Uganda: Fort Portal, Crater Lakes, Kampala, Jinja
We made our way through the green country of Uganda towards Fort Portalin the North. This town was inviting and relaxing – on arrival at our lodge, complete with decorated Christmas tree and decorations, we suddenly felt in the Christmas spirit for the first time. The crater lakes were a bumpy and narrow ride away. We decided to stop at a lodge on the top of a hill where they had a great view over one of the crater lakes and we also had a cup of tea from their plantation. Lovely.
Kampalawas a frenzy of people, small shops, cars, trucks, motorbikes and half-finished buildings. There was something occupying every space in sight. Being John’s birthday Josi had arranged a stay at *Le Petit Village* Hotel, a Belgian run establishment on a plot with a few exclusive Belgian shops – a patisserie, a bakery, a butcher and a fine dining restaurant. Needless to say, all were used in abundance! The restaurant had arranged a petal-strewn table for us and we ensured to use the imported goodies to our full advantage. At the end of the dinner the lights were dimmed and, much as for Josi’s birthday, a full chorus of Happy Birthday broke out with other guests joining in. A cake made in the patisserie was presented to John, the rest of which we gave to the live band.
Jinjais built on the Victoria Nile. As it is one of the sources of the Nile, John was quick to ask the lodge for their fishing equipment and head down to the roaring mass of water below. John is an old hand at fishing with lures, but these were cunning fish who had perfected their evasion tactics and he didn’t catch anything that afternoon. John was not put out by this experience as he likes to consider himself a good fisherman but some might say he is just in “de-Nile.”
During our stay in *Haven Lodge*, we were amused by the security man who was quite happily playing football while still clutching his machine gun!
