I will miss Uganda
The people that made us feel most welcome
That helped us learn as part of the team

I will miss the sunshine
Even the downpours and storms that stunned us
And the dryness of earth that dusted our skin

I will miss the hilltop views
That look upon the cityscape of hectic humanity
And roads filled with the danger of boda-bodas and matatus

I will miss the expectation of casual tardiness
Of moving like there’s no rush
No better place to be so why hurry

I will miss the adventure of discovering new places
Of eating new things with new people
And sharing stories of varied past

I will miss Uganda and it says it misses me
But as long as I remember
I wont need to miss the memories

The journey here was entrancing
and the state of semi-consciousness
induced by the wavering waters
has been stretched out to theme the weekend

Helped occasionally by smokes of something special
we’ve been coexisting in harmonious condition
of pure laziness

Our biggest achievement walking to Palm Beach
Which we lengthened creating circles around
Before realising it was in fact in front us
Since we arrived

Our companion Cecil has been guarding us
Whilst we sleep in the shade
And leading us on the way to the local fishing village
Where we’ve adopted the Ugandan pace of exploration
And have enjoyed the local tastes

Sessee sounds like we are walking through natures ****
The birds making out in trees are plugged into amps
Whilst the crickets chirp in competition
And the chickens cockadoodledo

The birdlife is vastly variable
and the bat in the bedroom an unexpected guest
Perhaps explaining the piles of roof debris upon our beds
But also accountable to the bugs gnawing wood

The dead frog in the shoe was an unwelcome companion
and upset the pleasure
taken from a lone explorative beach strole
paddling upon white sands in the shores of Victoria

But it was soon forgotten with a game of smackabum
and some drunken discussion
trying to distinguish Wafargi from Farigi
The Waragi has hit our heads

Needless to say next day our hurts are hurting
and we’re frowning at the fishy friends
accompanying us on the journey home
….nothing a rolex (or two) can’t fix though

Your land is red decorated with green
And your people are fascinated by me
Because I am Mzungo
White skinned with fair straight hair
Which presents a surprising similarity
Whilst your soil and trees impress me
Our differences reflect a common interest in the other

Atop an Orange van driving through the jungle
Journeying toward Ugandan Safari
Heads skimming branches and hanging leaves
And above us super sized spiders held between the trees

Up-tailed Pumbas dash into the unknown
where branches are tangled within themselves
and cacti are dressed with vines like a curtain
giving lives some security from the hunters hidden within

Nearing the fall the redness of soil shines shards of diamond
like the confetti of angels
Whilst the deathly currents are gushing a fierce calming
the spray saturates us in a welcome cooling
as we view the hanging rainbow of bliss

The journey continues with our legs dusted in glitter of the earth
and wind blowing the wet from our skin
A knock delivers generous giving’s of green
And we listen to an orchestra of nature
welcome us to the scene of Africa as it should be

Within the park we’re stunned by stretching scenery
Raw Africa as far as eye can see
Afront us a distance of still Savannah
Yet life roams within in abundancy

Of which life we’re left wondering
As we reach the camp of the red chilli
our favourite taste of beer greets us
So sitting back we see the sun sinking
Whilst man builds for us shelter to sleep in

Next morn rises early setting out for sightings
And we watch the red-hot sunrise upon the Nile
The light catching glistening ripples of water
and the painted sky reflecting onto the hippos habitat

Our first taste of the wildlife we wish to see
Their faces skim the wet shallows
and occasionally rise to gather gasps of air
Father and child fight for hierarchy
And we’re excited to witness the creatures’ honesty

Across the water atop Betty life feels complete
Without doubt there’s no better place to be
Chapati and egg breakfast with wind in our hair
whilst we look for movement of life amongst the trees
Our faces stretched with permanent grins of glee

It’s so quiet we can hear the grasses rustling
The tempo set by the crickets chirruping
Interrupted only by spontaneous sound of birds singing
And whistles of romance as the winged ones are wooing
Peace is so perfectly performed it’s mesmerising

Of animals and birds we encounter many
The signatory Kob prance elegantly upon the heath
and dodge road collision at the last minute
Reminding us that this land is theirs
Pace needn’t pander to our presence

We catch glimpses of mongoose scarpering into bushes
And guinea fowl following the leader as they dot along the roadside
Kingfishers fluttering flirts in the skies above us
then make a sudden swift dive for feed in the ground beneath

The giraffe stand still like statues
all pointed toward the sun like proving a point of endurance
Determined not to let us see them run
While the birdlife exceeds expectations
as we score sight of spoonbill feeding breakfast in the lily littered lake

We meet herds of buffalo grazing
whilst birds peck the pests from their backs
proving every part of nature has its’ purpose
And making their bulky weight appear as no threat

The queens of the food chain are found chilling modestly in the shade
ignorant of our privilege for close proximity
Unfazed by vehicles gathering in view of her public rarity
she relaxes comfortably at roadside so calm she’s almost cuddly

