Apparently I’ve gotten quite good at crashing New Year’s Eve parties as this was the second year in a row that I managed to attend a very enjoyable evening that put my usual New Year’s Eve-inspired grumpiness on the back burner.
I think most people will agree (or at least from my anecdotal polling I concur) that New Year’s is a troublesome holiday. You have to spend too much time and money and anxiety trying to figure out the best way to cap off one year and ring in your best year yet. With all the real or imagined pressure caused by the inevitable “What are you doing for New Year’s?” you feel you must live up to expectations, even if that simply means you buy a ticket to attend a bar you’d go to on any Saturday night but with a measly toast of cheap champagne. Ugh.
I’ve had some pretty terrific New Year’s with friends where we just hung out, drank our own cheap champagne and went to the bars after the doorman had retired for the evening. But last year, I was able to attend the wedding of a family friend in the form of a lively party at a gorgeous townhouse on Capitol Hill along with two friends from high school and my parents. We didn’t really know anyone there, but we had a great time dancing, mingling, toasting with champagne. It ended up being a terrific evening. So, how could I live up to that for 2008. Well, crash another party of course!
As of yesterday morning, I had one option of attending a fancy-dress party (American speak: formal) that would inevitably make its way to Bubbles, the infamous bar where I’ve spent too many a night as it is. I wasn’t very keen (more Brit speak) on ringing in the New Year there, so when another option arouse, after some hesitation, I went for it. My friend was attending a party in Entebbe in an attempt to escape Kampala and have an evening that wouldn’t be just another Saturday night. So in a last minute change of plans, I ran home from the internet café, packed my bag with a bathing suit, and head to her house to share the ride she was bumming. After an hour or so drive, we arrived at the most beautiful grassy slope of land right on the edge of the expansive Lake Victoria. The land was owned by a couple, who were building a casual lodge on the land with 6 cottages and a main lodge area, and it was also the wife’s 40th birthday in just a few days so they had gone all out.
The main lodge, which looked out over the water at the property’s edge and the grassy expanse with plenty of trees and a bonfire set up, was set with lots of tables with yellow gerber daises. We relaxed with drinks from the open bar tent and watched the sunset. I had also called two other friends who were looking for a New Year’s out of the ordinary, so they arrived just after dark (impressive that they found it on all the dirt roads) and were quite pleased with the scene at which they arrived! Paper bags glowed with candles lighting paths around the land, the bonfire had been started, and soft light lit the main tents. We dropped our bags in the roomy canvas tent that the four of us were to sleep in, a luxury considering my last tent experience. Then we returned to the main lodge for a delicious catered dinner complete with grilled steaks and a whole roasted pig (they have about 20 pigs on the property kept behind an electric fence so I think it was quite fresh).
We wandered over to the bonfire and back to the tent for drinks, soon it was approaching midnight and time for the countdown and fireworks. Somehow the couple had management to obtain permission to be one of the four places in the Kampala area to shoot off fireworks—the others being large hotels! We counted down around the bonfire and then the husband released a range of fireworks over the water. But it didn’t stop there—everyone was asked to write on a piece of paper what they’d like to be rid of from 2007. (I wrote the GMAT on mine!) We threw them onto at raft covered in petrol, and it was pushed off the shore into the lake. After a hilarious but fai
led attempt to light it from afar with flaming arrows shot from a large bow, the husband swam out and threw a light on it (and quickly swam away) and it slowly covered in flamed. Goodbye 2007! Then the dancing began in the main lodge, followed by more bonfire time, and a late night swim in the lake. We finally returned to our tent to sleep a few hours.
We awoke to another beautiful day with bright blue skies stretching over the lake and green hills. We were served breakfast eggs, bacon and bread, coffee and tea, over by the lodge, then went for another swim, and lounged in the sun and shade until lunch. Another terrific spread was laid out with Indian food cooked by one of the guests. Other guests had arrived just for the day, including my cousins and adorable little Ben. He and the other children ran around having the be
st time—I can’t even imagine the joy of being
a kid there.
I think most people will agree (or at least from my anecdotal polling I concur) that New Year’s is a troublesome holiday. You have to spend too much time and money and anxiety trying to figure out the best way to cap off one year and ring in your best year yet. With all the real or imagined pressure caused by the inevitable “What are you doing for New Year’s?” you feel you must live up to expectations, even if that simply means you buy a ticket to attend a bar you’d go to on any Saturday night but with a measly toast of cheap champagne. Ugh.
I’ve had some pretty terrific New Year’s with friends where we just hung out, drank our own cheap champagne and went to the bars after the doorman had retired for the evening. But last year, I was able to attend the wedding of a family friend in the form of a lively party at a gorgeous townhouse on Capitol Hill along with two friends from high school and my parents. We didn’t really know anyone there, but we had a great time dancing, mingling, toasting with champagne. It ended up being a terrific evening. So, how could I live up to that for 2008. Well, crash another party of course!
