Capital Kampala and Entebbe

We just need to get there first 😁 The main road from the east of the country is chronically congested, with large trucks from neighboring Kenya forming a seemingly endless line.

At the height of the town of Jinja (where the Nile springs), we take a larger detour through villages to head towards the center. Just before our accommodation, we are waved over by two policewomen. Where is our warning triangle? We can't find one and then reluctantly pay the so-called “fine” 😡 In our two weeks with the car, we have not encountered such a situation before. And every few kilometers there are police checkpoints. There, we were only asked by police officers for snacks or money for lunch. Locals say that police officers in Uganda earn very poorly 🤷🏻‍♂️

South of the city center, we settle into a relaxed accommodation. We do some shopping and buy souvenirs for home at a large market. Overall, we don't see particularly much in Kampala. But wless is more - so we take a pottery class over two days, which we find very enjoyable. The two young men from Uganda show us step by step how to shape plates and bowls from custom-made clay. We couldn’t imagine how labor-intensive this work is - there are indeed many steps involved.

For the plates, the clay is first rolled out similarly to how one would for a pizza.

After cutting and shaping a curvature, we get to choose colors and patterns.

Painting requires a lot of precision.

Then the color is worked into the plate, and afterwards, the surface is polished with smooth stones.

More is required for the firing process, but unfortunately, there isn't enough time for that. By the way, the kiln on site was donated from Germany.

On the second day, we even get to try the wheel. Sensing with our hands is difficult, but our teacher helps us. After a short time, we have shaped small bowls.

 

The pottery class was totally worth it! We also buy some pottery - there are some really beautiful pieces! 🤩

We have been traveling for almost 11 months. Our last stop is the small town of Entebbe. From here, our flight back to Frankfurt via Istanbul departs. The town is idyllically located on the shore of Lake Victoria and feels like a quiet holiday resort.Everywhere we see green parks, and traffic is very low! Due to its proximity to the shores of Lake Victoria, numerous birds can be observed here…

In a relaxed hotel, we slowly wind down our journey!

 

But we won't miss one last highlight: The boat tour in the Mabamba swamp to see the rare shoebill bird.

Early in the morning, we set off on a motorboat and are taken to the edge of the swamp area. There we switch to a smaller wooden boat. Between tall papyrus and dense reeds, there are smaller canals through which we navigate.

Just after a short time, our guide veers off the main path with us, and indeed 😯 among the water lilies stands a large stately shoebill bird, waiting for a fish.

This bird is critically endangered (especially due to habitat loss). In the protected Mabamba swamp, there are at least 15 to 20 specimens. The shoebill can reach a height of up to 1.40 m, with a wingspan of up to 2.40 m. Its beak is shaped like a bulky wooden shoe (hence its name). It lives a solitary life and can only lay 1-2 eggs at a time.

We are now fortunate to observe its hunting method in the wild. It stands completely still for a long time and waits patiently. At the right moment, it then snaps quickly at a fish in the water. In our case, it is promptly successful and catches a larger fish.

We continue our tour through the swamp and see many fascinating birds. For birdwatching, it is a true paradise 🤩 for example, we see black-and-white kingfishers,
herons, andmoorhen. The latter walk effortlessly across the leaves of the aquatic plants with their long claws...

Every journey comes to an end! 11 months, 9 countries, and so many beautiful experiences 😊 We are incredibly happy! Surely, this won’t be our last long journey...