Adventures in Uganda: Best Day of Moments

First there was one, then two, then we saw a family of three...no there were eight. In the end we could not count. The monkeys swung branch to tree and back again. They were light grey with black faces – none of us knew the type.There was even a little baby perched far above the ground, studying us from a distance. Another, perhaps his mother, walked up and wrapped her arms around the baby, then picked at him as he squirmed - perhaps trying to clean his fur coat.

Kyra and I had joined Sarah and Daniel, one of the boys from the catering school, on a walk around the outskirts of Suubi. The intention was to find monkeys. For being in Africa, I had not yet tripped across elephants, lions or zebras and was feeling rather deprived. (Though I am aware this is not expected for developed Africa).We had hiked through the woods, hoping to catch some monkeys swinging in the thick bush, but it was not until we were by the road, that they appeared. The guards we had past had been first to point them out – the daily entertainment from their post.

“This is one of the best day moments!” Sarah snapped away with her camera.

“Don't you mean best moment of the day?” I asked.

“No, day moments,” she explained. “You compile all the best moments in a year, so at the end of the year, the aim is to have 24 hours of best moments that make the best day.”

It sounded like a good philosophy to me, although I would have to figure out the approximate times for each moment, fitting them together into 24 hours for a highlight real. Maybe Sean could create an algorithm for a cellphone application. However, with what God keeps doing, I know I have already succeeded the 24 hour quota 2014. I do not doubt Sarah has as well.

Thinking back over 2014, there have been plenty of best day moments. Only in the past two months, I could probably compile a 24-hour reel. Realizing my love for passion fruits, meeting Calvin, riding bodabodas down dirt roads, stitching in the clinic, administering vaccines, sunrises over the balcony, eating a tub of ice-cream (the food I miss), biscuits and tea with Mardi, reading with Kyra, splunking under Sipi Falls...the list goes on. The days of the year are coming to a close, and I do not doubt that there will be many more moments - right up until midnight of December 31^st.