Dans diary from uganda

DAY 1 MONDAY 23RD

Left at 3 in the afternoon to get to gatwick airport for the plane that left at nine. I was really nervous because it was my first time away from home and i had only been on a plane once when i was 7 and my ears did not pop well so i was in pain so that was in the back of my mind. But got to gatwick safetly and began to relax but i was sad as well because i had to say goodbye to my parents its was one of the hardest things i have had to do in my life. Once they left we went to go and check in and dispose of our luggage however it took well over an hour to get everyone through and there were only 10 of us. When we did that someone had forgotten there yellow fever certificate. This was disasterous because her parents had to rush home and get it. Because the rest of us were bored we decided to go and wait in duty free. Duty free was amazing but too expensive typical britain so i did not buy anything. Then the girl who had to wait for her yellow fever certificate got hers and came through. We then went to get on the plane. Which was Emirates one of the nicest airlines, except when it came to food, they had TVs and music it was lovely. So we took off and it was so wierd and my ears popped fine so i was happy. However i was not given a vegeterian meal on the plane so when dinner came it was meat and i was like ohh dear i cnt eat this so i put it to one side and only at bread roll. So it came to midnight tuesday what would happen would i fade away because i could not eat join me here tomorrow when we find out about the rest of the plane journey...

DAY 2

So i am still on the plane starving but as the early hours of the morning pass i fall asleep and soon we are told to strap ourselves in because we are landing in Dubai. When we were safetly on the ground we got off the plane and from air conditioning to 31 degrees at 7am in the morning it was hot. The plane had landed at the bottome of the airport so we had to take a bus all the way back to the top to put our bags through only then to realise we had to walk all the way back down to check in and then we were late so we immeadeatly checked in then we got on another bus which took us to the top of the airport to get on a different plane, it was very confusing, Once on this plane we took off and headed for Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. But first came breakfast and i was relli hungry unfortunately it was a let down again and i did get a nice crossiant though which satisfied me. So we carried on flying and got to Ethiopia and from the little bit of it i saw it looked beautiful. Finally we were on the last part after spending an hour on the plane in Addis ababa we were now heading the Entebbe uganda how exciting . As we landed after another hour and a half we could see lake victoria in all her glory it was beautiful but no photos as they are not allowed on planes . When we landed in the airport they had a massive green space in the middle which was so green and lush and had many, storks, herons, and egrets in the middle all eating frogs. .

After the 17 hr flight we checked in and hoped ian would be there to meet us to take us to were we were staying for one night before heading to the village. We got outside and suprise suprise ian was not there so we waited. An hour passed and we were still waiting i was really tired. Although i did get to watch some weaver birds frantically building there nest and squabbling with each other it was lovely. So we carried on waiting! Had we been forgotten about? Were was ian? Were we ever going to get to the village? Find out tomorrow in the next part of entralling diary entry lol

DAY 2 CONTINUED

So we continued to wait at the airport for another half an hour then all of sudden ian appeared. So we got on a minibus, however it was a party bus and it meant there were no proper seats but seats at the back were everyone sat round a table. Oh what fun we had so we went to the youth hostel that we would be staying at for the night and i decided to hit the shower my last one before i went to live it rough . It was so powerful and lovely and i felt fresh and happy so i decided to get snapping of the youth hostel

And some of the beauties around

A type of amarillos, also saw a bird which has been ID in bird section if people want to look

Also a lovely tree called a Bottle brush tree

Also i got to see my bed for the night

I got the top bunk i was like a big kid again lol. So once everyone was washed we found out the shower gave people electric shocks but i did not get one and nasty electric shocks as well . After this we decided to go and have dinner but the bus had broken down and the driver had parked it in the middle of a busy road and we needed to get it out of the road. So the whole group pushed the bus but they pushed it so far that they pushed it down a hill and it rolled away. Ohh dear disaster. All this time i was making friends with two people from university called harri and gila or harriete and gillian. They would become my really good friends. So would we make it to dinner or had we lost the bus forever??? and would i get electricuted by the shower??? Find out in tomorrow exciting edition of dans diary

Great diary, Dan! I am looking forward to the next installments.

Very funny about the bus Dan lol.  Very pretty pics - I have a hibiscus very similar to the one you posted but the petals are not spread out so much.  If I ever figure out how to resize my pics I can post one. 

Thanks for sharing your vacation.

