Being on an island means internet isn't always so easy to come by...hence the lateness of this blog. Photos to follow hopefully!
To the often-asked question ‘what three things would you take to a deserted island?’ I have finally found my answer: Rachel McNair, a good book and a cup of tea. I’m currently sitting on Itambira Island in Lake Bunyonyi in south-west Uganda, which is without a doubt one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. We started our journey in Kampala yesterday morning, by catching the 8am bus to Kabale. When the bus rolled into the station at 10am, we let out a silent inward cheer that it was only two hours late. Our hopes were soon dashed however, as we sat sweltering in the carpark until noon. The journey was long and boring (although we did manage to pass time by watching some of Rachel’s stash of Gossip Girl dvds!) but the highlight was definitely seeing a zebra eating grass at the side of the road, which made all the potholes and near-crashes worth it!
Arriving in Kabale at 7pm, we each jumped on a bodaboda to take us the final 9km to Lake Bunyonyi. Believe me, balancing on the back of a motorbike going through mountain roads with an enormous rucksack on your back is seriously tough! As we came over the summit of the mountain, I was absolutely blown away by the sight before me. Lake Bunyonyi is a crater lake found at 2000m above sea level, and is 100m deep at parts, making it one of the deepest lakes in Africa. There are 29 islands dotted through the lake, and it is surrounded by steep mountains and volcanoes. Arriving at dusk with the evening mist swirling around the mountains, I was literally left breathless by how beautiful it was. Rachel and I both commented that it seems like a scene from one of JR Tolkein’s fantasy novels. However, I was soon brought back to earth with a bump as my boda driver Henri free-wheeled down the mountainside one-handed in typical Ugandan care-free fashion, while texting and veering horrifically close to the precipice edge. I totally forgot the view and think I prayed virtually the whole ride! Upon arriving at Rutinda port, we made the final leg of our journey to Itambira Island by motorboat, under a star-studded sky. This was definitely another one of those moments where I can’t believe I’m really here experiencing this. It amazes me that so few people at Stranmillis apply for Erasmus and international placements; I wouldn’t give up my time here for the world!
Itambira Island itself is just as stunning as the lake where it is found. There are dozens of hiking routes, and dug-out canoes can be hired for the day (we haven’t attempted it yet, but there’s still time!). The brightly-coloured birds and butterflies are swooping around, and there is no noise except for the chirp of insects. The guesthouse uses solar power, so there is no electricity at night (Lonely Planet didn’t mention that one!) meaning we have to do everything by candelight or torches (including visiting the compost toilets – this is undoubtedly the most eco-friendly place I have ever stayed!). Even on our days off in Kampala, we always seem to be going somewhere or doing something; on this island there is literally nothing to do. And it’s heaven. Whether curled up reading, enjoying the view, eating apple fritters for lunch or exploring the many scenic areas of the island, Lake Bunyonyi is blissfully relaxing. With coursework due next week for Makerere University, sitting here definitely takes the sting off getting started – and it’s infinitely better than sitting at a desk in Belfast!
Now that our teaching has finished and we have only 4 hours or less of class a week, Rachel and I are finally getting a chance to do all of the things we wanted to do in Kampala, including visiting the Baha’i Temple and Gaddafi Mosque. Both of these places of worship were absolutely stunning, and it was very interesting finding out about these two major world religions and how they compare to Christianity. The man who showed us around the mosque was so welcoming and friendly, happily answering all of our questions and even taking us to the top of the mosque tower so see the view of Kampala. In contrast, the lady at the Baha’i Temple became quite hostile when she discovered we were Christians, and it left me feeling quite uncomfortable as she tried in vain to show us that our faith was archaic and completely irrelevant to today’s world. While the Baha’i faith states that it accepts people from all walks and beliefs, I didn’t get this impression during my time at the temple.
We’ve also ventured further out of Kampala and spent Friday in a tiny village called Kabulasoke, around 2 ½ hours away from Kampala. Our friend Tommy volunteers in a teacher-training college there, and invited us so we could see the vast differences between the School of Education in Makerere and a rural college. Tommy is only the third white person to have been to this village, making me and Rachel the fourth and fifth; needless to say, we attracted some curious stares! This weekend we were back in Kampala for our choir concerts at Namirembe Cathedral on Saturday and Sunday night. This marked the end of our time with Kampala Singers and I was a little tearful as I said goodbye to the other members. I literally cannot praise this choir enough, they have all gone out of their way to welcome us into their ‘family’ and the concert was one of the memories I will never forget from my time here – even if I couldn’t ‘shake it’ as well as the rest of them during the gospel songs!
I can’t believe that I’m already down to my final few weeks in Uganda; every time someone asks when we leave it hits me with a horrifying thud that it’s only 2 more weeks. Thankfully we have lots more exciting trips planned to soften the blow, including another return visit to Jinja and a safari – eek! But for now, off to enjoy some more time doing nothing J
Lots of love, Suzi
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