for the days ahead. That was actually made easier on day 2 as it was cold, windy, and rainy for most of the afternoon. It did clear up a bit late that afternoon so I could look down on the carpet of clouds that had filled some of the lower valleys. I always enjoy that scene. We typically found Kilimanjaro cloud-covered through much of the day, but she made an appearance late at night and early in the morning. It was nice to get your bearings and to have that carrot dangled in front of you. That night was another cold one in the tent.

Day three was a bit longer - about 5 hours. However, that was because we hiked up to what is known as the lava tower, over 4000 meters, before dropping back down to camp that night at just under 4000 meters. That was done to aid acclimatization….in theory.

Day four was a great day, but a tiring one. Right out of the gate we started with a nice climb, and a bit of a scramble. There were traffic jams as some people felt a bit uneasy on the rocks, and of course there were porters trying to push by as well. I finally passed most of the bottleneck and cruised up to the top of that ridge - and beautiful views of Kilimanjaro. It was the only day she was out in all her glory, and I’d reached a fantastic vantage point for the show. I sat there for awhile taking it all in before continuing along the trail. Around noon I reached a campsite, but it was for those doing the climb in 7 days - I still had an uphill slog to get to my camp for the night.

I felt sorry for some of the porters I saw as the trail that day really took its toll on them. I watched several bent over in exhaustion, and watched one simply collapse under his load. The park authorities have implemented regulations that porters can only carry 20-25 kgs. of gear. At the Machame Gate before starting the climb, and at the first campsite, those loads were actually weighed. That isn’t a lot of weight, but the loads aren’t orderly, as in confined to a backpack. Porters may be wearing a backpack, have some other gear stacked on top of the backpack and supported by their neck, and then may be carrying a plastic bag of pots in one hand and a large jerry can full of water in the other. Others opted to carry everything on top of their head. It was tough work for them, and that day was the worst.

I felt extremely strong that day - as was the case in previous days. I tried to keep myself in check - never stopping for rests, but making sure that I had a nice, slow, steady pace that I could maintain all day long. Camp that night was at 4600 meters.

I had a huge dinner, a brief sleep, and then was woken at 11:30 PM. A couple of quick cookies, a thermos of tea, and around midnight it was time to go - summit day! The moon was so bright that I didn’t need my headlamp - I love those nights! I was making decent progress for about the first hour or two and then everything went wonky. I found that no matter what I tried - including climbing at a snails pace, that I couldn’t regulate my breathing. That’s always the key while hiking - find a pace that isn’t too fast or too slow, and simply keep that rhythm. I’d lost it, and it was nowhere to be found - no matter what tricks I tried. From that point it was simply determination and stubbornness that kept me going as I’d climb for a short time, and then pause to catch my breath. I was extremely frustrated, but not overly concerned at that point - I figured I could still will my way to the top.

Sunrise was beautiful as the sky turned red and surrounding glaciers and rocks turned golden. I was happy to see the sun as I figured it meant my frozen hands would finally warm up. At that point I was still below the crater rim but I was within sight, which spurred me on. I plodded on and finally reached the rim around 8 AM - much later than most, who were already starting their descent. I snapped a few photos and the guide was pleased we’d made it up - he was ready to descend. However, that wasn’t technically the summit - Uhuru Peak, at 5896 meters the highest point in Africa, was still along the rim and slightly higher, so I set out. I’d walked about halfway there, and had gained most of the necessary elevation, when my exhausted-but-not-overly-concerned mindset turned to overly-concerned in an instant. I had gurgling in my chest when I breathed, I coughed up blood, and I started shaking uncontrollably. The shaking quickly subsided, but I knew the other two wouldn’t until I got down, so I wheeled around and started my descent.

Even that took a lot out of me as I had to stop often to rest. Back at camp I was in my tent waiting for lunch when I leaned back on my pack to rest. The gurgling immediately became worse, and I coughed up a fair amount of blood. It was then I told the guide that I wanted completely off the mountain that day. We were scheduled to descend a bit and spend one more night camping, but I wasn’t convinced I’d wake up the following morning - HAPE tends to become worse at night when you’re lying down sleeping.

After lunch we set off on our descent. Along the way we arranged for a vehicle to meet us at the park gate, but that point was still a 5-hour walk down the hill. I had wanted to get back to Arusha that night but President Bush happened to be visiting there at the moment and I was told I wouldn’t be able to get a hotel room, so I opted to sleep in Moshi instead. Because we had descended so quickly my heart must have been pumping a fair amount of blood into my lungs, as I was still coughing up quite a bit even at the lower altitude in my hotel room. I knew I had to sleep as I had started that day at midnight and had been walking for about 16 hours, but I didn’t trust myself to lie down. I finally opted to sleep upright in a chair that night. Fun and games.

