Magahinga

About a week after the study started, I also had to prepare the new MGH Guest House for visitors. Dr. Bangsberg was coming with the President of MGH, Dr. Bruce Walker (who is doing amazing HIV research in Durban, South Aftrica), the VP of MGH, two development officers, and one of MGH’s major donors, Mark Schwartz. It was a very hectic week as I had to deal with many Ugandan businesses to get furniture delivered, curtains made and hung, caters arranged, and everything else that goes along with furnishing and preparing a house. While it was not the most fun I have ever had, it was a very interesting experience dealing with Ugandan businesses. It required a lot of micro-managing and follow-up, but in the end everything came together and all the guests were very pleased.

The following weekend (Easter weekend), I was up for another adventure. This time I went with 6 others to the very south-western tip of Uganda (at the border of Rwanda and the DRC). We went into Magahinga National Park. It is the smallest national park in Uganda, but it continues into Rwanda and the Congo and is known for its extinct volcanoes. The countryside is absolutely breathtaking. In Magahinga there are three extinct volcanoes on the Ugandan side; Muhavura (The Guide), Mt. Gahinga (Small Pile of Stones), and Mt. Sabinyo (Old Man’s Teeth). Muhavura is the highest and peaks at 4,500 meters. However, we were climbing Mt. Sabinyo which is a series of peaks. There are 5 peaks in total, but 3 are on the Ugandan side and the middle one is the highest of the 5 at 3,650 meters (~12,000 ft).

We started off on the hike nice and early as it was supposed to be an 8 hour hike up and back. We were starting at about 2,300 meters. The region is very rainy and it being the rainy season, we knew we were going to get muddy and dirty, but that was part of the fun. The hike started off very gradually as we moved through the hills. When we finally reached the base and started our ascent, the trees around us turned into a bamboo forest, which was very dense and beautiful. As we continued up, the bamboo gave way to trees again. This time, however, the trees were covered in moss that looked very much like an old man’s beard to go along with his teeth that was comprised of the 5 peaks of the volcano. Very well names volcano.

The hike up was cold and rainy, but the fog from the clouds added to the mysterious feeling of the dense forest. As we reached the first and second peaks, the clouds refused to give way. Going from the second peak to the third and final peak, things got a bit hairy as the ascent was almost exclusively on wooden ladders that were not soaking wet and cold. The whole way along the ridge is actually the border between Uganda and Rwanda which was a pretty cool feeling. At the very top, we were actually standing in all three countries at once (Uganda, Rwanda, and DRC). Definitely a cool experience and would have been a bit better if I could have seen more than 20 feet in front of me… It was interesting to think about all those three countries have been through in the past 30 years and to be standing in all of them at the same time was something else. Uganda suffered in the late 70s and early 80s under Amin (Last King of Scotland movie) and Obote; Rwanda had its troubles in the early 90s with the genocide, and DRC has been having problems more recently.

On the way down, the clouds broke briefly and we were able to take in the amazing views of the countries. Absolutely breath-takingly beautiful with large green rolling hills, volcanoes, lakes, and valleys surrounding us on all sides. The clouds were creeping up over the steep drop-offs of the mountains from the Congo side maintaining the mysterious and rather creepy feeling. Made it all worth it.

It was a great trip and I am now back in Mbarara. Brian and Annie are leaving on May 1st so the next week will be hanging out with them and having a going away bash for them. After that, it is off to Kigali (Rwanda) to visit some friends.