Paradise = An ancient memory in the heart of humanity

The land was so vast and every inch of it incredibly breath-taking that my heart couldn’t take it all in. I sit here atop a waterfall and my mind churns. I am here at Sipi Falls in one of the most beautiful countries in the world; beautiful in both culture and landscape. And even though I have found myself staring off from a cliff in a place I would normally consider quite exotic and foreign, I hear simply the sound of a cow moaning from a woman’s hut deep in the valley where the falls run into, and I hear goats screaming as they play. It is clear this place is not only a sanctuary for visitors to come and relax; it is a home to the people of Eastern Uganda who thrive and survive off of its rich valleys. After coming to this place, I know exactly what I want to express but the pathway between my heart and my brain might as well be stuffed with cotton. To describe reactions and feelings seems to almost be reducing my experiences and myself to a concept. Most of my reactions and feelings on this trip come to me one after another, hitting me like a ton of bricks, uprooting me by muddy waters, and cannot be observed by reflection. However, for the sake of writing:

I am relaxed and comfortable in Nathan’s jacket around the fire with him, Elena, Katie and Patrick. Go figure I would forget to pack warm for the mountains. Patrick is talking about sphincters and tapeworms (don’t worry, no one has any), while Nathan explains them to him. I am brushing away the mosquitoes that have been tormenting me all night, flitting from ankle to ankle. It’s colder in the mountains but I can still feel them everywhere. I stop caring, exhausted from the day, my calves aching from climbing uphill and my quads equally tinged with soreness from going downhill. The day started with a hot shower in a bamboo covered bungalow and a Spanish omelet accompanied by a glass of passion fruit juice. After breakfast Nathan twiddled with the functions on his camera by taking pictures of absolutely everything while our tour guide set up the abseiling equipment. Thirty minutes later I was repelling down Sipi Falls 100 meters from the ground. When I hit 30 meters there wasn’t a single foot hold and I continued repelling while dangling and spinning 360 degrees. Nathan’s mini camera, strategically strapped to my waist and gear, surveyed the vast land like a great span over eternity. After descending onto the rocks below, our group made our way up and down hills, ladders, cliffs, into caves, then through homes and along rows of cornstalks. We passed cows and goats and traveled around the magnificent waterholes and waterfalls that make up this region. If I thought perfection was possible, this would be it. This day made me so happy. And even though leaving Sipi Falls was hard; even though I don’t see myself coming back here for awhile, I realize that you must protect your little pockets of happiness. Even now this thought cheers me as I struggle to hold onto it.