Robert Munro - Uganda

Uganda - Central and East

Cycling through Uganda in June & July 2006.

Paul with Betty, his host mother, and with the KAFAMI guys where he is interning via the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) and is mostly hard at work.

Storm moving in over Mbale - escaping the rain to the Wimpy bar - Paul with other FSD peeps Amber, Morgan & Simon.

Visiting Betty at the market with Stephen and Richard

On the road between Mbale and Baduda.

Around the market, a cow outside a church, a less fortunate animal outside a shop and taking a break with Mt Elgon in the background.

Boda-boda are bicycle taxis and the most popular transport for trips around town - we sometimes race them - the guy with Peter is the only Boda-boda rider who has easily out-raced us so far.

We rode around Mt Elgon and up to Sipi Falls to hang for the weekend with Paul and a group of FSD workers in the same program. This is Peter within 5 minutes of arriving making himself at home.

Sipi falls and around - the rope swing where we were staying and the FSD crew.

Hiking around the falls.

The view from inside a cave and the top of a mountain.

Passing through wetlands between Mbale and Jinga.

Kids spying on the 2 mzungu eating lunch (fresh chapati wrapped around an advocado for about 10 pence - bargain; delicious) and a cyclist carrying a wider load than us.

The source of the Nile... well, one of them. First pic is where Lake Victoria flows out to form the White Nile. We went rafting here - lots of fun - the raft only tipped twice and we ran a few grade 5 rapids. The second pic is the view we had over the river from our camp near Jinja.

We followed this road along the Nile before crossing it on a canoe with at least 10 other bikes stacked on the bow.

Spend a night on an island camp called the Hairy Lemon - how's the serenity.

Had a really fun weekend in Kampala with Paul and some of the Mbale FSD folk, but didn't take any photos so will maybe add someone else's at a later date. These pics are on the road from Kampala to Mubende over 2 days of fairly easy riding

This tree is the home and shrine of Nakayima, a local goddess (you can see her in the bottom right photo) who is the god of many things in particular smallpox. There was sorceress caretaker who we couldn't photograph. The ride up to the top of the mountain was a very steep one and I was sweating alot in the heat. Kids often run along beside us when we ride - often keeping up easily - I felt a sudden acceleration going up the hill to the shrine, and turned around to see this kid pushing me and laughing - unlike the sorceress he loved having his photo taken.

Bush fires and stunt drivers - the roads around Kyenjojo can be a dangerous place.

Stopped for lunch.

After 1300kms or so we've crossed Uganda - I can see the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (the 'Congo' part is true) in the Rwenzori mountains from here in Fort Portal. Fort Portal is named after Sir Gerald Portal (statue on left) who never made it within 100kms of Fort Portal and died of malaria a few months after arriving in Africa having done nothing of historical interest. Much more of a legend is Richard who replaced a broken spoke on my bike and re-balanced the wheel in less than two minutes.