Yeah, yeah. I know what you're thinking. Uganda. Idi Amin. Entebbe Airport. The National Resistance Army. Bantu tribal warfare.That's an undeniable part of Uganda's history. But I hear (from potentially unreliable sources) that the place is doing a lot better now. And (from those same sources) there's lots of neat things to do there. It's like Kenya, only without the obsequious porters.
I mean, there's still the occasional dust-up, and a brouhaha about crimes against humanity every now and again, but the word on the street is that the place could be a lot worse.
Whether this is true or not, and whatever the political situation really is, I'm intoxicated by the idea of actually going to the place. I haven't a clue why I am. It's a stupid idea. I could be kidnapped and beheaded for all I know, sandbagged at night and robbed of all I'm worth. Maybe that's the reason. The danger. Going to Uganda, to me, would feel like stepping into the cave of a dragon about five minutes after the noble knight vanquished it. The immediate threat may have subsided, but the place itself still maintains a sinister aura.
The white-water rafting would be an added bonus.
Just my rotten luck some of the most beautiful places on Earth are so war-torn and strife-ridden.
9 comments:
I have this thing for places off the beaten track. I love going to places that none of my friends have been to, and doing things there that none of my friends have done.
But I don't go the whole 9 yards. I like amenities... like toilets and soap :)
Good point. I wouldn't want to spend, say, a whole year there or anything.
As an American who has lived and worked in Uganda on and off for the last six years, I can attest to what an amazing and safe place this is. There is far more landscape diversity here than either Kenya or Tanzania, you can still be in a national park and feel like you are the only one there, and Ugandans are some of the friendliest people in the world.
And there are flush toilets...in some places.
Also, while Uganda is still associated in many people's minds with past violence, it is much safer to travel here than many other places in the world. And the rewards for exploring this country are great.
I agree! There is something spectacularly mysterious and tantalizing about places with unworldly natural beauty, intriguing history, and more than a whiff of danger.
That's why I find myself dreaming of going to places like Jerusalem, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia...probably not the safest idea for my next adventure, but who's to say I can't get a job being a journalist or photographer or even a diplomat?
Uganda seems like a perfect place to go be intense. I hope someday you will get the chance/money/oppurtunity to go!
Mark: Thank you for your input! Precisely what this post needed, news from the front. I'm glad to hear that the half-snippets of information I've heard aren't totally bogus. I appreciate you putting your eyewitness account in.
Jane: Perfect place to go be intense indeed. Call me an idiot, but those far-flung places, where tourists dare not tread, where danger may lurk at every corner...THOSE are the places that attract me.
Tell you what: you become a photographer and then we can go travel around the world together, eh? I write, you take photos, we both have a ball. Deal?
I was once in a band called "Bantu Tribal Warfare".
OK, that's a lie, but yeah, this part of the world is one of the few I have not yet toured--and I want to go! NOW!
Kilimanjaro--nearby--has long been a draw for me. Almost went and climbed the d*** thing in the Summer of 2000, but stayed home for margaritas instead. To this day, margaritas still taste funny to me, as a result.
Want a cool primer on fun in Africa, check out the film "Lord of War".
Again, Postie: nicely done.
In the event of your kidnapping, do you think they'd at least allow you an hour or so to type of a post about the experience before they lobbed off your head?
Tehe. Kidding of course.
And you're right, it's a shame that some of the most fascinating places are also the most dangerous/war-torn. :(
Postman: it's a deal. :)
JP: "Bantu Tribal Warfare" is a good name for a rock band.
Oh man, I'd kill to climb Kilimanjaro. I've heard it can kill you as easily as Everest, though. Altitude kind of sneaks up on you. Good flying on the nearby Serengeti, though.
I wanted to see that film, "Lord of War." Mostly for the Antonov in it.
Carrie: I can see it now, "Wait, hold on a minute guys. Before you snuff me, can I give you a write-up?" Ha! I hope they see their way clear to do that.
Jane: Alrightie! I'll meet you in Montevideo.
Post a Comment