George, Ham, and Steffi

Our heroes who kept us safe and taught us so much!
George and Steffi drove the land cruisers on those terrible roads like they were nastar experts. George was always kidding around and telling us about African customs including how to sit (oh my they must think American women are so assertive and rude ). Steffi knew a lot about the mammals, particularly elephants he had researched. They both took many classes about caring for tourists- and driving- including taking a test going off road around an "overturned truck" which seems to be a common occurrence -and driving without spilling a glass of water on a tray in the front seat - something I think not possible.

Ham was a great guide. He went to university in Kampala to become an accountant, worked for 4 months, was in a position to take over for a sick safari guide at the company where he was working , decided he really liked it and pursued some training. He grew up in a small dusty village near Bwindi -with the usual storefronts with the colorful ads for phones painted on-we drove thru it in about 2 minutes. He did well in school so his uncle took him to Kampala to buy him his first pair of shoes at age 9. No one told him what to look for about shoes so he picked some that were too small and hurt his feet, but they were HIS shoes and he was not about to give them away. He also was afraid to go up in a building with more than one floor-a new scary experience. He was very patient , full of interesting stories about animals, birds, and people we met, and asked us lots about how we do things. And all with a good sense of humor. Much of what we passed in the car looked so very 3rd world to us, many areas with no electricity, but the rural people seem soft spoken, gentle and happy, not knowing any other life . He lives in Kampala with his wife and 2children. (One never asks an African man, we found out, how many children he has.) When he retires. ( not anytime soon - he's in his 40s) he plans to go back to his small village to live near lots of family) he says there will be electricity and Internet then so he could do some work from there . He pays the school fees for 2 children he met at a school nearby looking in the windows so we gave our wee bit of school supplies we brought with us to that school-left it with a neighbor boy as it was Sunday. But it will get there I have no doubt. He didn't know the Ugandan author I'm reading but he has read all of John Grisham.

We were in good hands all around !

A 5 hour flight from Entebbe to Dubai. Many airport security checks . Actually in Entebbe there are sniffing dogs and security checks to get into the hotel grounds and also to enter the restaurant we went to.

Tomorrow 14 hours to Seattle!