I headed to Lake Bunyonyi on a bus that went straight through to Kabale, where I caught a short taxi and then the boat to Byoona Amagara. The bus ride was a bit cramped, but not too bad—I had my own seat and played a little with the kid next to me.
When I got to the launch to catch the dugout canoe that takes people to Byoona Amagara, there were three other people there. They were two rafting guides from either Adrift or Raft Africa, through whom I had done some class 5 rafting down the Nile. The second guy was a friend of the other two, and was also a rafting guide back home in America.
Therefore, when the rains started to threaten us, still only halfway across the lake, I wasn’t much help in moving us along. We were in two dugouts, but mine went much slower because of the attempting, but failing to, help. The boat guys eventually refused to go any further, and made us pull over to the shore. The raft guides were annoyed, saying that boats float, we could’ve made it, etc. I have to admit, I was a little annoyed that I was getting completely drenched through, my rain coat rendered completely useless by the pervasive wind-blown rain. But I also figured that the guys taking us to Byoona Amagara probably knew more about the safety of the dugouts than the raft guides. And also, they probably couldn’t swim.
When the rain was slightly less wicked, we all clambered back into the dugouts and made it to Byoona Amagara, soaked but safe. I changed my clothes to the least damp and also warmest and most quick-drying clothes I owned. My options were limited because water travels through backpack material.
Then started a couple days of resting. The first night I spent in the dorms, which had no electricity. But even when I moved to one of the geodomes the next night, which had electricity, the light bulb was dim to better preserve the solar electricity. It encouraged the same sort of diurnal schedule that the power outs in Malawi did.
I did yoga looking out on the lake, nothing between me and my view except the railing.
I read about 5 books; one of the easy ones I read twice.
I walked around and looked for birds. I took about a million pictures of cranes. Because I like cranes. It was too cold to swim, although not everyone would agree. I drank a lot of Tangawizi because I love Tangawizi. I talked to the staff, and walked some more.
All in all, it was really quiet, really restful, and I liked taking my showers with hot hot water outside. By the time I was done, I was ready to travel again. Time to go see the chimps.