The following day I was able to get a ride back to Arusha where I spent the afternoon shipping a package and recovering. For several days I was extremely tired any time I had to climb stairs, but everything eventually proceeded back to normal. However, I suppose that means that I’ll probably have to stay relatively low while I’m doing this job, so no mountains in my immediate future.

Kigali - Rwanda

On February 20th I caught a short flight from the Kilimanjaro airport, near Arusha, over to Kigali - the capital of Rwanda. I sat behind a woman with a long, thin scar running from below her left eye, just missing the outside edge of her eye, to the top of her forehead and her hairline. I can only assume that the mark was left by a machete, and that she was a survivor of the genocide.

I opted to stay in the Hotel des Mille Collines - Mille Collines translating as ‘a thousand hills’ - a reference to Rwandas rolling countryside. Being a 4-star hotel meant it was a lot more posh than I was accustomed, and a lot more expensive at US$136/night. However, I was staying there for the historical significance. If you’ve seen the movie Hotel Rwanda, the story is based around what transpired at the Hotel des Mille Collines during the genocide in 1994.

I had flown back to Rwanda for a sobering end to my 6-week trip - I wanted to understand more about what happened back in 1994.

I suppose a brief, very basic, overview of Rwandan history is probably in order before proceeding. There are two main tribes in Rwanda, the Tutsis and the Hutus, who had managed to coexist quite peacefully. When Rwanda was colonized by Belgium they played the two tribes against each other to divide and conquer. At one point they determined that anyone who owned more than 10 cows would be deemed a Hutu, while anyone with less than 10 cows was Tutsi. Those distinctions were passed from generation to generation, and noted on a person’s identity card. The minority Tutsis were traditionally in power, but when they declared their independence from Belgium the Belgians switched their allegiance to the majority Hutus. After Rwandan independence in 1962 the Hutus came to power and quickly established quotas for the Tutsis, limiting work and education possibilities. Hate and resentment simmered.

In 1990 the Tutsi dominated rebel group Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) tried to overthrow the Hutu government. The government called in help from the Democratic Republic of Congo, France, and Belgium. When the RPF had been repulsed the Hutu-led government went on a killing spree in retaliation - attacking anyone thought to have been involved with the overthrow attempt. There were many killed, and many fled to surrounding countries. Over the next couple of years the RPF regrouped and attacked again - repulsing the army and moving to within 25 kms. of the capital before a ceasefire was reached and the sides met in Tanzania in April 1994 to broker a deal. As the Hutu president’s plane was returning from those talks, and was about to land in Kigali, a surface-to-air missile shot it out of the sky. And all hell broke loose….

To this day nobody is sure who shot down the plane - the current Rwandan president, a Tutsi leader of the RPF at the time, has been accused. However, many believe it was actually Hutu extremists that were responsible. For quite awhile they’d been spreading hate over the airwaves of Radio TV Libre de Milles Collines. They believed in a ‘final solution’ to the Tutsi problem - extermination. And so it began.

Over the next 100 days 800,000 to 1 million people - mostly Tutsis, were murdered. They were told to congregate in churches where they’d be safe - and there they were murdered. They were told to congregate in schools where they’d be safe - and there they were murdered. Most were hacked to death by machete, or clubbed to death, though some were shot. Children were simply grabbed by their ankles and beaten against a wall. There were some UN peacekeepers in Rwanda at the time, but they were instructed to not get involved - a stance that the UN rightly recognizes today as criminal. Many knew their attackers - they had been friends, neighbors, their children had played together, but the tribal division made them enemies. It was mayhem, and all of this occurred a mere 14 years ago.

It was that period in Rwandan history I’d returned to discover. To talk to survivors and to hear their tales.

My first full day in Kigali I took a taxi out to the Memorial Center. The center is well done, taking one through the years prior to the 1990’s, and then describing the atrocities of that period. There were video clips of survivors detailing what they experienced. There were clothes that people had been wearing when they were murdered. There were photos of victims - the most striking being those of children, listed with their likes, their character, and, in some cases, their last words. Upstairs was information outlining genocide which occurred in other countries. Outside were mass graves for some of the victims, and they’re in the process of engraving all of the names on a wall. The center was quite a sobering reminder of the atrocities. They try to bring school groups to the center to educate the children, such that something like that never happens again.

