Africa Flashback - The Jungle Cruise

My trip to Africa would not have been complete without a safari. It took place in the Queen Elizabeth National Park (QENP), located in western Uganda. There were two parts: the sunset cruise and the sunrise bus tour (I'll get to that one later).

We merrily rode the bus from the Colline Hotel in Mukono to QENP in 8 short hours. As you can see, we enjoyed one another's company and vistas of the countryside after spending an intense week together.
We were welcomed to the park by its beauty and . . .. . . some baboons with their babies! The bluish hue of the photo was an enhancement caused by the bus window tinting. We made it just in time (actually, a little late) for our safari cruise. There was a patient British family scheduled for the same boat waiting for us. They were gracious and didn't even cast a glare our way. We hopped on the boat and awaited the animals' arrival (or they awaited ours, I guess).The first animals to be spotted were hippos. It was exciting to see them in their natural habitat with their babies and at close range. The other animals out in abundance were the birds. There were king fishers, . . .. . . some kind of stork, . . . . . . canaries with their ball-shaped nests and . . .. . . Uganda's national bird, which is some kind of eagle. Oops. I can't remember all the names of the birds. Anyone? Anyone?The fishermen were out gathering their early evening catches. Notice their homes off in the distance. It's as if time stands still in some parts of the world. I like the simplicity and serenity that is captured here. I remember needing to take a breath at that point and just be in the moment. We then had our first glimpse of water buffalo. Actually, they were just regular buffalo near water. Outcasts, as a matter of fact. Any buffalo found in three or less have been rejected by the herd. Sad, huh? I think it's nice how they're keeping one another company. It's like they're saying, "I got your back, man."One of the highlights of the jungle cruise was catching a glimpse of this elephant. He was on a mission going somewhere, so we had to be quick with our cameras.

The one incognito animal was the crocodile. He escaped my view, but Monique caught him on film. It's like those Magic Eye pictures where you have to see the picture in the dots. I just couldn't find him, but he was there. A little menacing, actually. The sun was setting and we had to get checked in to the hotel, so thus ended my first real jungle cruise.