Leopards Lions etc

^ Our ride for a couple of weeks. 

After we went on the boat, we drove to this lodge called the Simba hotel. On our way, we saw this bad boy in the road:

I met this couple on the boat and they became my adopted grandparents. Aren't they precious??

So the next morning we woke up kind of early because Alfred said he was pretty sure he could drive us around to help us see some lions. So away we went. I thought we were off roading when we were on this road:

And then I really thought we were off roading on this road:

And then I was like, Ok really. we are off roading now: (and also we almost got stuck approximately one million times, and being in our van, i seriously have no idea how Alfred got us out of SO many situatios)

And then, at some point, we were driving really fast through the savanah. Sans any road at all. We also flew over a serious hole in the ground. Again, I have no idea how we did not get stuck but  am thankful we didn't and weren't eaten by all the crazy animals. 

Hangin with elephants

Pumba:

Nala y Simba:

Alfred told us that the thing he is standing on is a termite house. Yipes. 

Lions hiding in the pride lands

On our way back to Kampala, we found out that Alfred was from a town that we literally had to drive through to get back. His family's house was truly right off of the highway, so we thought we'd stop in and meet them. We LOVED his mom and grandma. Its technically the mom's house-- she has raised 10 kids by herself and has this nice house. She owns a mini grocery store. When you walk into her house, there is a giant picture of her in a nice sequin dress holding a microphone. 

I said "Smile!" And this is what I got:

We were talking and laughing right before this. So I said "Smile again! Like your really happy!" And this is what I got:

Haha. Ohh I miss Uganda. 

Queen Elizabeth boat tour

Saw lots of cute smiley hippos

(5 pts for spotting the little crocodile) 

and more baboons

and African eagles

little sunburned baby hippo

crocodiles (5 points if you can spot the little green dragon thing in the background)

then a rainstorm blew in

and the villagers and fishermen took cover 

in these little huts

and the hippos came out of the water

and this hippo made me think that cute hippos are actually vicious

Queen Elizabeth (1)

We drove through Queen Elizabeth Ntl Park on our way home from Bwindi (thanks Professor Daniels!!) and it was off the hook. 

Instead of paying $300+ for a safari, our driver drove us around. Which I think is what you do on a safari. ha. He told us that he used to drive from Kampala (where we were staying before, you might recall) to Queen Elizabeth every weekend for 2 years. So he knew all the great places where we would most likely see sweet animals like:

Rafiki and his fam members:

elephants:

and a million more animals which will be coming in upcoming posts. The elephants were sweet- you could walk right up to them. And they were evvverywhere. 

We got to do a boat tour (thanks again Professor Daniels) through the Kazinga channel (connects lake Edwards and lake Albert.. I think?) and while we waited for it to begin, we chilled at this posh hotel:

it even had Coke Zero! 

and also honey bees that were the size of humming birds. Seriously.