Gorilla Tracking!

This is THE thing to do in Kisoro. The town largely survives on the strength of a fairly constant stream of tourists stopping in town for the night before setting out early in the morning to the rainforests that surround the Virunga mountains. There, after 4 or 5 hours of hiking, guides lead you to a family group of the famous mountain gorillas. We had held off taking this adventure until Katrina's family was in town.

Only a few hundred of these unique, massive creatures exist on the planet and they're all in these forests, grazing through the slopes of these mountains. Their numbers are on the rise thanks to the increased attention and protection brought by the boost in tourism over the last twenty years when gorilla tracking started. This was preceded by a three-year period in which trackers and guides of the Ugandan Wildlife Authority were slowly introducing themselves to the 6-8 gorilla family groups of the forest, carefully and gradually habituating the gorillas to the presence of humans until they regarded us as common, nonthreatening features of the landscape.

That said, serious precautions are taken to make sure that humans and gorillas never get too close to one another and that we never do anything to agitate them toward aggression. Just watching a mature male mountain gorilla sleepily rip down a small tree to chew on the leaves is enough to inspire a healthy sense of fear and trembling in the heartiest explorer.

We made it up and down in one piece, all six of us (including three guides, one policeman [almost all with AK-47s], and two trackers who met us at the gorillas) and we'll never forget the harrowing climb through the mountainous forest nor the hushed, awesome hour we spent in the presence of these secretive colossi.

Our guide Wilbur tells us what to expect...and to tuck our pants into our socks to protect against ants

We had to climb up the side of a mountain to reach the entrance to the Impenetrable Forest

That road on the left hill in the middle distance was our path up, and there was still plenty to go

Approaching the edge of the park 

And we're in! Dense jungle all around

Nearing the gorillas, we had hiked up into the clouds

Our very first sighting: a napping Silverback -- the head male of the group

...and a timid baby peeks out from a tree

One of the mothers of the group

The gorillas move into the low brush

The Silverback and a baby hiding in the top-right corner

The happy couple

Lake Bunyonyi at Bird Nest Resort

Katrina's parents arrived a few days ago and, after a day touring Kigali, we drive 3 hours up into Uganda to stop at the magnificent Lake Bunyonyi. Katrina and I had been here back in November but this time we all stayed at the lake's premier resort: Bird Nest. A place of legend that all Kisoroan medical students dream of spending a luxurious weekend at. It does indeed live up to its reputation: Ice cream, wi-fi, cable TV, lake-view balconies off of each room, dozens of inspired menu options...

Aside from lounging at the resort, we took a boat tour around the lake. I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story of this beautiful place.

Charcoal Cooking

Our kitchen is equipped with a fairly enormous tank of propane, so big it's only needed refilling twice since our arrival in September. Well, a few nights ago, part way through boiling pasta, the blue flame of the burner went out with a puff and we knew the tank was empty once again.

There was, in a far corner of the porch, a traditional Ugandan charcoal stove. It is terra-cotta, shaped like an urn with an area up top to pile in charcoal and a cavity beneath to light the initial flames that ignite the coals. When, months ago, our friend Jackie invited us over to teach us how to make some traditional foods, she insisted that this method -- over the slow, even heat of red-hot embers -- was the only way to do it right.

With some patience, charcoal, torn up scrap paper, and a lot of blowing, we got the coals ignited and just enough heat to finish off the pasta and a little sauce. Once the charcoal bloomed fully red, dinner was over but conditions were perfect for toasting marshmallows (hundreds of which had inexplicably accumulated in our kitchen). And once you're toasting marshmallows, why not add bits of chocolate and graham crackers? It was a decadent, relaxing, and decidedly old-fashioned way to end the evening.

Another Early Morning Hill Walk

I was up uncharacteristically early this Saturday morning. I put on my new hiking boots and decided to take advantage of the newly-rising sun to walk up crater hill, something I'd not done in a while.

Just past our house, down one of the main roads into town

My ultimate goal!

At the end of this side road where you turn into...

This nearly hidden-away side path

You pass a few homes, along with their cows just having breakfast

The view from the top into the crater

A rare view of our four closest volcanoes

And one picture to ensure our parents' we're alive and well. <3!