Sipi Falls Weekend

I can’t believe I’ve been here almost four months already.  At our three-month/half-way mark, the six of us interns all went to Sipi Falls for an Intern Weekend.  Sipi Falls is a popular tourist destination, but of the more backpacker/hiker variety.  It’s right next to Kapchorwa in eastern Uganda, where I spent three weeks back in February.  It’s beautiful and super-green up there on the side of Mt. Elgon.  Sipi Falls itself is a series of four falls that make their way down from the top of the mountain.  We spent the first night a “Crow’s Nest,” a bare-bones backpackers site. We stayed in two “dorm rooms” (two bunk beds and a concrete floor) without any electricity.  But they had an amazing view of the lower falls across the valley.  We had a really awesome time (sitting outside in the dark around gas lanterns) of sharing how our three months had been and praying for each other.

The next day we walked down the road to the relatively-luxurious Sipi River Lodge (although that didn’t have electricity either).  They were located right next to one of the middle falls and along Sipi River.  The six of us stayed in a cute two-room cottage, complete with indoor plumbing!  The lodge served an amazing dinner and breakfast, and just being surrounded by tropical green and a waterfall felt so rejuvenating. Although I’m reluctant to live too much like a tourist with money to burn, I am realizing that some “pampering” now and then (like a good meal or a weekend getaway) really can help keep you going in a place that can be unfamiliar and sometimes stressful.

We walked to a cave behind the nearby falls and then the rest of the group hiked up to the top falls while I stayed behind and had a restful quiet time.  Later a few of us went on a coffee tour, where we learned how they planted and cared for coffee plants and then harvested and roasted them.  We got to walk through the whole process and even take home our own bag of roasted beans (which I gave away since I don’t like coffee).  But it was neat to see the whole process; it was somewhat like the cocoa process, which I learned about from Theo Chocolate in Seattle.

Even though Sipi was six hours away, and the transportation to and from was slightly stressful, spending the weekend surrounded by green nature was a wonderful refreshment and also a great time of fellowship for all the interns!