Day 3: An Early Morning Surprise, Sippi Falls and Mrs Napokoli's House
Mr Prewett's alarm was set early (5.40am!) and he was ready to meet Mr Mansfield for a quick adventure, first thing this morning. They had decided to go and surprise Joseph at his house for breakfast. The hotel arranged a Boda Boda to come and get them and they set off at sunrise to go and find his house. Unfortunately, the Boda Boda driver was a little unsure on the directions we were giving, so we had a bit of an adventurous journey before an enormous stroke of luck....just as we thought we were about to get completely lost, we saw three familiar faces walking to school in their school uniform....Jerry, Joanna and Joshua (Joseph's 3 children)! They were very confused to see us but soon came running over, excited to see us! They walked us through a field and started calling out. We heard Joseph's confused replies and he was shocked as Mr Mansfield and Mr Prewett walked around the corner. It was lovely to see him and we made an omelette together!
Joseph helped Mr Mansfield and Mr Prewett to get back to the hotel and we soon set off early for Sipi Falls, three breathtaking waterfalls located in the foothills of Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda. Sipi Falls is renowned for its stunning views and lush landscapes. Our journey began on the bus, allowing us to take in the beautiful scenery of Uganda. We passed through bustling villages, farmlands and forests. The changing landscapes kept us captivated throughout the trip. Eventually, the road ended and we began our trek up the mountain. As we walked, we were immersed in the vibrant surroundings—families going about their daily lives in traditional huts, children playing, and the rich wildlife, including colourful birds and insects. One particularly interesting sight was a house with a solar panel on their roof, powering some of their equipment. We thought our Eco Club would love to know this!
As we arrived towards the top of the mountain, where the walk to the falls begins, we had to get out of the minibus for Joseph to do his usual negotiating. He found us some tour guides and we set back off on the bus to the starting point of the walk. We soon hit our first obstacle...almost literally! A group of people were digging up the road in front of us. Our guides had not expected this and it added a little extra travelling on foot!
The additional hike was however worth it, as we climbed through the beautiful scenery. The trickiest spot on the way was a section which had remained very wet from some recent rain and it was rather funny to see all of the teachers in the group slipping and sliding up the hill. Luckily no-one fell completely over but a few of our team did end up with some rather muddy shoes and legs! Not Miss Griffiths however, who was very steady on her feet and, ever the explorer, she discovered some fascinating finds along the way. She found ripe coffee beans growing on the hillside, giving us a glimpse into one of Uganda’s most important crops. She also found a millipede with its many legs.
After a short but steep climb, we arrived at Sipi Falls One, the first waterfall of the day. The water cascaded down, creating a misty spray that cooled us off and added to the magical atmosphere.
Our adventure continued as we followed our guide up an even steeper path. This led us to a wooden ladder, which we carefully climbed. At the top, we discovered the Tomb Caves, ancient dwellings where people used to live. Some of us were brave enough to explore inside the caves.
The final leg of our hike took us to the top of the main waterfall. The climb was challenging, but every step was worth it when we reached the top. We could see far into the distance, all the way to Kenya. The panoramic view was unbelievable with the lush green landscape stretching out as far as the eye could see.
After our long hike, we went to one of the headteachers who is linked with the schools we are at, Mrs Napokoli house, where she cooked us a delicious, traditional Ugandan dinner. The meal was a feast that provided the perfect end to our adventurous day.
Miss Griffiths had a masterclass in making ‘Rolex,’ a local street food made of eggs and chapatti. She thoroughly enjoyed the experience and is excited to bring the recipe back to Ringland to make with the children. After this, they also taught us how to properly cut a mango, as we have noticed on our travels that they are so much better at it than us!
Mr Prewett was given a tour of Mrs Napokoli's house and spotted that her calf had escaped. He quickly sprung into action to chase it down and, luckily, managed to grab the rope it was tethered to. The calf was however surprisingly strong and Mr Prewett could not keep hold of it. The cow escaped and, despite his best efforts, Mr Prewett needed some help from Mrs Napokoli's son, who proved much more successful in catching it! Before we knew it, we were having to say goodbye again and head to bed.
Finally, we all headed to bed. After our busy day of climbing mountains that are even taller than Pen y Fan, we needed plenty of rest. We will sleep well tonight, ready to start again tomorrow with renewed energy for more adventures.