The Farm

After Mass this morning, Lawrence and I went to his farm on the southern banks of the Nile (level with the source).  They have 6 acres in the most stunning spot.  We approached it by peeling off the earth track in the car and winding down through the banana plantation.  At the bottom of this, their land opened up into pastures of maize, sweet potato and cassava.  Amongst the pastures were dozens of fruit tree: jack fruit, avocados, limes, mangoes and coffee to name a few.  You can see that the farming here without motorised diggers is really tough.  They get up at 3am  to start and finish the labour before the sun hits them at 11am.  We used a stick to shake the branches of the mango tree and have brought home quite a harvest to eat.

Beans and mango for supper I hope.

The Source of the Nile was serene and almost sacred.  We ate groundnuts and drank bottled water, watching the men cast their nets upon the water from their boats.  Such repetitive rhythms are mesmerising to watch.

The Bujagali Falls were nowhere to be seen as they have built a dam downriver and closed it to build up enough water- power to turn the turbines for electricity generation.  However, on testing the turbines they found they didn't work.  The water level is still very high, submerging all the trees.  The rapids have gone.  The rafters have gone.  The river just slips endlessly and widely on as though it has never had its turbulent past.

I have felt quite unwell today, weakened by what I think was a fever in the night.  So it is me and 'The Night Circus' before I am sure sleep will be upon me.