A Grand Day Out

Coconut Capture Lessons

Our friends here, the Kamyas (parents of our student-son, Grace Kamya at BYU-Idaho) took us to an island paradise the other day: Bulago Island in Lake Victoria.  (www.wildplacesafrica.com/bulago-island) Birds everywhere.  Sandy beaches, our own private swimming pool & basically the whole island to ourselves.  We were greeted with fresh pineapple juice cocktails in crystal martini glasses, with a “G’day, I’m Ott, Pineapple Bay Manager.  Welcome.” 

Joe got the prize after much effort.

We were certain they had the wrong people, that our boat had somehow arrived before the VIP boat.  We played along anyway.  Turns out we were the only guests planned that day!  We had the whole island to ourselves.  Got such a sunburn (except Mom & Mary) that a week later we’re still in pain.  Sam never was able to climb the coconut palm & deliver the goods on the hanging coconut.  At the end of the day one of the waiters showed us how it’s done by shinnying up the tree in about five seconds, & dropping a huge coconut  we shucked once we got home.

Better tasting than it looks.

The tour of the 500 acre island showed us a couple of private home, a landing strip for some pilot who has a place on the other side of the island. And a forest of bird-eating spiders as big as your hand to freak the living bejeezus out of Joe and Sam.  Sheet after sheet of spider webs all lined up in a very organized fashion as if there were some uber-spider orchestrating the best angle birds or as many of the trillion flies on that side of the island, into the webs.

While on our hike the manager (with no other clients on the island) fished off the pier, caught about 30 perch and tilapia.  Last week he said he caught a perch weighing 85 kilos! Big Fish!

Lunch, like everything else that day, was over the top delicious.  Whole tilapia (including head). They say the head and eyes are particularly savory.  Dave’s the only one who can confirm this & he’s not telling.    Certainly one of the most relaxing and luxurious days we’ve ever spent.