Todays ride up to Queen Elizabeth park was meant to be a short one with only 230 kilometres to get to my over night stop . I thought I would get in around lunch time and then spend the afternoon planning the places and activities I wanted to explore in this part of Uganda . After consulting the map I decided to take the scenic route or should I say the short cut through the mountains up to the park . So off we set back to Kabale and then to make our way up to the park.
The road was great and by the time I stopped at the great lakes museum for a coffee and a tour I was still on track to arrive around 13h00 . Edmund a wonderful guide took me around to each display and gave me the run down on each item , in each case . After around forty minutes we had not moved very far and I was calabashed out , so we decided to find the most interesting displays and spend time on those which we did .
Back on the road and then that left turn that would bond man and machine as we took on the shortcut. The tar disappeared at the T junction and off we bounced down the dust road . The road was a little trying to say the least , but after consulting with one of the road works surveyors , who assured me that the road works would only last for 15 kilometres , we held our stare.
The begining
Way past 15 km mark
Way past the new 15km mark
The estimated time of arrival had now changed from 13h00 to 16h00 , that aside the scenery was absolutely spectacular and this was great practice for Hell road I hope. Vic had never been exposed to so much powder in her life .
The dust , the powder , the mud , the gravel , so we bonded , so we rode , Victoria not missing a beat.
False hope
So the end arrived
The ride from here was great except for the road through the park , slithers of tar scattered amongst the pot holes . The beauty was incredible through the tea plantations , Uganda , come soon before all is tar.
Just tea
Spot Victoria in the shade
The lush tropics go on for miles , tea plantations , banana plantations as far as the eye can see. On your last climb as you crest the landscape changes to resemble that of the Serengeti as you enter Queen Elizabeth national park and the road with holes . It does feel a little odd riding alongside game drive vehicles while you zoot through the park.
Game viewing , yet no game.
And then we arrived at the equator that is not actually the equator but damn close , so just like Capricorn we stopped to cross the line. This time for our North / South straddle , Victoria included as one wheel wen’t South her other North.
Proof of bothsides
We arrived late afternoon at our destination a place by the name of Simba Safari camp , the staff fantastic , the service great , but it is the only place on my trip thus far that I have found it impossible to reconcile the cost to value , It feels like I am in New York enjoying those dollar prices , yet everything is in shillings with no power or good wine.
What a spectacular day , and so we rest tonight , tomorrow we find a place to go Chimping or not , I am riding up to Fort Portal and then down to the National park to go and enquire about chimp trekking , lets see what tomorrow brings shall we?
Until we meet again
