Ridin' the P-Apple Express

Okay, so before we get into this post, I must request that you press play on the following video, and put it on repeat for the entire duration of your read.

For those of you who have seen the terrible, but equally loveable 2008 Seth Rogan film, Pineapple Express, you will understand why this song is appropriate to be played while you read. For those of you who haven't, here's the trailer for the film.

Here in Uganda, Pineapple Express means something different... it's a shuttle service* between Entebbe (where the airport is located), Kampala, and Jinja. It's a bit pricey, but honestly, the nostalgia factor makes it semi-worthwhile. The customer service, however, was stellar, and so at the end of the day - even though I knew I could have travelled far cheaper - it was worth it!

So yeah, in case you haven't guessed, I returned to Jinja for the weekend. This weekend marked the Nile River Festival, which I understood to be quite a big deal. It turns out, not really that big of a deal... as there was nothing to indicate that such an event was happening once I arrived.

So, instead of spending my one full day in Jinja taking in the excitement of the festival, I spent it along the shores of both the Nile and Lake Victoria.

It still blows my mind that I live approximately one and a half to two** hours away from the Nile. You know, the river we learn about from an early age!!

Views from the shore of the Nile. In the top photo, you can see the bridge part of Owens Falls Dam.

The time spent on Lake Victoria was also quite interesting. It was a beach but no one dared to enter the water. Why, you ask? Well, because there's crocodiles... which is actually why I was interested in visiting this spot! When I couldn't actually see them, I inquired as to whether or not their presence was really known. I was told that they aren't always seen, but everyone pretty much knows that they are there. And, after spending a few hours at the beach, I can now 100% confirm that there are, in fact, crocodiles in that part*** of the lake!

Views from the beach.

If you look closely near the peak of the land, you can see part of a crocodile!
Not as cute as the one I snuggled in Ghana!

The next day, I packed up early, jumped back on the Pineapple Express, and prepared for the work week ahead. It wasn't an overly adventurous break from the city, but it was a relaxing. And that was just what I needed!

But the real high point of the weekend came in the form of me injuring my silly little self. Think downhill tumble times two! Two nights in a row, walking along the same stretch of road, in the exact same spot, I rolled my ankle. The first round was so bad. I mean, it hurt, but it wasn't the end of the world - more embarrassing than anything else. The second night was less fun. Because not only did I hurt my ankle (again!), but I tumbled all the way to the ground, ripping both my pants and my leg.

I knew I had to shave my legs, but that was NOT the way I was wanting to go about it! 

Don't worry, though - I'm all in one piece and safe, once again, in Kampala. This is why I can't have nice things.

-The Orange Canadian

*Now imagine me trying to explain this film concept to the driver of the shuttle! 
**Heh heh - tutu!
***Lake Victoria is a MASSIVE body of water!