We headed out to Sipi Falls the next day and from there towards Murchison’ Falls. For us it turned into an unusual experience – our first national park where we were ALLOWED to enter with our motorbikes. Game viewing on bikes is a strange experience, coming up close to elephants, buffalo and Lion makes your mind race and keeps your hand not too far from the throttle …
On our way to the park Elsebie’s bike decided to call it quits and stop. It’s bloody hot in the sun and while getting the entire luggage off the bike I remembered Johan a good friend and Dakar aficionado mentioning a while ago to me if the bike stops for no reason check the fuel pump first. Apparently whoever supplied the fuel pumps to this model bike wanted to make up some cost and the wire supplying the power was a mm or two to short so eventually it just vibrates off. It was still attached by the plastic insulation on first inspection the wire still looks in good shape just have to wiggle it and it just comes off.
The roads in the park closer to the river areas were quite sandy and both Elsebie and I had our share of falls and ‘bush bashing’! All good and fun but tiring and thirsty work, luckily we found a beer or two and some local company before we took the ferry back to the camping site.
We camped on the banks of the river only to realise later that evening while taking a wash in the river there’s hippos in a pool just 50 meters up from us. We chatted till late that evening having the freedom to ride around in game parks and enjoying a country where you can get up close and personal with animals. The camps in the parks also do not have fences and baboons and hyenas stroll through the camp at night.
There’s lions and leopard in the park, I had a leopard run out infront of the bike but no luck scaring lions with our bikes.
We tried to stay clear of the animals because of our loud exhaust on the bikes, we also tried to keep the rev’s low. It eventually turned out they were not in the least worried or scared by our bikes or the noise.
Before we got on the ferry back to Murchinson falls,we had plenty of time chatting to some locals. They are all impress with these huuuge bikes. And this guy could not help himself, he had to try it. In the end he rode the bike onto the ferry with great flair and cheers from the others.
Hey Michnus/Els !!! Wow, this is what life is all about – you two are so lucky. Enjoy for as long as you can.
Haibo!
Uganda lyk soos die plek.
Mich – dis jammer Bee Em Wee het opgehou om dakkies te bou – jy kan nou werk as hoof prototype tester kry – is daar nog iets wat jy NIE meer van hierdie HUUUUGE fietse weet nie?
Jissis julle trip maak my jaloers.
SIen uit na die volgende installment.
I am glad to see you guys still enjoying and experiencing Africa like it should be done.
Safe travels
Brink
Hello, enjoyed your story of your Uganda visit very much. I may have an explanation for the two statues in the colonial style hotel. The two statues looked like Colonials; a Bwana and a Madam (?) holding up a beam and could be a skid on the white man’s burden; there were ructions about such a party held by white people celebrating “The end of the white man’s burden’. I remember this when I was a student in Glasgow around 1964.
Aaarghhhh, I’m SO jealous! But thanks for posting the beautiful photos, guys. Safe travels!
Welcome back with your postings – almost thought you got lost somewhere! – Interesting to note the different take on experience between the two couples (Michnus and Elsabie and Harry and LInda). Are your friends Neil and Silvie associated with StreetKIDS? Thanks for sharing this with us. Travel safely
Very lekker. Just stop telling them how to do things propelyr at the border so the rest of us can get through without carnets. ;o)
Fantastic stuff!
I am so jealous.
But are so happy that you can enjoy your trip.
Lekka to read positive stuff.
Very interesting, am a Ugandan living in Uganda n I love this, typical of the country I live in and I love very much. Thanks guys.