Not infrequently, we find that the daily grind of our sheltered existence brings with it the debilitating onset of myopia. To restore a semblance of real world perspective, we go awol.

On Jan 1, we travelled to northern Uganda to join the tireless Paul Bauman and his volunteer team of five geophysicists from Alberta. The two week “hands-on” workshop in Acholiland aimed to teach 35 Acholi students to help resolve the water scarcity problems and empower them to create positive change in this place traumatized for more than 20 years of civil war (1986-2009). Our role was to document the group’s efforts for one of the project’s funders, IsraAID. The project is also supported by Geoscientists Without Borders and by Advisian WorleyParsons.

Following that, we launched out on a camping safari in the remote Kidepo Valley National Park and Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, then stopped over for a few days sojourn at idyllic Sipi River Lodge on the flanks of Mt Elgon, 4th highest peak in East Africa. At the end of our 5 week journey, we floated the hydroelectric dam-threatened upper 25 km of the Nile from the city of Jinja. All in all, a great trip in an intriguing country.