Day 13 - An African jewel

Entebbe is located on the idyllic Lake Victoria. We say goodbye to Uganda under a palm tree and with our feet literally in the sand and a glass in our hand. Farewell to the Pearl of Africa. The Pearl of Africa, the words of Winston Churchill. I have to think back to those words. Was he right? Is Uganda a fairy tale? As a resident during the turbulent seventies, eighties and nineties you would rather shoot his words. But now as a tourist, absolutely. Because apart from the wide variety of wildlife in those beautiful nature parks where you can go on safari in relatively quiet conditions, Uganda has two major assets: gorillas and chimpanzees. Those alone are more than worth the trip. I never forget the moment I heard the gorillas, and even less the moment I saw them. Hours of adrenaline dragging myself through the jungle, to literally come face to face with our friends. What an indescribable feeling, although I did my best ;-). And then there are our brothers and sisters, the chimpanzees. So human, so us. Is it the ideal safari country? Perhaps not, seeing the Big Five in the wild isn't possible because of the lack of the rhinoceros in the wild. I have not seen any zebras, for example, nor the wildebeest. Do I mind? Not at all. I've already had the privilege of taking part in so many safaris that I've already seen enough barcodes and the absolute number one in the Ugly Five. Besides, it also gives you the chance to focus on other animals, such as giraffes, elephants, hippos, a wide variety of monkeys or those always funny warthogs.

Moreover, I think Uganda is a warm country, literally and figuratively. Smiling people, beautiful and green landscapes to drive through. I think it is a wonderful country to come home. But maybe that's just me. The smell of Africa, remember?