Murchison Falls

Mud challenge on the way home--
he's about to hit the deep mud hole

My fellow MSFers

After a crazy couple of days at the hospital (seemed like there was a new seriously ill child every time I turned around) eight of us set off for a weekend at Murchison Falls National Park.  As we approached the park we were going up a hill and suddenly saw a big truck and a car side by side, both stuck in the mud, completely blocking the road.  There were many men working on getting the car out which they finally were able to accomplish.  Our driver took a look at the situation and said we should all get out of the car but he thought he could make it through.  It was crazy to watch and at one point it looked pretty dicey but he made it!  At the park we had to cross several streams covering the road, which turned out to be good for washing all the mud off the car, and exciting as water splashed up on the windows!


In the park we took a boat ride up the Nile, which was quite broad and serene at the starting point. Hippos were everywhere standing in the shallow water, and we also saw a couple of crocodiles and a few elephants. Towards the base of the falls they let us off on a trail and we hiked up to the top.  The views on the way were spectacular when I wasn't gasping for breath trying to keep up with the young folks!

We spent the night in the park at a place where hippos come up from the river to graze on the grass at night making walking back to your hut after dinner interesting.

Murchison Falls

  Early the next morning  we took a ferry across the Nile to the area where there are "game drives" (higher concentrations of animals). Beautiful animals everywhere!  We left to come home at noon but the way we came in was blocked by flooding (rain during the night) so we had to go back the long way through the park to another exit.  On the way home we again got out of the car to watch the driver go through the deep mud patch. We made it through but a bit later had a flat tire.  Got the tire fixed and then there was a torrential downpour...  Eventually we made it home.