Cycling The Globe

A Cycle Touring Expedition Around The World

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Day 2042, Lugazi – Jinja: The Source of the Nile

Posted by Thomas Andersen Posted on Jul - 27 - 2016

Distance: 45.0 km
Ride time: 2:46:34
Average: 16.2 km/h
Max speed: 47.9 km/h
Total: 50613 km

It would have been interesting to spend more time at the Ananda Marga Mission, but the road was calling again. I do however have the feeling that this might be a place I will return to in the future.

The morning air is crisp up here in the mountains of Uganda.

The breakfast with Dada Swami and Acharya included fresh milk from the cows at the mission as well as yet another couple of Indian dishes that took me right back to the subcontinent. Since I had only planned an easy 45 km day to Jinja at Lake Victoria, I had the chance to spend the morning hours at the mission, learning about the way of life here.

First I went for a walk with Swami to cut down a few branches and leaves on the small road leading up to the mission. Everything grows like crazy around here.

Back at the school the kids were gathering for a small ceremony marking the end of the semester before the summer holidays. I even got the chance to tell a bit about the cycling trip to the kids as well. All good fun…

After a goodbye with promises to come back I was trying to find my way back to the main road to continue the ride towards Lake Victoria. Visiting the mission had certainly been a very unique experience – and all because of the chance encounter with Ashok at equator the other day. Thanks for the amazing hospitality!

A couple of kilometers before Jinja I was reaching another special place. It is right here that the Nile begins it’s long 6000 km journey up towards Egypt and the Mediterranean. For me this is special because I plan to cycle the same way!

In Jinja itself I was sitting down in a coffee shop looking for a bit of WiFi as a lady came over to say hi. It turned out to be fellow cyclist Isa from Holland who is making the trip south towards Cape Town. And so another very interesting day ended with a bit of cycling chit chat at the source of the Nile.

I’m now getting close to Kenya and might cross the border already tomorrow!

Categories: Uganda
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One Response so far.

  1. Wasn’t it James May who found the true source of the Nile? 🙂