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9/15/09: Jinja, Uganda

I think I speak for everyone who was there when I say I have a new hero.

We had paid our 3,000 Uganda Shillings ($1.50) apiece to hike down to the first class 5 rapid that we will raft over tomorrow on the Nile. After a short trek from our campsite, we arrived at Bujagali Falls.

It’s a bit hard to tell from this picture, but this rapid is a mammoth. Trust me, it would make even Chuck Norris cry if he saw it. I think it once swallowed a blue whale. The guy next to me wet himself in sheer terror.

The rapid consists of two different harrowing sections about 15 feet apart from each other. There were about five of us standing around screaming when we noticed a long-necked bird near the top of the first rapid dive under to catch a fish. Seemed pretty daring so close to the rapid. When the bird came up with its back downstream it quickly drifted toward the upper monstrosity. In a split second, the bird was gone, swallowed by the rapid, never to be seen again.

Then we saw it again, head up, looking forward after the final whitecap of the top tier. If birds could talk, this one would have been in stunned silence. But there must have been a really pretty girl bird ashore, as he rode the current into the bottom, even more terrifying rapid. Whoosh – he was gone again.

Five seconds later he popped his head out, having slain the aqueous dragon. He floated to the next rock and climbed aboard for a rest.

Then a hunter shot him. (Ok, not really. Bad joke? Sorry.)

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Scrabble Picture: Zhou, in her wordgear shirt, standing in front of the Nile (of course in Color Accent mode)

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Pictures of the Day: The snap of the shudder is like the Siren song to Ugandan village children, as they flock from miles around to join the fun.