AIDSPIRIT- TRAVEL TEAM

Day 14-

FIELD TRIP DAY! Yay! To another permaculture farm we go, and to the city of Jinga, for a boat trip on the Nile!

First stop, Lubus Mixed Farm, a family ran permaculture farm just outside of Kayunga. We learned the farm was 2.4 hector (about 7 acres) with alfalfa, cows, chickens, turkey, geese, fish (catfish & tilapia), corn, bean, guava, coffee, mango, sour salt, and more! They said they have 3 alfalfa cuttings a year, where bails are normally sold for the equivalent of one dollar per bail. Tom asked “if he bought a truck load if they would negotiate the price.” The gentleman replied, “We don’t negotiate because the demand is high.” Which is funny in Uganda, where you have to haggle for everything.

In one of the chicken houses the hens were separated into their own cages for egg production at 3 months. Eggs drop down to the front of the chicken cell, for quick hand egg collection. At the other chicken house it was a big room where the ladies ran free. Jean had a nice chat with one of the hens, who I think was trying to negotiate her escape. We ended the tour with some fresh vanilla flavored yogurt, that the farm owner ensured had LOTS OF PROBIOTICS!! Excellent!

Then off to the Nile we went! Traveling to Jinga, a vibrant city full of people and industry. We went over a new bridge that looked similar to the big one in Boston, and to the right was a small bridge (built in 1929) that was still in use. We found the dock and boarded a private double decker boat and cruised the shore in search of wild life. We saw monitor lizards, Egrit birds, river otters, monkeys, Nile perch (biggest caught was 100kg), white butterflies, yellow butterflies,  dragons flies some with TWO black wings on both sides with white, some with black bodies with red wings, king fisher birds with a variety of black/white that were splatter painted like some African kid took a paintball gun to it. Half way up we found the “Nile River Source” a bubbling spring in the middle of the river, that looked kind of like rapids. Holy cow, the longest river in the world, which became Lake Victoria, came from a bubbling spring. That’s one heck of a water source.

Fun facts-

• Did you know that Uganda achieved their independence from England in 1962, truly not that long ago.

• Also, the boat guide pointed to an island where we were told there was a Cement plant, along with a Prison. They built the prison there because 80% of African people don’t know how to swim.

We ended the tour at Jinga Sailing Club, the oldest port on the Lake Victoria, a high end restaurant, right on the water. Where a passion fruit martini was the drink of the day. “Yes please, I’ll have that, with Hawaii pizza,” I told the waitress. We ended the dinner with dessert and Ugandan coffee, which we had not had up to this point. Most places only have instant NestCafe, gross. After coffee we started to dance a little in the grass, where slowly 6 African patrons and some staff joined our dance party. Music, once again, uniting us together with the locals! Such a great few days filled with such joy! Have a glorious night! Till tomorrow!