Two nights a week the center hosts a talk by a survivor, and that night happened to be one of those, so I returned at 6 PM. The room was set up for 50 people but I was the only one in attendance that evening. It worked to my advantage as I simply sat and talked to the survivor one-on-one. It allowed me to interrupt and ask questions, though most of the time I simply sat there shaking my head in bewilderment. The guy was 28 years old, so he would have been 14 at the time. He said his family was rounded up with other Tutsis and taken to a church. As they entered the compound the men were told to go to one side, the women and children to the other. He actually covered his head and went with the women and children. After his father and step-brother followed the other men he never saw them again - they were murdered. He said it’s hard to describe the feeling of knowing your days are numbered - that you’re going to be killed. At one point his Hutu captors picked an 8-year old boy out of the group of Tutsis. He was told to randomly go around the room and choose people. Those people were then taken and killed in front of everyone else. He said that two people were chosen who sat right in front of him, one behind was chosen. When the Hutus left that day they said that they’d return and kill everyone within 2 weeks time. Luckily, an end to the madness occurred before that time and he was freed.

I asked about psychological damage as a survivor. He said he doesn’t have too many problems, though he used to have nightmares about his father. However, he said his mother has problems to this day. I’d talked to another Rwandan whose girlfriend is studying psychology, and she admits that there are severe psychological effects from the genocide. I would think it impossible not to.

Rwanda is a very religious country, and I asked about that. Many Tutsis were told to congregate in churches where they’d be safe, only to have the priests inform the government when they had thousands of people huddled around. Groups of Hutus, Rwandan army, and/or Interahamwe death squads would then descend on the churches and murder everyone. I asked if Rwandans still had faith in those same churches. Everyone I asked about that told me that they had changed from the Catholic church to something like Protestant.

As part of the healing process most Rwandans no longer refer to themselves as Hutus or Tutsis, but simply as Rwandans. That’s all good as lip service, but I wanted to know how deep it ran, so I asked a few survivors if they trusted their neighbors. Not one said yes.

After the survivor talk the center also screened a movie, which on that night happened to be Shooting Dogs. It outlined what took place at a school, ETO, just outside of Kigali. The scene was pretty typical of many churches or schools around the country - Tutsis congregated for safety, the Hutus eventually came, and virtually everyone was killed. The movie states that 2500 lost their lives at the school, though I’d also heard numbers in the 4000-5000 range. On other nights the center screens the movie Sometimes in April. I haven’t seen it, though I have ordered it from Amazon. I’ve heard it’s also good.

While driving to and from the center I got to talking to my taxi driver. It turned out that he used to work at the front desk of the ‘Hotel Rwanda’. However, he wasn’t on duty for the 100 days - he had left work one day and was never able to safely return to the hotel. He also told me the story of his wife. She had fled to the ETO school described in the Shooting Dogs movie, and according to him she was one of only 7 survivors. As I was to hear a few times, she had been knocked down amidst all the bodies. There were so many, and so much blood was splattered about, and on her, that she realized if she remained still she would be seen as dead. Once the attackers left she fled.

The following day I met a driver and we set out to see some of the other memorials around the country. Our first stops were two churches south of Kigali, at Ntarama and Nyamata. At Ntarama 5,000 were killed, and I was told there were 10 survivors. On display were human skulls - some with machete cuts, other bones, and clothing. There are a few holes in the wall of the church as a result of grenades, and I was told that some people were burned alive.

At Nyamata the numbers were 10,000 killed, 5 survivors. Behind the church today are vaults where they have the remains of 40,000 victims. Again, there are femurs and skulls from floor to ceiling.

We next stopped at Nyange. There locals had huddled in a church for safety. It was bulldozed to the ground.

The next stop was a church on the outskirts of Kibuye, on the shores of the beautiful Lake Kivu. Total killed there - 11,400. It’s said that Kibuye was hardest hit during the genocide, with an estimated 90% of the Tutsi ‘cockroaches’, as the Hutus referred to them, wiped out.

After all of the memorials during the day I needed something a bit more upbeat, so I also went to the market in Kibuye. I had been hoping to hit the weekly market, where many traders arrive in boats from the Democratic Republic of Congo, but I arrived too late in the day. I had to settle for the local daily market, but it was still colorful and lively. I spent the night in Kibuye, with an enjoyable evening sitting by the lake eating and talking to an Aussie couple.

The following morning we were back in the vehicle and on our way to one more memorial - this one outside of Gikongoro at Murambi. The area was to be a technical college, though was still under construction when many sought refuge here from the Interahamwe death squads. To no avail - thousands were killed. Unlike other memorials where mostly skulls and femurs are on display, here the bodies were exhumed from mass graves after about a year and then covered in lime. The lime has preserved the bodies, and those bodies are now found throughout 20+ rooms of the memorial - exhibiting some pretty horrific wounds.

