Gorilla trek.

Gorilla Trek, Uganda.

I tried to get a gorilla trek for me and the boys, but they were too young. In the end, I was able to join Jacelyn (one of Paul's Canadian classmates) on her gorilla trek. It was the last weekend that my family was to be in Africa. I had loved all the time I'd had with the boys and we'd been together non-stop 4+ months at that point. Plus, I had a lot of things on my emotional plate. This was a much needed weekend away from my family (and nice time for Paul to be with just the boys) and I'll be forever grateful for being able to join her to see these amazing animals and to have Jacelyn's down-to-earth company.

Roadside market. I love how the cow looks like it's on the roof. Most of the things are sold in the amounts you see them stacked in.

Steep countryside. Very lush and pretty. Hard living, though.

I just really like how this sign says "piggery mgt." I would have liked to know what they would teach. Also Irish potato means what we think of as yellow potato. When you were out at an eating establishment and there were whole or cut cooked potentates they were simply referred to as Irish, not potatoes but just Irish- that took me a bit to realize. 

We stayed the night up in the hills and it was chilly. They made us our own little charcoal fire for warmth since we were eating outside. 

This place got it's power off the grid. At night, the lights ran on battery and to walk to and from they hung lanterns along the paths and you also had our own to take with you. I have since gotten one of my grandma's just like it and used it a weekend here at our cabin. I love it. I love this picture. It was so amazing up there. So soothing and healing feeling. You just felt the peace and like you could breath. I think that was also in part to the cool air, lack of dust and traffic.

Beautiful view from the eating area. It was just the two of us staying there. We were along the edge of the DRC and the residence said they could see helicopters, lights (at night) from the warring occurring.

Outhouse and hand washing station at the ranger's office.

We were along the edge of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest. The specific family we saw is one that has been watched and tracked for more than 10 years (I want to say 15 years). They were used to people watching them so they didn't run away. Here you see Jacelyn sitting in of their beds from the night before, at this point we knew were getting close to them. They weren't in the forest when we saw them, they had come out into the farm lands. We followed a narrow path between patches of farms then up and along a really steep hillside. The sticks were nice for 'sounding' to see if you were going to be stepping on the ground or just vegetation that would drop away. 

This is the silverback of the group. Once you reach the gorillas you can spend one hour. I didn't take too many photos and of the ones I did, there weren't too many that were great. They were pretty indifferent to us being there, or they seemed like it. It might also be that they just refused to look at us. As if were were an annoyance and they thought we might go away of they ignored us. Before this silverback was sitting here (in picture) he moved and wanted to walk between our group (it was us, the guide, the escorts with riffles and the other 6 tourists who each had porters). He kind of stood there a moment to wait for us to move then walked through. He was so close we could have touched him. He practically walked on Jace's feet. It's almost hard to remember they aren't tame, they aren't docile, they could kill us if they wanted. Then when you see him walking towards you and you all start to move and the guide are saying slowly! slowly!! -you remember.

After. We stopped here for lunch. We are excited, giddy and in awe about what just happened.

It was a special experience that I'll always treasure. Similar to the night I saw a mother sea turtle come out of the Pacific, dig a hole, lay eggs, bury them and return to the ocean under a full moon with a close friend and her daughter. These mountain gorillas are at risk. There are some estimates that suggest there are less than 1,000. Habit loss, poaching and war are some of the threats they face.