Sunday we met up with the girls to discuss plans over Christmas and New Year. We're now going to Lake Bunyoni for Christmas and possibly New Year, although we might just head into Kampala for a big party :)

As I said before, we were meant to be going to Kabale on Monday but Sunday night Vic fell sick. We don't know what from but she was vomiting nearly every hour and come Monday morning she wasn't well enough to travel.
So we headed to Kabale Tuesday instead..
Up at 5:00am to take Tea and Bread, so we could get into Kampala in time for the bus at 7:00am.
Around 2 hours into the journey the conductor came checking tickets on the bus and guess what, we were on the wrong bus! We misheard when getting on the bus and we were currently on the way to MBALE to KABALE, we were going to EAST Uganda not WEST! haha :) So we had to get off, catch a Matatou back into Kampala, to catch the last Link Bus to Kabale. We ended up travelling for 15.5 hours instead of 6!
So Kabale - It's beautiful! Lonely Planet describes it as 'The Switerzland of Africa' Taking this advice we went in walking shoes, jeans and layers and well it was hot! No suncream, burnt my nose and sweated. It was only night time and in the morning that it actually got cold!
Home of Edirisa met our expectations. The staff were so friendly and it's done up so lovely. The bed was comfy - I have a dip in mine back home so was nice not to wake up with a sore back :) And the food was great!
Our friend Jack has a cousin in Kabale, so on Wednesday we met up with Bernard and his friend Phillip at lunch time. Phillip was brought up in Belgium, moved to Congo and now mines in Uganda. He is the happiest guy I think I've ever met and for what he said was lake of English (although it was good) his humour was great too :)
Bernard works in a mine, so we paid Phillip 30,000Ush for petrol money to get us there. A very bumpy journey in Phillips little Toyota and one bump concluded in a stone hitting the petrol tank underneath the car. It had hit it and the fuel starting leaking out! We were stuck in the middle of nowhere, although Vic and me really didn't seem to panick (Altough I think we probaly should have being stuck with complete strangers!) We just chilled on the side of the hill, taking in the beautiful views and taking photos, whilst Phillip was catching the fuel with a bottle of water and Bernard was making a clay out of the water to try and stick the pipe back to together erm!! :)
Bernard called his friend and just over an hour later we were in a SAFE 4x4 :) Phillip stayed to try and fix the car and we said we'd see him later.
The mine was on the otherside of Bwindi Forest, so that meant driving through it and wow! Vic and me are going Gorilla Trekking in Bwindi on the 19th December, so to see it's beauty before hand was incredible.
We saw the Gold river and went into the mine where Diamonds have been found also. Bernard was very proud, showing us the crushing tools etc :)
So Mike the driver, Bernard friends took us all the way back to Kabale and upon arriving decided to tell us he wanted $100! WHAT! We weren't going to pay that kind of money, plus we didn't have that kind of money on us. We explained that we didn't put the rock in the road for the car to break down and we had already paid, well even after all of our explaining, we paid another 30,000Ush and went into the hostel. It was 11:00pm and hadn't eaten since lunchtime so grabbed a bit to eat and hit the sack.
Thursday we booked a trip to Lake Bunyoni. Although we knew we were going with the group over Christmas it was to see Crafts Women in action, so we didn't spoil it too much for ourselves ;) Lake Bunyoni, is only 2.8km outside Kabale and once again like everything else during our trip it was beautiful!
We caught a canoe across the Lake and was greeted by Brian. We would be spending the day with him and his family. We climbed to the top of what I think was one of the highest hills on the Lake, typical :) And met Brians family. We tried their porridge which was made out of Soygum and if left for a day, turns into wine! Wasn't good. We met his Grandmother and helped plant some beans on the vertical hill. Around Kabale all farming is done of vertically incase of flooding. We helped prepare lunch, which was the usual African staple diet but even their Matoke and beans tasted different to ours. We had some delicious little mushrooms in a tomato sauce and just relaxed, it was fantastic. Mamma Brian then showed us what her work intails, weaving Papryus around Banana Fibres. We had a go and although it seemed to be easy enough for her to make good, neat pieces such as one placemat it takes her days to do. Make at the guesthouse, they have a shop were you can buy pieces that Craft Women from Lake Bunyoni have paid and half of the money goes back to them, the same as the trip.
We had such a great time and are going back to see the family and the beautiful Kabale town again in May :) Cannot wait :)
A nine hour journey home, on the right bus this time brought us back to busy Kampala. It was just what we needed, some time away to relax and just be waited on, not us doing the work, it was lovely! :)

We arrived in Bulenga Friday at 7pm, to be greeted by all of Madam Janes children running out the gate hugging us, taking our bags off us. It was so sweet, they were very happy to see us, as were to see them :) x

The Marmite came out and was tried by some of the children in the compound..
Carol who is 7, just looked at me in disgust, how could I of put this horrible substance on her finger and for her to lick it off, only to find out Marmite is not a good thing! She was not impressed :)
Regan who is 5, suprisingly liked it! He's in the Marmite gang ;)
And Harriet who is 13, didn't really respond but her facial expressions showed that Marmite is a now for her too :)

Well going back home now to clothes washing, lighting the fire, cooking - We're all out of routine now and we aren't sure how we're going to cope! Oh isn't life hard ;)

Shall be in touch soon.
Lots of Love x x x x