As of yesterday morning, I had one option of attending a fancy-dress party (American speak: formal) that would inevitably make its way to Bubbles, the infamous bar where I’ve spent too many a night as it is. I wasn’t very keen (more Brit speak) on ringing in the New Year there, so when another option arouse, after some hesitation, I went for it. My friend was attending a party in Entebbe in an attempt to escape Kampala and have an evening that wouldn’t be just another Saturday night. So in a last minute change of plans, I ran home from the internet café, packed my bag with a bathing suit, and head to her house to share the ride she was bumming. After an hour or so drive, we arrived at the most beautiful grassy slope of land right on the edge of the expansive Lake Victoria. The land was owned by a couple, who were building a casual lodge on the land with 6 cottages and a main lodge area, and it was also the wife’s 40th birthday in just a few days so they had gone all out.
The main lodge, which looked out over the water at the property’s edge and the grassy expanse with plenty of trees and a bonfire set up, was set with lots of tables with yellow gerber daises. We relaxed with drinks from the open bar tent and watched the sunset. I had also called two other friends who were looking for a New Year’s out of the ordinary, so they arrived just after dark (impressive that they found it on all the dirt roads) and were quite pleased with the scene at which they arrived! Paper bags glowed with candles lighting paths around the land, the bonfire had been started, and soft light lit the main tents. We dropped our bags in the roomy canvas tent that the four of us were to sleep in, a luxury considering my last tent experience. Then we returned to the main lodge for a delicious catered dinner complete with grilled steaks and a whole roasted pig (they have about 20 pigs on the property kept behind an electric fence so I think it was quite fresh).
We wandered over to the bonfire and back to the tent for drinks, soon it was approaching midnight and time for the countdown and fireworks. Somehow the couple had management to obtain permission to be one of the four places in the Kampala area to shoot off fireworks—the others being large hotels! We counted down around the bonfire and then the husband released a range of fireworks over the water. But it didn’t stop there—everyone was asked to write on a piece of paper what they’d like to be rid of from 2007. (I wrote the GMAT on mine!) We threw them onto at raft covered in petrol, and it was pushed off the shore into the lake. After a hilarious but fai
led attempt to light it from afar with flaming arrows shot from a large bow, the husband swam out and threw a light on it (and quickly swam away) and it slowly covered in flamed. Goodbye 2007! Then the dancing began in the main lodge, followed by more bonfire time, and a late night swim in the lake. We finally returned to our tent to sleep a few hours.We awoke to another beautiful day with bright blue skies stretching over the lake and green hills. We were served breakfast eggs, bacon and bread, coffee and tea, over by the lodge, then went for another swim, and lounged in the sun and shade until lunch. Another terrific spread was laid out with Indian food cooked by one of the guests. Other guests had arrived just for the day, including my cousins and adorable little Ben. He and the other children ran around having the be
st time—I can’t even imagine the joy of being
a kid there. Then it was time for The Highland Games. The husband is Scottish and so they had a contest among anyone
who could handle such intense activity on New Year’s day, which ended up being only young men really, to throw a huge log, hammer, and spear the farthest. It was an impressive sight which we took in from our comfy seats in the shade! After yet another swim it was time to head back to Kampala.
Ari and I were set to catch an overnight bus to Rwanda that night for gorilla trekking plans later in the week. So after arriving home, I went for a quick run (new year’s resolution in full effect!) and packed up my bags, but upon arriving at the bus office, it was closed with a big sign saying no bus would be leaving that night. Due to riots in Kenya over the recent elections, Uganda’s western border with Kenya has been shut resulting in a fuel shortage because no trucks can cross the border. Not good news, but luckily I’ve gotten much better at dealing with these travel snafus. Nothing had been lost or stolen after all, including our lives, so it could be so much worse. We made plans to get a much needed good night’s rest and reconvene in the morning.
Wish me luck…another year, another set of adventures!
Ari and I were set to catch an overnight bus to Rwanda that night for gorilla trekking plans later in the week. So after arriving home, I went for a quick run (new year’s resolution in full effect!) and packed up my bags, but upon arriving at the bus office, it was closed with a big sign saying no bus would be leaving that night. Due to riots in Kenya over the recent elections, Uganda’s western border with Kenya has been shut resulting in a fuel shortage because no trucks can cross the border. Not good news, but luckily I’ve gotten much better at dealing with these travel snafus. Nothing had been lost or stolen after all, including our lives, so it could be so much worse. We made plans to get a much needed good night’s rest and reconvene in the morning.
Wish me luck…another year, another set of adventures!
1 comment:
hello, I just found your blog as a result of doing a search for blogs on running, and although I have not yet found any entries about running (not that I doubt there are any, I just haven't read a huge amount of your blog yet!) I was delighted to see you are in Uganda - I spent the summers of 2005 and 2006 there, so many of your experiences sound very familiar. I also went to Jinja and did the full day white water rafting. Our raft capsized on Bujagala falls, and I was very proud of the way I handled it all very calmly. However, I was not so fortunate on Silverback with the four waves - I was attacked mercilessly by the waves, having capsized, and I honestly thought I might die. I don't regret it though! I hope you enjoy the rest of your time in Uganda / Rwanda - wherever you're spending the rest of your trip!
Hannah : )
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