Upon the Nile we witness wildlife washing
Flumps are cooling in the muddy waters
Ears flapping whilst feeding on the grasses of the riverbank
oblivious to the still and sinister crocs waiting within for prey to pass
their jaws held open ready to strike a snack

The blazing heat and gentle motion leaves passengers falling into sleep
But they willingly wake to view the gushing falls of Murchison
cascade down the rock front separating the hills of pure luscious green
and creating current for driver to fight so to journey back safely
Not become another story of tragedy

Then as we wait to board the boat back
Baboons come hither to hunt our rucksacks
To spite their unwanted paparazzi
They help themselves to our belongings greedily
Mother carrying child throughout the robbery

In two days atop Betty and water we’ve been enriched with excitement
and opportunity to see so many new beings
Route home passes Ziwa meeting the endangered rhino species
And we share time with Obama and his protected family

Our last portion of pleasure is hopeful
as we watch the bulky beasts live life naturally
in a sanctuary maintained by committed rangers
who help us follow their motion so closely
we see them soak and scratch their skin

Then back in Betty we have one last long journey
that takes us back to our dreaded reality
of a working week back in capital city
We’re sad but glad to hold a memory
of what was a fantastic fateful opportunity

You move in slow motion
Like there’s no urgency
Yet you cause a commotion
When Muzungo pass you in the street

You speak so softly
We miss what you’re saying
Until we enter town centre
Where you expect us to be paying

It’s contradictory
We sometimes are relaxed
Welcomed and absorbed

But the stress picks up heat
When we’re heckled
Grabbed and yelled at

Yet somehow even with this invite
We never want to leave

A man of no worries
Of no definite plans but discovering
To meet new places and new beings

A man of few belongings
Just the necessities to exist in a transient life
Picking up pieces of those he meets on the way

A man who makes friendships
Then offers opportunity to create special memories
With his modest experience of life on foreign ground

A man who lives in a small space but sees vast land
Accompanying others to view it as freshly
As he first ever did see

He’s a man who gives and shares
But doesn’t ask for and needn’t take

Because he’s a man who lives contently
In a way we wish we could embrace
But perhaps would not manage alone

A man who leaves us wondering
What will be of Adam number 2

Lines straight and lines long
From ancient history they're hanging on
For what purpose held is unknown
But certainly some theories have grown
Lines that are curved and lines in shapes
Could be a calendar month, or day
These lines have fingers and are lines with eyes
Yet they can only be seen from the sky
Which is where another theory is born
They are lines of the stars and a map of their lawn
The lines of a belt and lines of a plough?
It's plausible, but not sure quite how
The lines that point are the lines that are straight
And they have a more likely purpose made
Linking Nazcas to a rare touch of rain
The lines spread water on the desert plane
These lines have a reason and these lines answer why
But who knows if that's where the answers lie
Lines lead to more lines and they touch as mates
Curved line, the picture line, links to next by a straight
So shows reason being when lay as lines in their time
But now these lines; lines curved, lines straight and all
Are protected for present day to view more

These heads are strangers
Not one of them I know
But here strangers share
We share something strong
Memory together that we've created
An experience that in our heads lives on
For no level of familiarity
Could prepare for the awe of this canyon

You can leave your mark here but it wont last long
Winds continual movement spreads a sheet of sand upon
And within minutes your footprints are gone
You were just a mere one
Atop quadrabingle trillion little silky pieces
Held firm and strong
Solid so to stand upon
But still swept in motion of airs light weight
To yonder dune top for clinging on
And another gust carries a distance long
This topcoat surface is a transient one
But structure it shapes is still so strong
Thousand billion gazillions little strength holds like scaffold
And form strength together as one

Morning rose early to sunshine bright
And heat perfused air
Cooking already
When skins still imprinted from bedsheet
The grooves need covering with cream
But before sun even rises much more
A new found company come provide a chilling green
And so nearly back to sleep
But for now this relentless speech
Which he wont hinder even for honest hints
When I tell him my minds dreaming
He lingers on still
But in this heat I'm chilling
I wouldn't know how not to here

I question how they took the trail here
How many men it took
And did many die trying

I question their strength
Are they a breed of superhuman?
To build such weight at this height

I would question why here
If the views did not speak the answer already
And for knowing their mountainous belief

But how is my biggest question
Just really how did they make it possible
For this path should fall to its' death

I give the Incas questions
But moreover I give them my greatest respect

He spoke in not quite sentences
His speech held in ****** muscles
All polite and kind
But lacking the sense of communication
So even though we share a language
Now my ears could not make sense of his words
And his mind is unsure of whether I heard
So he took me to his level
And I found the place his mind was
Then woke next day
Wondering where it was

I've got meat
It came across continent
Born in Peru
And bred in Bolivia
But now in Aus
Perhaps my poverty will starve it?