'Banana Republic'

Not only are bananas the world’s favourite fruit they are the oldest domesticated food crop and fourth most important staple (basic nutritious food in a traditional and typically poorer diet). If all the bananas grown around the world every year were placed end to end, they would circle the earth two thousand times! Only rice, wheat and maize feed more people.

Banana growing in Uganda is estimated to date way back to 13 A.D. The people of Uganda attach strong cultural, social and economic values to the growth and production of bananas. Uganda is often referred to as the Banana Republic, producing over 8.6 million metric tonnes (30% of world’s production) and is a leading producer and consumer. 90% of what is produced is consumed locally.

With well over a hundred different species of bananas grown in Uganda here are just some of the types we may try; musa sapient, musa paradisca, musa accuminata and musa balbisiana. Whilst we are in Uganda we will definitely be trying matoke (steamed green banana) and plantain (sweet desert banana).

- Rosie

Packing List - Uganda '10

Wet Suit - Check

Mask - Check

Snorkel - Check

BCD - Check

Air Tank - Check

Fish Guide - Check

.......... Dooh wrong list, best start packing again tomorrow!

Vingt, Veinte, Zwanzig... Twenty!

Days!! It feels like years and years ago i heard about the trip, in July last year! I think I'm so excited the time seems to be passing very slowly! In just 20 days time we will be heading off to Uganda for our life changing adventure! Whilst i am there i plan to keep a diary/scrap book of my adventure, i am adamant not to forget one moment of it! We have been having Uganda meetings every Tuesday lunch time since last July; tomorrow we will have another and we plan to discuss what we will be taking over there for the school in Uganda.

Uganda is calling us i can hear it now! :)


Kat :)

ketchup

Did you know: In Uganda they don't have tomato ketchup?

. . .they have a tomato gel alternative. huh.



- Rosie

40, 39, 38, 37, 36, 35, 34, 33, 32, 31, 30 Days to go!!!

Happy 30 Everyone!! Wow I can't believe we have only 30 days to go! That mean's it's almost time to start packing!
Whilst we're on our African Adventure we plan to use the blog to keep our family and friends at home, up to date on our progress and thoughts of our trip. Hopefully we can upload some pictures and even podcasts! :)
Recently i found out that "Hakuna Matata" - (as in the phrase from the lion king song) means "No worries" in Swahili!! So we may actually use this phrase in Uganda! :)

Kat :)

Half Marathon

Tess and I completed 10 laps around Talkin Tarn today. Each lap is 1.3 miles, making the totally distance of our sponsored walk 13 miles, the equivalent of a half marathon.
The weather was brilliant, making the Tarn really busy. It took us just over 5 hours which we are really pleased about as the heat was insane resulting in serious sunburn!
I raised exactly £148.00 which im very very happy about.

The second photo is of our 'lap check sheet'. As we passed by the cafe each lap we showed our faces and asked one of the girls working behind the counter just to confirm we had done each lap. It was quite funny to see them fight over who wanted to sign the sheet. I'd like to say a big thank you to everyone who sponsored me, especially to my mum and dad who were my first sponsor and really dug deep.

- Rosie

Photo's from sponsored 12 mile walk and Car boot sale!

40 days and 40 nights!

Days to go!! Before we set of for our African Adventure :)
I feel it's a good time to recap and say thank you to all my sponsors, so far.
Family and Friends - thank you for your kind donations and continued support it's all been so much help! - you all know who you are!!
Dundas Chemicals Company staff - Have been of great support and dug deep in their pockets on many occasions, for raffles, quizzes and a sponsored 1/2 a marathon walk!
Talkin Tarn staff- For supporting me on my gruelling 12 mile walk, helping me provide evidence of my achievement also.

MNDA staff Northampton head office - It was so kind of you all to help another charitable cause.

Car boot regulars- Who were very generous when buying my bric-a-brac.
Trinity School Uganda Team!! - for all our shared fundraising events in school such as Uganda Day, and our swim, cycle and run! Both of which were great fun and brilliant successes. And also our out of school fundraisers in Marks and spencers and Morrisions.
And finally to Mr Lindsey T Cameron Clarence H Beavers Lodge. You're my hero! :)
Together we have raised £1500!! Didn't we do well!!

Next step...
The next step is to continue fundraising to take lots of supplies out to uganda such as seeds for planting trees, matresses, paint and much more!

Kat :)