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We finally left Kampala and caught a ferry from Bukakata to Kalangala on the Ssese Islands in the north western part of Lake Victoria. Spent a couple of hours in the local town before leaving - it's amazing to watch how labour intensive it is for the Ugandan people to get timber from the Islands onto the mainland. One guy would throw a plank of wood over the side of the boat into the lake, another would pick it up and pass it to someone stacking them on the side of the lake, and another 3 guys would stack the wood into the back of trucks. You'd never see that back home...
Very relaxing! We were taken on a village tour through the local fishing village, with their tiny clay huts and fishing nets drying everywhere. The local kids are adorable, always so excited to see visitors. The next morning we hired boda-bodas from some of the local guys - I can't believe they handed over their income tool for $20! Unfortunately, there weren't enough semi-automatic scooters, so I ended up on a manual bike which almost ended in carnage a number of times... No helmets, dirt roads with potholes and a gear box that'd jump into neutral every time I hit a bump too hard... It was scary! and I now know why my parents never wanted me to get my motorbike licence.... One time I stalled right in the middle of a little town and I wasn't with anyone else in the group so I embarrassed myself for a full 5 minutes before one of the police chiefs came and helped start the bike. The worst moment of the day though was trying to get back up a hill we'd ridden down. I almost lost it over the edge and then stalled the bike halfway up. The handbrake wasn't working, so had to start the bike facing across the road and then take off and turn without stalling it again... I was getting a little frustrated and pretty pissed off with the whole situation. Thankfully Shane was a bit of a star on the bike and a VERY patient instructor so I made it home unscathed!! It was great way to see the Islands though and the scenery was spectacular!!
We spent the nights around a huge campfire and the staff from the accommodation entertained us with singing and dancing - so good!
cj
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