Rafting the Nile was an experience of a lifetime. My body has taken a beating and has the bruises to prove it. The adventure started as soon as we stepped out of our door as the travel consisted of seven matatu rides, a couple of quick exits from these buses due to police checks ahead and licenses that seem to be optional, impending fines, jail time and removal of vehicles, some motorbike rides, a layover at a place with a real tub and shower and working hot water and I am sure some cows and chickens along the way. I am proud to say that I have still not paid for a ride on the back of a bicycle but I will add that the padded seats and fringe that adorns these seats on the back of a two wheel vehicle is rather impressive. Pedaling for a living would definitely keep the pounds off but man, it does not look easy.
So we ended up in Jinga, Uganda - the adventure capital of Africa - and it is magnificent. Dinner at The Black Lantern was gourmet (but then again as my friend Rosaleen says - after not eating for three days a cracker would taste good). We were perched along the banks of the longest river in the world, listening to the roar from the power of the water and witnessing monkeys swinging from the treetops. We had made it!!! We were really doing this. There was a dreamlike state attached to this trip which is tough to put into words. We didn't have reservations anywhere and totally floated through Nivasha and Nykuru and Eldorette and Bongoma and Malaba and across the border and met Violet and Gabriel, two new friends who helped us not get totally taken for all our money along the way. "We are all God's people" these strangers announced when we were vulnerable enough to tell them we didn't know what we were doing. And so yes, we arrived unscathed at The Nile.
We loaded into the bus and were given some preliminary instructions that consisted basically of "Use Sunscreen". Within an hour three boats were full of people and ours was dubbed Team Estrogen by Doug, the bad boy with elephant tattoo along his chest, British accent speaking, very tanned guide. Off we went with very little upper body strength but lots of enthusiasm. It was a 15km paddle on a warm, sunny day. The banks of the Nile have been changing and will continue to evolve - mostly because of man's involvement. Forty years ago the natural forest was cut down and pine trees, maize and other agriculture was planted on the short hills. There are no longer hippos or elephants and very few crocs in the Nile. Nile Perch (fish) were introduced some years ago and this has changed the makeup of the water as algae is a food source for perch. The water is now greenish rather than a clear blue. And the biggest change that is happening is that the new dam is being built. It is already half way across the river and should be completed in february 2011. This will flood another section of the area shortly. It sounds like there are another 6 dams planned for the Nile. These dams are generating power for Nairobi and probably some other towns/villages along the way. Yes, the area is developing and will continue to change. The Wild West of Africa will eventually transition to developed Africa. Time.
We negotiated wave pools and some falls and The Bad Place and The Other Place. I use the term "negotiated" loosely as lots of time was spent overboard and crashing through areas and bouncing up and down gasping for air. Adrenaline rush galore. Laughing so hard my stomach hurt. I bought the t-shirt and the CD and everything!!!
We arrived back home on Tuesday and have since become an extremely busy house. Nine volunteers, the employees of FKLA Rhode Island, professional photographer and friends of friends have arrived in preparation for tomorrow's event - Day Of the African Child. People are sharing beds, sleeping on sofas and the floor, bouncing off walls, tutoring bunches of kids, cleaning, decorating, doing windows, sorting t-shirt, making name tags...you name it. The place is in production mode. The event tomorrow will make national news and create an awareness about this organization and its message that will catapult it into it's next stage of growth. The new school will be unveiled and dedicated. The 2012 Presidential candidate will be here. Jimmie Gait - a superstar here- will be performing live on the roof of our building. Facepainters, musicians, and other entertainment will be floating through the crowd. It will be festivities galore!!! Wish us well!!
Dream Big Dreams!!!!!!!
B
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