Finishing off in style!

So I have returned to the Blogging world for one last blog from Uganda. I am currently in Kampala at a Backpackers Hostel (really nice actually!), and it is my last night in Uganda. Tomorrow morning we will get up bright and early, and drive about an hour down to the Equator, get some snaps (that's picture in Ugandan English), and then drive back up to the Airport @ Entebbe. I can't believe it's over!

So just two days ago we left here, and headed to Jinja, which is basically where the Nile river begins at Lake Victoria. We didn't get to see the lake b/c we weren't quite at the source, but still close. The rafting was awesome. I went in a raft with 4 guys and another female teacher (who happens to be from Colorado). Really the only people who had been rafting before were Terry, the other teacher and myself. So we basically had a bunch of rookie boys in our boat. One who was especially funny because he could not paddle in stroke with the rest of us, which is actually really important. We went down some Class 3, 4 and 5 rapids. That's the highest you can go down. We actually went around a Class 6, which I then found out basically means death. This guide/kayaker went down it just a few months ago, and it was so strong that it ripped his lifejacket off of him and he ended up dying. They actually never found his body.
Ok so not to freak you out, it was actually fairly safe, or at least they have a ton of preventative measures. The day was real nice, and swimming in the Nile was unreal! (no I didn't see any Crocadiles---although I did say Aligator at first and my guide then made fun of me.) We actually did flip on the class 5 rapid, and although it was scary to be tossed around in the water, just holding on to the paddle for like 6 or 7 seconds as you are still underwater...it was totally worth it. War stories are worth it, although only when people don't get hurt, which was the case yesterday.
Then at the end we had an amazing lunch on this island. It really was just a sandwich, pineapple, potatoe salad, etc...but it was the best sandwich I've ever had in Uganda. Actually it was the only sandwich I had in Uganda. They think we are weird for eating peanut butter and jelly.
Anyway, we then went back to the Rafting camp. We then had the choice to go bungee jumping, right over the Nile, and you could even get dunked into the water if you wanted. I'll keep you in suspense as to whether or not you think I went. This could make for some interesting bets.

After cleaning up and going to our camp where we slept, we went to dinner at this restaurant right on the Nile. Totally surreal! We ate dinner out on this porch where we could see the Nile from our table!
After a pretty restless night of not sleeping so well, we got back up and traveled back into Kampala. I think that everyone in our group has decided that they really dislike Kampala. Its like no other city in the USA. The traffic is crazy, there are people everywhere, poor city sanitation, and just craziness. We are in this safe compound though, with a guard, and many other Westerners as well. We spent the day going shopping...to the mall to get some money from the ATM, and to buy the British version of Harry Potter (that's what I am doing on the plane). We went to a big craft market, and then back home for a little relaxing. Lastly we went out to this amazing Indian restaurant for dinner, where I got a REAL strawberry milkshake. I guess Kampala is good for something b/c Gulu doesn't have any ice cream at all.

Well, my time on the internet is almost up, so I must end this. I cannot wait to go to the Equator tomorrow, and then it's off to Entebbe. We fly from Entebbe, make a stop in Ethiopia, then off to Dubai, and then a long 13 hour flight to JFK. Well I've got to go. Can't wait to see you all!

love Trisha