Team Uganda: Safari Sunday

This weekend we got to stay at the Murchison National Park! We spent the night in tents but not your average tent. We were glamping (glamorous camping). We were all so exhausted from the week of clinic and our trip to the park that we were knocked out when we hit our pillows… sorta. While we were glamping, there was an enormous thunderstorm all night! With crashes of lightning and rolling thunder, there wasn’t much sleeping going on. Not to mention the hungry hungry hippos! We listened to the clip clop and snorting of hippos right outside our tent. Some people even saw a hippo crossing their path on the way to their tent! But no worries, the hungry hippos didn’t eat anyone.

After an eventful night, we were up dark and early for our safari!! We rode a ferry across the Nile River! (How many people can say that??) After reaching the other side, we loaded into vans and began our adventure into the wild. Luckily for us, the rain kept our safari cool so all of the animals were out and happy! It started with lots of antelope and cute baboons! Then we entered into the giraffes’ territory where hundreds of tall elegant giraffes roamed the land, one as close as 20 yards away! We also saw a few elephants playing in the dirt.

What I was most shocked about was the way all these animals are so different, yet they were all living in harmony together. To me, this was symbolic of our trip here. Although we may look different on the outside than the people here in Uganda, we are able to live in peace and even help each other and learn from each other.

The most exciting part of our safari would be when we went off roading to find lions! And lions we found! We saw 6 lions prowling around that had just killed their prey. Talk about an adrenaline rush! Lions were just feet away from us, and it was definitely a once in a life time experience!

We later saw buffalo (but definitely not like the ones back home), and of course hippos! It was the perfect way to end our busy week! As our trip comes to an end, we are all experiencing mixed feelings. We are so excited to see the ones we love back home but so sad to be leaving this beautiful country with so many inspiring people. We are excited for air conditioning and ice water but devastated to leave the people we have made such strong relationships with throughout the week. We are soaking up every last moment we have together because as a wise man once said, “You can never step in the same river twice.” ”