Bats, hippos and lions...oh my!

Well, this ride I'm on is going well and has been a whole lot of fun so far. I'm sorry that I haven't been able to share more with you on an ongoing basis, but here's a bit of news for you.

Bats: We are currently staying a couple of days at Paara Lodge in Murchason Falls National Park (NW of Kampala). The landscape is gorgeous and hills and trees stretch in every direction for miles. The resort itself is a bit like stepping back in time to one of the grand hotels in Muskoka. It is open and airy, the rooms are clean and tastefully decorated with mosquito netting that wraps around both beds. There is a spacious closet in each room and each room has a balcony facing the Nile River (not bad, eh?) Anyhow, the dining room is upstairs. It too is open and airy and overlooks the Nile; a breathtaking sight when you get to watch the full moon rise over the water during dinner. Also taking my breath away are the bats....yes, bats. For any of you who know me well...it's forcing me to stretch myself to great lengths just to make it through a meal, through the main lobby or down to my room without screetching in terror!!! The only thing that makes me thankful for them is that there has been a bit of a reprive from the mosquitoes. It seems that they like my sweet Canadian blood and have feasted time and again. I'm looking a little more like I have boils all over my arms and legs than mosquito bites. A small price to pay for the chance to be here!

Hippos: We will be leaving after lunch today to travel up and down the Nile to Murchason Falls. We should be able to see lots of crocs and hippos along the way. Meghan, my roomie, got an up close and personal visit from a hippo last night on the way to her room. She was walking along the path and heard something behind her. When she turned around, there was a hippo following her. She quickly ran to the room (with hippo in hot pursuit) and went in through the glass doors to our balcony. Luckily the hippo didn't make it in with her and a guard was soon there, poking the hippo back down into the bushes. When they say don't wander too far around here, they say it for a reason!

Lions: This morning we spent four hours driving around the park looking at lots of animals. We saw lots of Kobe and small deer that I have nicknamed "obambi", giraffes and Uganda's official bird, the Crested Crane. Towards the end of our trip, we came upon two vehicles that had stopped next to a thicket and tree. There, under the tree, was the king of the beasts...Aslan.....Simba....a daddy lion. We pulled up and hopped out of the top of the van to take some pictures. Apparently, our friend was sick of the paparazzi because after standing up, he came within a couple metres of the van, roaring!!! I missed a great shot of the lion because I was busy praying and hoping he wasn't about to lunge through the sunroof, but as quickly as he came, he turned and walked off. As we started to leave, Nancy noticed that there was a female lion in the thicket as well. No wonder Papa didn't want us hanging around, he was trying to hang out with Mamma! Eventually, the two of them walked off down the road together, and as we were heading back to the lodge, I was laughing to think of how thankful I was for everyone's prayers of protection for me during this trip! They're coming in handy!

Well, it's lunch time....6am where you are....I send you my love. More to come....