1, 2, 3, BUNGEEEEEE!!!!!!

The alarm started going off at 4:15 am- normally I would not be a happy camper, waking up before the chickens, cows, farmers, and the sun, however, we were going to UGANDA! My first time leaving Rwanda, departing to the neighboring country for a much-deserved vacation.
Myself, along with 3 friends were off, we boarded the bus that was to take us to Kampala. We arrived midday the next day. Overwhelmed by the street food, the crowds, and the filth, I quickly had something to compare Rwanda to. The vacation starts off with us lost in a chaotic taxi park, no idea where to go, no Ugandan shillings, and Rwandan francs are a completely foreign currency. “#$@(*#&$” I hear behind me as a friend trips and lands in a ditch where she twister her ankle. Quickly we remember we are Peace Corps Volunteers and get our game faces. We exchange money, find where we are going, get to the backpackers hostel we are staying, and wrap the twisted ankle. From that point it was smooth sailing. In typical fashion after some cold beers and a good meal we were ready to go.

We woke up early the next day eager to find East Africa’s ONLY SKATE PARK!! After wandering through a village and buying some Jack Fruit on the side of the road, which tasted like rubbery dry bananas, we found the park. One-drop ramp and no skaters, we were a bit unimpressed and disappointed, but then remembered we were in Uganda, in a small village and were ecstatic with the fact it even existed. We then went into town were we walked around, went to an art market, unsuccessfully attempted to eat traditional Ugandan food, and noticed the giant 8-plus foot wing span storks that live in all the trees above. We ended the day at a great rooftop bar overlooking the taxi park eating egg logs- hard-boiled eggs encompassed in deep friend balls of mashed potatoes. DELICIOUS!

The next morning we woke up ready to bungee jump! We made sure to recognize the time difference, had breakfast, a tuna melt- not exactly a traditional breakfast at 7 am, said goodbye to the monkeys wandering the grounds, and took off in shuttle. When we arrived in Jinja 2 hours later we found out we weren’t going to go bungee jumping until the following day. However, rafting was amazing!!! We took class 5 rapids down the Nile and hit a 15+ foot waterfall drop. At one point I seriously though was going to lose a finger, I should have taken them seriously when the said remove all jewelry.
After a full and exhausting day of rafting we transitioned into the night where we took upside-down shots from a kayak on the ceiling of the bar. We met a group a travelers from all over the world on a 15 weeks bus trek across Africa, a cast of interesting characters. We even convinced a staff member to drink a cup of bugs.

After a Rolex (traditional Ugandan street food), some water, and Advil I was read to go bungee jumping. I went fist. Surprisingly I felt a little bit of fear, an emotion I am not normally accustomed to. It was a very different experience than skydiving. They tied my ankles together, assured me I would live, and then I was on my own. I hopped to the ledge and then 1, 2, 3, bungee, I projected myself off, head first, with a leap of faith into thin air! I could feel myself freefalling, one of the most liberating feelings ever, flying through the air, arms stretched, into the Nile river. The day continued with card playing and relaxing-followed be spiced French fries and beer in the evening.

The next day we were off to our next destination- The Hairy Lemon - a remote island with minimal electricity, hammocks, and a serious babbling brook. We spent the next 3 days on the island, learning about the man who just took it over who has been ‘living in the bush’ for the last 20 years. A man who had a vision of a retreat Zen Island, he went to visit, bought it, and had been there for the last 3 months. The water surrounding the small island had enough of a current when you could lie in a tube and it would take you to the opposite side. The wonderful owners parents were there helping him establish the completely self sustainable island with solar panels, a water mill, garden, and livestock, three meals were cooked for us everyday. The running water from the outdoor showers felt Vermont cabin esque in the middle of Africa.

Eventually it was time to say our goodbyes and face reality again.
Returning back to the main land we were hot, smelly, and sweaty. We waited on a crammed bus for an hour before it left, got a flat tire on the road, drove on for quite some time, eventually repairs were attempted, we drove further until it was deemed un-drivable. We were then put on a very large public bus which ran out of gas shortly after departure, we eventually got ion a third bus, finally making it to Kampala. We were mesmerized by all the street food, street food is non-existent in Rwanda, Kampala was especially bustling because it was Independence Day. When we went to get tickets home we were told there were only 2 tickets left on the bus, problem because we were a group of 4. Immediately we began to panic- how would we get home- where would we stay, what were we going to do. We were briefly distracted by a man in the bus station flipping and throwing a cat, however, we eventually we got tickets for the 3 am with a different bus company across town.

So what do four white girls do for 6 hours when the sun has set, they have everything they own in a large backpacks that they must carry and protect with their lives, and they have to wait for a bus? We went on a walk, ate as much delicious street food as possible, spent time in a warehouse that smelt like fish, laid down and attempted to rest in another damp room on a straw mat ignoring the infestation of rats, sat outside, got intensely stared and gawked at…all very normal.

Needless to say as soon as I got on the bus I fell asleep, waking every few minutes because the rattling window was shaking profusely and the hole under my feel sent cold air shooting up my pants. After a 2 plus hour border crossing at 8 am where all luggage was thoroughly searched to make sure no plastic bags were entering, we were in the country we call home! After another 10 cranky hours of travel I was back in Byumba- no water or electricity upon my arrival but thankfully the mouse evacuated the premises.