A fishing village and Ssese Islands!

*smoking

The fishing village

A young girl fetching water in Lake Victoria

These doggie kept me company the whole time I was sun bathing :)

Saw this man 3 times during my stay on the Islands and he always had this doll in hand! 500 shillings and he will sing for you and make her dance haha

Hello!

This weekend the Interns and I took a trip to Ssese Islands.  The islands are in located in the huge Lake Victoria.  We left early on Friday from Masaka and hired a taxi to take us to the port, across on the ferry, and the rest of the way to our hotel.  I'm positive we were given Mzungu prices, but I'm usually willing to pay that for convince, especially when I have no idea where we are going. When we got to the ferry we waited for about hour for it to get fuel so we could leave.  We ran into our language tutor from week 1 and he helped us kill time but walking us around the fishing village.  Once we got to the islands he drove through the forests where of course, we got a flat tire. 

When we got to our hotel we were all so excited to see actual sand! Almost like a real beach and I had to keep reminding myself it was just a lake.  Everything around us was perfect and a large gang of dogs followed our every move.  It was really cute at first...at first. We used this time to relax and get away from our sometimes routine lives in Masaka.  We all watched the sunset then got an amazing view of the Milky Way.  I couldn't believe I was seeing it. (At least I really hope it was the Milky Way haha)

The next day, Breana, Jackie, and I took a boda boda tour around the island.  Our driver drove us through villages and to some really great over looks.  At some moments it was scary how fast we were going but I'm really glad they convinced me to tag along :).

On Sunday Ciara and I decided to head back to Masaka and I think this was the biggest adventure of the trip, just trying to make it home.  We ended up taking a hour and a half boda ride from one side of the Island to the other to catch the ferry.  When we got there we discovered the ferry wasn't leaving for another two hours so we hand to take a WOODEN CANOE to the main land.  I say that with emphasis because when I say just a wooden canoe it really was, but a bigger version.  They managed to put 5 boda bodas, sacks of fresh fish, and about 15 people on it.  It was definately an experience.  When we arrived at the mainland an eager taxi driver stuffed us into his 5 seater car along with 8 other people and a live chicken.  Not the most comfortable ride but it definitely did the job!  

This weekend was filled with a million and one T.I.A moments, but it was a much needed get away.  Sites like Ssese Islands remind me how lucky I am to be in the position I'm in.

but...

2 weeks until home!!

Love,
Mal