DAY 2 STILL CONTINUED

So we were busless and hungry so we decided to follow the bus but it was dark and we went round a corner where the bus had been and it decided it did work now and wanted to reverse up the hill we all scattered like gazzels the edge of the road. Finally it worked and we got on it and in the end we had to roll down the hill to get to the resturant because the bus was on its last legs. We got to the resturant and i ordererd a lovely pizza the last bit of western food i would have and whilst i ate my pizza a pair of spotted eagle owls flew over us and did an accrobatic display it was magical. Also a gecko came over and ate a moth.

So the bus came back and took us home and after our dramas we were all so tired we all went to bed. Morning came and the hostel put on a feast for us including cereal eggs bananas toast and passion fruit juice it was a good breakfast. Then it was time to shower... Thankfully i did not get electricuted but everyone else did lol. Whilst everyone got ready i took the oppurtunity to take more pictures

A praying mantis

Banana trees

So we were all ready to move on to our next destination but Ian told us we were going to kampala to get money. However we waited and waited and the problematic party bus did not arrive Ohh dear. So would it turn up? Would i get to buyanwanga?

And because it was dangerous at night we were not allowed to drive at night would we make it over 5 hours to get there? 11am bus still not there it looked disasterous join me tomorrow to find out what happened

DAY 3

So there we were stranded. So ian hired a matartu to get us to kampala and the party bus would pick us up there . So we got to kampala and it was wierd because there were vultures and maribou storks flying around in circles everywhere. So first we went to get money from the money changing place and he currency is called uganda shillings and the on the coins it has the national antelope the ugandian kob and on the notes was the local national bird the grey crested crane.  So we got our money and then went to a craft shop too meet the party bus we all got on fine except one person who we nearly left behind but luckily we found him again and off we went to the village. This would be the most uncomfortable journey of my life

Find out tomorrow why and what i saw and something that was very scary happened as well ?

Thanks Dan for the special installment.

Its the highlight of my day to read your installments

Dan, I'm enjoying "my" trip to Uganda. Keep it up!

This is great Dan! 

I can't wait for the next installment...

DAY 3 THE JOURNEY

So the journey but the party bus had one more suprise. It had not boot so guess where the luggage went. Down the aisle. Not being funny but i have big legs. 5 hrs of tourture as i could not move. So this was going to be interesting. But i did get to see the lovely sites of kampala as we drove along including the madela national stadium (pictures to follow later tonight) Also we went through a lovely tropical forest and it was georgeous but was being chopped down for sugar cane. Also we went through Jinja where the source of the nile is and it meets lake victoria unfortunately we were not allowed to take pictures because we would be arrested or shot on the spot and accused of being a terrorist but i snuk one in anyway lol u will see it later . Also we pulled into a petrol station and an armed guard was there someone took a picture and he held his gun up to us it was really scary. So we carried on driving saw a few cows and then a few goats and a few more cows. Continued to move on through uganda we were heading north towards the boarder with Kenya. And as we drove along you could see the plains of uganda and Mt Elgon national park over the hill was kenya. When we got there we found out that a crowd had gathered were we were going to get off the bus. Who where they what did they want where they an angry mob how would they react to us find it in tomorrows gripping edition of dans diary

DAY 3 THE EVENING

So there we were on this bus with people waiting to greet us outside it was children and they sung songs saying they were happy to see us it was lovely. So we got our luggage and the locals took my luggage and put it in my room once again i wanted the top bunk . Then came dinner and this would be interesting so begun the rice potatoes and cabbage diet first night i thought the food tasted amazing it was brilliant food so tasty. Then it got dark really quickly and the noise was amazing better than anyfin i have heard on the camera at NK. So many noises to discover. So i stayed up chatting to people played some card games and then went to bed at about 11pm. So that was day three completed tomorrow we started work How would i fare with that? would i survive loool! find out tomorrow

P.S. short version tonight sorry i am relli busy

DAY 4

There i was sleeping like a baby then suddenly a big mean nasty alarm clock went off. This alarm clock would be my sworn enemy for the next month... So got up and had breakfast and it was fresh fruit for breakfast it was really nice to have something different, today was also going to be the first day we worked. So we got ready and started about 9 everyone was raring to go and ready to work and we got down there and started shoveling dirt mixing concrete collecting water from the pump and all of it by the end of the day we were tired but satisfied and each had accumulated a lovely collection of blisters. So we went for lunch and it was cooked beans in a stew more rice and cabbage and something that i would grow to love Chapatis. ( google it ) there were so tasty. did another afternoon of working and then stopped about 5 and decided not to wash and just chilled out playing card games then came dinner and it was good and then we stayed up till 11 playing more games and getting to know people then we all hit bed.

