bwindi gorillas.

as I mentioned earlier Gabe and I trekked to see mountain gorillas in uganda. here's the story.

Gabe arrived in africa with big ideas - first and foremost was seeing gorillas. of course as they only issue a certain number of permits per day and the gorillas are only in certain parks odds of acquiring a permit this late in the game I thought would be unlikely but worth a try. after rafting and bungee jumping (awesome!) in jinja we headed to kampala to the wildlife authority office. and lucky us they had two slots on the 19th! all we had to do was drop $1000 and get ourselves to the park - the more remote park without public transport. of course. so after hitting up every atm in the area to get all the cash and getting our permits we took the most miserable night bus ride to kabale, uganda. it was cold and cold and we didnt' arrive until 4 am.

the next morning we had a delicious breakfast of french fries and made our way to the gorillas information office in kabale in search of assistance to the park. none was to be found. they wanted us to take a private taxi @ $200 - undoublty a friend or family owned the car. they were incredibly unhelpful and when we suggested motorcycles they said it was too dangerous and if something happened to us they would be held accountable... a) screw you for trying to rip me off, b) like I care if you get in trouble when I'm mangled beyond recognition in a motorcycle accident because you wouldn't be helpful and do your job.

we motorcycled anyway and at a considerable savings. although I must say my ass was flat and sore after 51 km into the hill on the back of a motorcycle, gripping some dude for dear life. super fun though!

we stayed at dinky little place, but it was nice enough, and walked around the day before we hiked to the gorillas.

the morning of the 19th we headed out to the park gate to meet the group. we had to be there by 8. except Gabe and I walked the wrong way. by the time we realized our mistake we were at least 2 miles in the wrong direction (because it was always just around the next corner... stupid jungle) and beginning to panic. we luckily flagged down and man on a bike, who spoke no english, and fortunately a car passed soon after. of course the driver spoke no english but we managed to communicate our need to get to the park gate and he drove us for a small fee.

we arrived at the gate sweaty and just in time.

our party consisted of Gabe and I, an older professorly couple, and a New York tax lawyer and his miserable adult daughter. she may have been the most unpleasant person on the planet.

we set off and within 2 km of mild hiking one of our party turned back due to health concerns (asthma or something) and we pushed on. the hiking wasn't impossible but it wasn't exactly easy. the trail varies and eventually we were no longer on a trail but following a guide with a machete. trackers had gone out it in the morning and tracked the gorillas from where they slept the night before. we hiked up and down two valleys, across a bog and eventually found them!

THEY WERE INCREDIBLE! better than I could have imagined. there were two young gorillas that played, climbed trees and swung from vines. the dominant silverback put us in our place with a tremendous roar. we got within 10ft. of a blackback. I was definitely in awe.

we were allowed to spend an hour with the gorillas and it flew by. and then we had to hike out. and it was the slowest hike I've likely ever experienced. the tax lawyer from new york, despite having boasted to have climbed kilimanjaro last year, was in terrible shape. he panted and literally had to be pulled up the hills (so did his daughter who complained the whole way.) we had to stop even 20-30 ft. for him to have a rest. at one point we thought they were going to have to send in a team of guides to carry him out. ridiculous. he even had a porter carrying his packback.

but we made it out. although a bit slowly. and Gabe and I made our way back down to kabale (via bodaboda) just as the sun was setting. epic adventure. so worth it.