From all the things I ever expected to experience in Uganda, waiting excited around the radio for the president to announce the COVID 19 restrictions wasn't one of them.
I kinda felt that something bad would come, and I had to escape the madness of a big city like Kampala. I called my friend, who owns a farm somewhere in the bush close to the Fort Portal area. On my way to the farm, I heard the president's announcement that for the next 21 days, EVERYTHING shuts down. I was absorbed with a shot of anxiety. I thought, well, that sucks, but at least Nature would be my isolation sanctuary far from the congested Kampala with the strict curfew.
Fort Portal is a paradise on Earth. Dozens of crater lakes created thousands of years ago, hiding in the dense rain-forests and meeting with the giants of Uganda. The mountains of the Moon, the famous Rwenzoris. The mountains gave birth to Western Ugandan Mythology, including the Batwezi people. From a spiritual perspective, those are the first humans who came from the Heavens to the Underworld (Earth). The people of the light as they call them. Their spirits are lighting the path for the outcasts, who cannot see during the dark moonless nights. Our ancestors punishing, teaching, and enlightening the locals through hard times. From a historical perspective, the Bachwezi people were a powerful dynasty of conquerors that ruled all over East and Central Africa from 1100-1600 AD. The Empire called Empire of Kitara(Light)
I don't know if you are familiar with Energy Vortexes, but let me tell you some things. Many locations around the planet vibrate energetic electromagnetic frequencies that you cannot find in an ordinary place. Usually, around these areas, culture and religion thrived threw centuries. I am from Greece and our Mythology 2000 years ago was very similar to that of Uganda. Both religions are built around the highest mountains of the countries, and I can guarantee you that the Nature around these areas is magical.
My friend BiBi at Enjojo Farms
The farm I stayed at has one of the most exceptional views I ever had the pleasure to experience. It is built on the top of lake Nyinabulitwa(The mother lake). On the other side of the hill, you can view Kibale National Park, the ancient forest with animal and plant species you can witness only in NatGeo. Some nights, the gunshots from the wildlife rangers echoing through the woods, trying to scare the elephants away from the farmer's crops. Some sneaky farmers use bees to produce the gold nectar and scary these benevolent beasts.
Lake Nyinabulitwa
Sunrise in Kibale National Park
The owner of the farm, Mirembe, is a very skillful landscape designer. The whole farm is a masterpiece of sustainability and self-sufficiency. From the water tank below the house collecting rainwater and the solar system to the compost piles and the mindblowing nursery, this farm is a perfect example of permaculture. Every location of activity was specially designed to save energy, time, power, and money with the maximum efficiency possible. In the next few posts, we will explore together the mastery of permaculture. How to observe, what is the soil quality, germination?
The outdoor kitchen
As my friend is stuck in the UK, my main company is Amaanya. He is a local man who takes care of the farm. Amaanya is a genius farmer and a sculpturer. In the next posts, I will show you how we collect clay from the river and what is the process of making amazing sculptures using only our hands and imagination. The exciting thing with Amaanya is that he speaks no English at all. So last month, we learned how to communicate with each other using body language, some English, Swahili, Luganda, and Lutoro(All quite similar Bantu Languages). One of our daily activities is to teach each other words and play cards.
Collecting seedlings with my brother Amaanya
Living in the middle of the bush in the heart of Uganda is not easy, but it is fun. We have to fetch water and collect firewood for cooking. Dig the land and harvest her gifts for food. Handwashing clothes is one of the most exhausting activities you could have during the dry season. Now imagine that most of the women around are doing that every day while they have to fetch water and transport it at home and then cook for a family of multiple children. There are many other things to delay you like the tremendous sun. Or the fruit warms and the parasites on the ground.
Sometimes it is just boredom of having NOTHING to do. On the other side, there is ALWAYS something to do from digging and planting to landscape designing and art. Exploring the magical forests and swimming in the lakes. Meeting old people and listening to their storytelling about their first Gods makes Netflix look like a Sunday movie that's already been played thousands of times.
What I truly learned from this Pandemic is that NOTHING IS PERMANENT. Things are changing all the time. When all this is done, you should all consider traveling. It is like a meditation of the soul. You always learn something new. You learn how to master life by embracing the three A's. Adjust, Accept, and Adapt. The brain travels to so many different directions rather than the regular safe zone, which leads to a vast expansion of our horizons, beliefs, and values. Let's have this experience together. If you want to see more about my Travel experiences in Uganda, stay tuned.
Something else I learned is that abundance exist around us. Everything we need is just in front of our eyes. I am learning how to survive and have fun with the least amount of money possible. Since the Pandemic i haven't made one single dollar, so I had to create a strict budget. Most of the food like Yams, Matoke(Plantain), and fruits are coming from the garden. For the rest of the food and transport, we could spend 100$ each month for 2 people, which is still considered a lot of money in the rural area of Uganda. No water or electricity bills. All self-sustained. On the other side, medical bills is another issue that needs to be covered, and many people are dying or have to sell their only land. The community feeling is quite strong in many cases as the WHOLE family collectively sends money to support the sick person. Coexisting during harsh situations can make life so much easier.
Soup made out of peas, carrots, cauliflower, and potato with homemade Chapati.
