Crocodile country – Murchison Falls Game Park

Murchison Falls: Photo courtesy: sarahemcc – Wikimedia.org

After my memorable Masindi stay, I met up with the Nile again and another piece of luck. I was invited to stay with the park’s warden and his wife and had my first taste of African cooking.

It may seem strange to be in Africa for nearly two months and not having tried African food (except mandazi), but I was addicted to spicy food and there was no shortage of Indian restaurants.

My second piece of luck was being included on a boat ride up the Nile River to Murchison Falls. Some Ugandan dignitaries were visiting and they wanted their tour to appear full of foreigners, so I had a complimentary ride seeing I fitted the bill.

Nile crocodile, Murchison Falls, Photo courtesy: Sarah McCans

This event was one of my strongest memories from Uganda. Our boat was the first on the river that morning, so we disturbed the crocodiles sunning themselves on the bank. They slid into the water with ease and eyed us as if we might possibly be their next meal.

Ahead were the falls and I remember the tour guide telling passengers not to take any photos because he’d manoeuvre the boat closer where they’d get better shots. Being a miser with my camera back then (before the digital age), I waited but not the other tourists. I heard the constant clicking of cameras around me and wondered, was it camera mania or couldn’t they understand the Ugandan’s perfect English?