One Moment In Africa

With my forthcoming entrance into the fire service and my recent visits to North America for the Canada Cup and to Ecuador for the Rafting World Championships, I thought it time to take a break, a well earned rest! This time the plane took me and Ben Spencer to Uganda, Africa. Well, I say that in the loosest possible terms, after a twelve hour wait in Dubai we finally arrived some thirty hours later!



The Nile River Explorers camp by Bunjgali falls was to be our stop for the first few days of river running. We relaxed into the swing of things, enjoying the section from the campsite to silverback, this section contains a few fun waves and some big, but straight forward rapids. Our first day proved to be the most action packed, starting off with Ben trying to end his holiday with the first splash of the water in order to spend the rest of the time at the bar! Flying from the launch ramp, soaring some 15 feet into the air before landing pancake flat! The day carried on thankfully, with painkillers being the order of the day on return to the camp. We met up with a group of locals to be guided down the river, arriving at 50-50, one of the girls' deck popped forcing her to swim out of the boils, myself and Ben to the rescue! After failing to get her in her boat by the joining rapid total gunga, in all the confusion of this, she re-exited her water filled boat and I paddled it without my paddles! Nice introduction to this huge rapid. Note to self don't expect anyone that you give your paddles to while you rescue a boat, to be anywhere near when you would like them back!



Our main section of the stay was to be at the island retreat of the Hairy Lemon, now I don't think you could ask for a more random park and play camp site. They offer full board dorm rooms with three fantastic meals for $15, peace and tranquility of the island but with no electricity or running water- however you can pick up wireless internet connection! To top it all off it is situated next to one of THE best play wave in the world, Nile Special. We spent six days down there surfing the monster of a wave throwing all sorts of shapes and ariel madness. While we were there we had a good mix of people, from some of the best in the world including the rest of the "Pommies" and a group of hooligans from Coventry. There's always someone that will paddle with you as you wake from your dozing afternoon nap thinking that you might fancy a little splash around.






As the days raced away it was time to head up to the top of the river to complete the rapids you missed on your first visit and have one final messy night in the bar, waking up in the morning wondering how something that tastes so beautiful as Nile Special does, can make you feel this bad! As you pack away your things and head to the airport you find yourself wondering how long it will be before you return to this wonderland and hoping that the journey home is as painless as possible...It took us 42 hours!



All pictures courtesy of www.ben-spencer.com with the exceptions of 'the taxi cue' and 'Nile special from a distance' courtesy of stu@coventryhooligans