WWTCC News

African Adventures

Hey, I’m Rae, I just arrived in London last week after 4 1/2 months in Uganda. So why am I writing here? Well, I don’t really have anything better to do in this arctic climate. So I will torture you with tales form Africa.

I arrived by myself in Uganda in Nov. where I found my way to NRE to be pampered with shots of waaragi (local gin for those not yet unfortunate enough to have 1st hand experience). Then I was off to The Hairy Lemon, lots of antics there…guys hanging from the rafters, Pringle dressed as a fully waxed, hair-extensioned woman at the Pirate & Wenches party; 100 glow sticks at the “Rave”; and of course the Ultimate Shithead antics (9am-Cookie, Pringle and Anton downing their punishment funnels). Oh and, watching Pringle walk around the island 7x backwards saying “Matt Damon” is a sight not to be missed.

OK OK so there was some boating along the way-I competed in The Nile Freestyle Festival. Event 1: Big Air (everyone trying to throw as big as possible=lots of good aerial stunts & some wonderful face plants). Event 2: Endurance Race (can I say 45km of hell?) Event 3: Boda Boda Cross (45 people, 45 kayaks, 45 boda bodas, a soap covered assault course, & 45 funnels). Then the party-if you have ever been to Uganda you’ll know what that means.

By Feb I had been boating 2x a day, hanging out in the bar, having big naps every afternoon; learned how to juggle; fought off a fungus growing in my leg; battled a hairy caterpillar; read every magazine; consumed countless books …it was all far too stressful. Time for a vacation (from my vacation). Off to Rwanda: rusty buses full of cockroaches and $375 (ouch) for a Gorilla permit. I then joined the geriatric club in the hopes that the route with them up the mountain would be easier than with the Sporty Spice Eager Beavers (but the 68yr old still kicked my ass). The gorillas were amazing, the Silverback was eyeing me up, but I think I could take him (my 130lbs vs his meagre 600lbs would be a sure win).

After the gorillas, I hitched a ride the Congo border (where I was hoping to go for a couple days…unfortunately I got really sick…thought I was going to have to check myself into hospital…puking all night, delirious, staying all by myself in a sketchy guesthouse). So it was back home to the Hairy Lemon. But I swear if I look at another feathered covered passenger saying “baabaaaakk” in my face again I’ll loose it…damn chickens, they’re in people’s laps, under the seats, hanging from the roof, and that’s not including all the rotten fish festering in the boots of the minibuses.

Back on the Hairy Lemon, there was a N. American invasion. I had been around mostly Brits for 4 months…my Canadian accent had been tainted. I actually started to say “rubbish bin” instead of “garbage can”… I had now come face to face with full-blown harassment and ridicule.

A couple more weeks of warm water boating, then I packed my bags, said a tearful goodbye and flew to Sunny England . I’ve tried kayaking here, but have quickly remembered that cold water boating is well…COLD. I actually flipped upside down, and hung there for awhile, thinking that there is no way I’ll be able to roll up with all this kit on…oh my god, I think I might swim….fewh, I can still roll, but I think I’ll do photos and videos until I can adapt to this Polar weather. Any way, come visit the boys and me at Whitewater, I need people to keep me entertained for the next couple weeks before I shoot back to the Great White North to watch people dodge icebergs at the Worlds.

posted by Jon Best @ 6:13 AM