AUTHOR: Nancy TITLE: Last Day on Lake Victoria DATE: 3/31/2009 05:27:00 AM ----- BODY:
Okay, so I put the final POST on my BLOG on the StoveTeam website yesterday and settled in for a day of rest and swimming in the pool…and this morning it rained!

Luckily, Dean Still from Aprovecho was still here, and he's a sailor and a fisherman, so we opted for a boat ride on the lake this morning. We hired a small motorboat from Speke Resort and took off for a nearby island.

Did you know that Lake Victoria is three times the size of The Netherlands? And that you cannot swim near the shore because of bilharzia? And that it has lots of small islands? And that it has a fantastic collection of birds? And that it borders Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda? Oh, you probably knew, but did you know that the small island we went to, called Paradise Island, was once a week-end retreat owned by Idi Amin?

We motored for about half an hour past black cormorants, Marabou storks (funny, vulture like creatures), an eagle, white egrets, yellow weaver birds, and small black and white birds who fished along the edge of the lake.

When we arrived on the lush island, we clambered ashore with our box of partially rotten papaya, casava and a few other root vegetables and fed Idi Amin's pet baboon! The poor thing was small and mangy and hadn't been fed in the last five days, but she came when the boat captain called "Bob!" and gobbled down the fruit. According to our captain, she's about 45 and was originally brought to the island with a mate who was shot when Amin was removed from power and his home was destroyed.

We didn't stay long, although we thought we might be there for the afternoon when our boat didn't start, but after fifteen minutes it eventually chugged off. There were no cellphones and was no way to communicate with shore, but there were plenty of fishermen with nets who were paddling nearby, so although it might have been a long trip, we would have gotten back eventually.

I've checked out of my room, had lunch with Dean and have an afternoon of looking over the lake and enjoying the 80 degree weather. It's been overcast all morning, but the sun is peeking out so I may yet get to the pool before my departure for Amsterdam/Atlanta/Portland and Eugene!

Although I hear it's cold and overcast at home, I can hardly wait to return. It's been a long, but absolutely fascinating journey!

Nancy

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----- COMMENT: AUTHOR:Anonymous Anonymous DATE:Friday, April 10, 2009 12:58:00 PM This is a wonderful description of your work, Nancy, I am so glad Alex sent me the URL. I am interested in fuel-efficient and solar stoves but just as a learner! With all good wishes from Cathy H. in Sana'a ----- --------