Rwenzori View Guest House Fort Portal

... course we are all invited to join in a dance with them at the end. Didn’t take long to get me thoroughly winded at this altitude (about 4,000 feet).

Our final dinner at the lodge is fantastic as always, and I get a photo of the dining room so you can get an idea of how romantic this place is by candlelight. I know all of us feel wistful about leaving here tomorrow, but we are looking forward to the adventures ahead.

... we encounter our other groups.

One female chimp is in estrous, and quite obviously so, and so there is much commotion as males vie for her attentions. Our guide explains that the female can reject any suitor she wants, and we see it happen as she fights off the advances of the old (40 years or so) male who is named "The President" because he is the head of this particular tribe. The brush-off is loud and intense, and takes place with ...

... which was very luxurious and settled down on the lawn for a few beers and chit chat before dinner. The accomodation at the Fort Motel was very luxurious and well organised and dinner was served in the lovely dining room and outside at the guesthouse. The usual chat over a few glasses of wine commenced before bed. It was going to be strange sleeping in a proper bed after camping in the wilderness.

... she didn't wake up!). We were just debating the possibility of a midnight mouse party when we found firm evidence in the form of some very holey bananas. I imagine that the mice thought Christmas had come early when they saw how much food the silly mzungus had left out!

Despite having our food stores depleted, it was hard to feel annoyed in such a pretty setting, especially when we had a breakfast of nutella crepes to look forwards to! After breakfast, which was trully ...

... On our first descent to the lake, we were greeted by a troup of the latter. Some of them were very interested in what we might have to offer. Others could only stop play fighting long enough to give us brief glances. One, perhaps the drum major of the group, tried his best to impress us with all the twirling and throwing tricks he could do with a twig.

... hotel/campsite for 9 months and then they will discuss it. So of course we were compelled to give him a huge tip - as I hope all the other tourists do. I just can't believe that the locals are paid about 50,000-80,000 USH a month (max 30 pounds) to work at all these hotels, while the white owners are raking in the money. When we got back we spent a couple of hours watching the colobus monkeys that were in the trees in the campsite, while we waited about 2hours for our taxi to show up!

... lake. Unfortunately we didn't find the pythons, but our guide Joseph suggested (seeing our disappointment) that we go up to the Congolese border to take some photos, maybe have some lunch. And why not? So up we all go. Somehow, on arrival, Joseph fixes it (ie bribes the guards) to let us all over the border (no passports) so that we can have some lunch on the congolese side of the border. Can you imagine it? At no other border in the world. Crazy. So over we all go, and sit and ...

... to stop.....push the car....roll start....go a bit further....then siphen out another tsp. of gas! All the local kids got a good laugh about this and the "mazungo" (white people) pushing the car (then they came and helped us as well). The highlight of the drive was when we were coasting (sliding rather) down a big hill of mud and honking at people to get out of our way. We JUST missed a woman standing on the road before hitting her MASSIVE bag of flour, denting ...