Our trip to Lake Bunyonyi, what a whirlwind of a weekend. Our original intention was to meet up with Jen and Carolien somewhere in the middle, but instead we decided we'd head to meet al four of the Kabale volunteers at Lake Bunyonyi instead. We were really looking forward to a training bunk reunion with Jen and Carolien, but unfortunately there's been a problem with their project so they had to go to Kampala that weekend. We were dead set on a weekend away, and though it seemed a little unlikely that Sam and Liam would be the first vols we visit we had an awesome weekend.

The planning was all fairly last minute, but we pulled it off in the end with a little help from Andrew's brother Jude, who was going into Kampala on the Friday, showing us where to get the bus from. The best help ever because we would definitely have got hopelessly lost. Kampala is so buy and overwhelming. I managed tp get one foot coated in the foul smelling mud that collects in the potholes in the pavements. Not fun.

Did you know that Megan and I are white? Well clearly it hasn't escaped the attention of everyone we meet. At the bus booking office we got the muzungu treatment, and at 4 minutes past 10 (our bus was leaving at 10) we were told to pile inot a car with two women and their giant brood of children, then nine of us set off in a tiny 5 seater car to the bus station. VIP treatment turned out to be more of a hinderance than a help, and we ended up with fairly bad seats next to this tiny woman who took p an unprobable about of room on our three row of seats. After an hour of stopping, starting, running out of petrol and refuling we were finally out of Kampala and on our way to Kabale.

Our journey was eight hour of hot sweaty hell with no toilet facilities. We eventually arrived in Kabale at 18:30 and felt so touristy stepping off the bus, guide book in hand, trying to work out the way to our hostel, Home of Edirisa. We found our way easily, but it was so strange to be somewherre where other white people were walking around! As it was just Megan and I for the firday night, we booked ourselves a twin room, which was cosy enough but gave us the worst night's sleep ever. we were right on the street and there was only a thin metal door between u and the sound of Kabale's Friday night club night's pulsatin beat. Not to mention being woken up at 5:30 the net morning by a passing goat. The food, however, was a massive redeeming feature. No electricity meant no pizza, but instead we got masive American cheee burgers (CHEESE!!!!) with chips. We wolfed them down and could barely move afterwards. Definitely a welcome change from ou diet of potato, potato and more potato.

After a minor banking crisis and an 'oh s***, Sophie I've lost your camera' moment, we met the boys at The Royal Cafe ad hung around there while they skyped and so on. Mid aftenoon (after purchasing much needed alcohol supplies) we headed to the Lake in a special hire (Megand and I weren't brave enough for boda bodas). The drive was so scary with big ravines don the side of the road. But it was so beautiful. Kabale is fairly high up, and therefore quite cold (we didn't believe Andrew when he said we needed coats, but it's true, it was freezing!) still quite warm compared to England though. On the drive we got a really picturesque view of Kabale nestled between the hills, and the view of the lake was breathtaking.

We booked into safari tents at Bunyonyi Overland Resort, which consists of a covered platform on stilts, on which there is a large canvas tent, bg enough to stand up in, complete with beds. In our case we had a double, which was a breath of freh air as we're used to piling into my single bed when we get freaked out...

For dugout canoeing we decided to spit our couples up, because let's face it, I'm sick of looking at Megan's ugly face every day. Just kidding, but we are getting freakishly close, I'm starting to wonder where I end and Megan begins. Liam and I clambered into our canoe and were away instantly. Megan and Sam, on the other hand, were ut going round in circles yelling at each other. Liam and I had to tow them to a jetty and swap so I was steering for Sam and Liam was steering for Megan. Conoeing with Sam was much more stressful than with Liam but eventually we got the hang of it.

We made it back to shore just before I started to pour with rain. So, with thunder rolling in the ditstance, we thought it would be a great time to go swimming... The water was surprisingly warm for a Lake that's 6,500ft deep in places. It's also the only lake in Uganda that's bilharzia, hippo and crocodile free. Swimming was amazing, and we ended up jumping into the lake from a treetop platform.

Afrer a quick change we headed for our much anticipated evening meal. I had burchetta to start, then crayfish masala (caught in the lake) with a side of chips shared with Meg and Sam, then a chocolate pudding smothered with honey for pudding, all washed down with a Nile Special. I tried some of Liam's goat curry, poor Liam, the meat was like chewing gum... taksy though! After food we carrried on the party back at our tent and the evening was a blur of vodka and card games...

The next morning we had n amazing breakfast with the nicest African tea I've tasted. And sam didn't eat all of his french toast so I had a slice of that with honey on. Delicious.

From there our weekend turned to pure hell. We were sat on our bu for two hours before it set off, then the driver drove like a maniac. We thought we'd make it to Kampala before dark, but as darkness fell and we were still on the bus, we began to panic. I hopped off the bus at the depot, only to have the doors close behind me and look like it was going to drive off with Megan still on board. Then we had to negotiate our way through the throng of boda boda and special hire guys trying to get our custom. Megan slipped into one of the mud puddles, got stuck, broke her shoe and had to walk around with no shoe on. A man came up behind me and opened my bag but luckily I noticed before anything got taken and he ran off. Tempers frayed, we had to make ou way through the busy taxi park in the dark and try and find a matatu to Mubende. As we approached the txi the guys knew we were headed to St Zoe before we eve said anything, but unfotunately the taxis were only going as far as Mityana, which is about half way between Kampala and home. We rng Andrew and clearly he could hear the panic in our voices, he took pity on us and told us he'd meet us in Mityana. He was so nice about it and not at all annoyed, which shows you how amazing he is, our very own Ugandan Dad! We were very happy to be back in our own beds at Kisimbiri that night.

Our weekend away was amazing, and we've already planned a return trip, but for longer so the whole thing is less frantic!