Tomorrow would be round 2 dan vs alarm clock and what else would i get up too find out soon

sorry i took so long to write another thrilling installment i have been really busy this week

Mount elgon national park

Children greeting us they sung a song called we are happy to see you today then they asked for money

This is where we stayed once again i got the top bunk

These are the local chickens many of them had shaven necks but they were born with this now i dnt know why but we reckon it was so there necks could be broken more easily

This is the water pump i tell you ur muscles got big if u pumped this for a month

Long drops ill let you use ur imagination to figure out what these are used for

This is the house we stayed in

Hi Dan, you must be very busy.  Just a short line to let you know I am anxiously awaiting the next chapter.......

Hi Dan, 

I've been enjoying your exciting story and pictures !!! Hope things are going really well for you. Anxiously awaiting your next post.........

Dan, this is great!

Looking forward to the next instalment

I hope you didn't have to kill a chicken

Dan, just found this post. It is really great. Can't wait for next chapter!!

DAY 5 blocked up noses and children

Drat the silly alarm clock beat me again and it was 2-0 up, when i woke up i felt so rough because the air on the plane is recycled and so i had a blocked nose because someone else did. But i was in africa and that would not stop me Went to breakfast but there was not alot there turned out mafode the people in charge of this project were stealing the food so not alot for breakfast. Today we would destroy the old hostpitals this would be difficult because it meant me and amy and charly would have to carry wood backwards and forwards all day long and weed the hostpitals as well. Also there were giant poisonous bees and snakes but we did not see any snakes but the amount of times the bees chased us and we ran away for our lifes it was called dodge the bees. We moved this wood so it could be recycled into fire wood and this meant the trees would not be cut down and this was sustainable because it helped to protect the eco system and habitat of the birds and other animals. Saw my third woodland kingfisher but unfortunately failed to get a picture The wood was getting bigger and bigger and now we were in partners carrying it up to the store house which was a 5 mins trek away, We had not water the wood was covered in nails and 10 metres long and we had to fit it into and small storehouse which was 5 metres long. So would we get dehydrated would we be able to deal with the wood and would we stop working on day 2 of work? find out tomorrow and i promise tomorrow there will be answers.

Hi Dan just catching up after being away lookforward to todays installment

DAY 5 CONTINUED

So this was the problem in front of us how to put this wood in so me and amy stood there we tried to break it up and failed miserable so i got in too a pile of straw and we forced this wood in but amy and me swapped and amy went in the store house and got trapped by the wood so she had to hurdle the wood to get out it was hilarious and fun but exhausting as it was about 30 degrees and thats warm for me so we went bk down and sat down with some kids and watched as the other mixed some cement and these kids were called the rejects because they were too poor to go to school and one of them called barbara fell asleep on my lap it was very cute. Then we meet some local kids who could speak english they were called peter and derek and bashir and some of them were muslim and roman catholic and they went to school and told us about school Then it was dinner and we had the usual plus japattis which are really good i may be repeating myself but they are so nice and so good this is from my diary btw so i must of loved them so much lol

Coming up and stay tuned for dan vs school dan gets ill and dan and egg fried japattis all to come in the next few episodes

Dan going into withdrawal need my Uganda story fix lol

I am really sorry i have been a bit quiet its hectic at the moment i have just gone bk to college and its hit me for six i am ill and relli tired and rundown i have the afternoon off tomorrow i am not promising anything but i shall try ! but recieved some sad ness due to the locals stealing money i am the last person and group to go out to uganda ever there will be no more trips which is very sad!

dan...     just found this link. i have very much enjoyed reading about your adventures. hope you can get rid of your cold. it is too bad about them cutting off all visitors. how fortunate for you, being the last! thanks again for the detailed account of your trip.    ...laurel

So sorry to hear the news that you won't be able to go back to Uganda Dan.  School can really keep you busy so I shall be patient until the next chapter.

Dan, such a great story about someone meeting up with a complete different lifestyle. I hope you find time soon to add some more.

Hello Dan the Man....so happy you lived your dream and what a great job you're doing telling about it....I've been to Gatwick a few times and could imagine you waiting there....your trip sounds fun and exciting and just a little bit scary at times but what wonderful things you have seen....the flowers, birds, critters and the people.  Thank you for sharing this.  (now I'm waiting for the next bit like everyone else)