Tororo rock & Sipi Falls

Sooo I've been here for 4+ months and I had not climbed the rock until last week. Since there's literally nothing else to do in Tororo - the rock is the only attraction, and the natural wonder after which every single thing in town is named (Rock Classic Hotel, Rock View High School, etc etc..) - it's strange that I made it this long without climbing it. 

(Let's not mention the time Jess Bloome and I tried to go and couldn't find the trail. Let's just not talk about it).

We went bright and early.

 Mara and Devan had come on Friday to visit us (hooray!) and we ambitiously decided to wake up on Saturday and "do this thing." And we did it. I think we got up the rock in about 30 minutes, only stopping to take photos!

Sunrise from the middle of the rock!

Katie and Mara

 Pras brought with him a new point and shoot camera I had ordered after having my old one stolen in Zanzibar, so I got to play around with all of its creative functions when we reached the top.

I like this watercolor feel.

 We reached the top! Hooray!! But the hiking was not going to stop there.

VICTORY

 

This is what the rock looks like from the bottom! And we climbed all the way to the top. It does require the use of some ladders. And good shoes.

So then we managed to shower/eat breakfast in time to make the study transport to Mbale, where we (Mara/Devan/Katie/Pras/me) picked up Radha who came by bus from Kampala. Then we took a private hire to Sipi Falls! At first I was a little disappointed because in my memory (and, looking back on fb, in my pictures) Sipi was so much greener. But then I figured out that that's because it's dry season now, and it's been super dry. So... just not as green as it will be in a few months!

Gazing out over the valley

 It's hard to see, but in the picture below there is a rainbow at the bottom of the waterfall (!!) and a person dangling from a rope on the left side of the waterfall (!!!!!!). No, parents, I did not rappel off a cliff next to a waterfall. I'm probs too chicken to do it anyway (see: my bungie jumping non-history.)

I discovered that the "vivid colors" function makes it look like it does in my memory/rainy season!

Middle waterfall!

The crew gets soaked. That's the waterfall, not rain.

Beautiful! From a cave underneath the waterfall.

Apparently tasty berries which I did not try.

So many rainbows!! Does it count as a double rainbow if they're in separate places?? Probably not =(.

Everyone all together! At the bottom of the top waterfall.

Top of the top waterfall!

4 hours later...

 So we ended up doing a LOT of hiking on Saturday. Like a ton! 4 hours in Sipi....we were ready for food & drinks by the end of our adventures. Except we could barely make it up the incline from our rooms to the restaurant....haha.

It was super fun to see Mara, Devan and Radha! And I think we set a record for "quickest trip," which is hard to do in this country! On Sunday Katie, Pras and I chilled at the Mount Elgon Hotel in Mbale and had some tasty curry while we waited for study transport back to Tororo. A super busy/fun weekend in a super busy/fun week!