Queen Elizabeth

Alternate Title: Hippophobia

Well I have to admit that we were all really sad to leave Queen Elizabeth's city behind. London had so much to offer and there was still so much to do. However we may have made up for it this past weekend when we visited the other Queen Elizabeth (National Park). We started out around 10AM, had lunch at the Equator, drove into winter as the kids called it, and saw more sights in that 7 hours than we could even begin to describe!

Even before we hit the park, we saw someone with a camel walking down the street, drove into Lake Mburo National Park and didn't need to pay the park fee because we saw all the animals on the side of the road - warthogs, zebras, deer-like creatures, 2 crested cranes! It was amazing. Once back on the main road, we spotted zebra and goats grazing along the side like they always do.....Finally arrived at Jacana Lodge after a night in Mbarara. Jacana Lodge is an eco lodge on the edge of a crater lake (I suggest googling it to see how beautiful it was). We were welcomed with a 4 course meal for LUNCH! And thought we should work it off with a guided nature walk through the park. We didn't see any bush buffalos (Simon was really hoping the guard had to use his gun), but it was a nice walk regardless. Back at the lodge, we (what else) swam, followed by another 4 course meal, followed by a food coma.

Wake up was at 6 AM so we could get into the main park for a game drive. Obviously the animals are most active early in the morning before the heat starts, so off we went with our packed lunch (yum again!). First animal we saw? A LION! Of course he was sleeping without a care in the world and stretched and yawned without a care in the world. We drove around and saw more deer like creatures than we could count, always in search of those elusive elephants. We also booked a cruise on Lake George to view the hippos and water buffalo up close (more on that later....). As we were driving to the resort to book the boat, I looked over a cliff and saw a herd of elephants walking along the edge of another crater lake - amazing! We tried to find a way closer but no go - at least we saw them - right? Just wait......

The boat cruise was in a pontoon boat - we had a guide and a driver. We headed to the opposite shore where there was a big herd of water buffalo and hippos - apparently the lake has about 5000 in total!!! We were able to get close - saw a couple of crocodiles lounging about (apparently they are vegetarian along with the hippos). But I guess we got a little too close to one particular hippo. 'It' was standing on the shore and took two steps, and basically yelled us. I jumped, screamed, cried, who knows! It was terrifying! The guide and driver laughed at me (come to think of it so did my family) and then the kids came up with the phrase 'Mommy has hippophobia' and they made sure they pointed out each and every hippo we saw (did I mention the number 5000?!?!). Just so you know - hippos are not cute and look incredibly mean and menacing. Especially up close. Especially the ones with babies. They have incredibly big jaws and huge teeth. Huge.

Going up the channel into Lake Albert, we struck gold. Nine elephants! The first group of 4 were playing in the water. Absolutely magnificant! We got pretty close - almost too close for my liking following my near death experience with the hippo - but I put my faith in our guides that they knew what they were doing. There were lizards and monkeys and birds too. All pretty cool. We ate our lunch and headed home. We were told there were more lion sightings, but by the time we got there they must have headed into the bush. We were tired and it was time - you guessed it - to swim!!!

Our lodge also had it's own share of wildlife - as I was at our cabin changing, I heard this huge pounding on the deck. I looked out our screen-only window - and a family of baboons was 'playing' on it and sitting at the front door!

Another amazing meal and we all passed out pretty early. The ride home was uneventful - we took a different route lined with tea planatations and made it home in time to watch the Netherlands game. All in all a good weekend.

Today I found a grocery store that sells diet pepsi by the case. A small thing, but a good thing.

And a final note, I keep forgetting to mention our travelling companion, Kirsten. She is the daughter of friends - I first met her when she was 7 and now she is old enough to make me feel really old. Anyway, she has come to volunteer at an orphanage. She is great, the kids love her (we really can't go anywhere without verifying that Kirsten is coming too) and she seems to be taking the crazies of our family in stride.

That's it for now - because really - doesn't that sound like a lot?!?