I was also told a story of how French soldiers, who were helping the Hutu government, built a volleyball court over a mass grave to hide the evidence and allow the killers to safely escape to the DR Congo. Today, with a former head of the Tutsi RPF as president, relations between France and Rwanda have been severed.

My short time in Rwanda wasn’t exactly uplifting, but I had wanted to learn more of the atrocities that occurred a mere 14 years ago, so it was educational. On one hand you marvel at the fact that so many people were indiscriminately murdered, and convince yourself that it couldn’t happen today. And then you realize that the 1500 people killed in Kenya a few months ago died as a result of tribal issues after the fraudulent elections. And you realize that the conflict in Darfur, in western Sudan, which is ongoing and has killed an estimated 200,000+ since 2003, is divided along ethnic and tribal lines. And…

On a lighter note, a few other observances of life in Rwanda. While driving out west we saw many makeshift bee hives hanging in trees. They seemed to be log-shaped and comprised of grass, bark, mud, and wood.

Throughout Rwanda we saw many people walking along the roads - in cities, in the rural areas, everywhere. Younger kids were often running alongside the road - seemingly in a hurry to get wherever they were going. I also saw many rickety old one-speed bikes on the roads in the countryside. As mentioned before, Rwanda is the land of a thousand hills, and what goes up, must come down….fast! Kamikaze bicyclists, sometimes with a passenger on back, were often seen careening down hills at an insane speed…tires wobbling…handlebars shaking. I’m sure the brakes on those monstrosities weren’t the best, either.

I also had to laugh at Rwandan pay phones. Rather than a booth on a corner, there are young guys wandering the streets with full-sized phones which are somehow connected to the mobile network. Too funny.

Something else which made me chuckle was the road between Kigali and Kibuye. It’s a new road, quite good, and constructed by the Chinese. However, as I’d noticed throughout China, they believe in leaving very steep slopes next to the road - they don’t taper the cut. They erect barriers to stop landslides, but more often than not you notice a landslide has ripped right through their shoddy barriers and ended up on the road. I think it’s time for the Chinese to change their road-building techniques, as the current practice doesn’t seem to work anywhere in the world.

And finally, my last day in Rwanda happened to be the last Saturday of the month - a day set aside for community service. Every person is expected to perform some type of community service between 8 AM and noon on that day. When we drove through communities during those hours I noticed that most businesses and shops were closed, there was very little public transportation, and very few people on the streets. They could be seen working in fields together, or performing other tasks deemed necessary by the community. I thought it was a great concept.

My two-day drive around the country, and my time in Rwanda, came to an end when I was dropped off at the airport back in Kigali. I found Rwanda a fascinating country with some serious historical baggage. The hardest part for me was sitting there watching people, and realizing that anyone over 14 lived through the nightmare.

Kampala - Uganda

A short flight had me back where my 6-week adventure started - Kampala, Uganda, where I simply spent 2 nights relaxing and catching up on some e-mails.

I enjoyed my time in Africa and look forward to spending more time on the continent. Lasting impressions are bicycles and trucks laden with bananas, people carrying everything on their heads, drinking amarula, and guys wandering the streets - and climbing Kilimanjaro - while listening to large radios.

I won’t miss the pleas of, “Mzungu - give me money!”

Back to Work - Brazil

An uneventful trip of almost 40 hours had me in bed in a hotel in Rio de Janeiro at 1 AM on February 27th. Seven hours later I was on a bus, then a taxi boat, and then back onboard my work vessel. It’s actually going to be a short trip for me this time, as this project is drawing to a close. We estimate another week to 10 days until completion. Right now the plan is to hit the States for awhile after this job - I’ll need to complete a final report, do my taxes, catch up with family, and take care of a few other things. From there I’ll head to Japan for 3-4 weeks to hang out with Rhona in Tokyo. She’ll probably have to head to Australia in mid-May to work on a visa, so I’ll head elsewhere for a week or so - possibly back to the States.

On the work front, the latest is that I may continue working on this vessel when it goes to the next job, which will be up in the North Sea. I’d like that, as I know what is expected from the company, and the guys onboard know what is expected from me. It should be a smooth transition to a new prospect.

And with that, you’re up to date. I hope that all is going well in your part of the world, and I’ll catch you next time.

Uganda Photos
Tanzania Photos
Kenya Photos
Rwanda Photos

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