when terrorists attack - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Zamunda · 01-20-2004, 04:18 PM

So, this happened to me a few summers back when I lived in Uganda...

Our family was planning a trip to Queen Elizabeth game park, and we were all psyched because there was a cessna chartered by the embassy available for our use (1 hour flight or 9 hour drive... you do the math). Amidst preperation the day before, digging up cameras, malaria pills and cigars, we got word that the LRA (Lords resistance army), a rebel army, had moved into the park and were advised not to travel. Fun. However, soon afterwords the Ugandan army moved in to neutralize the situation and we decided to go anyway.

As the pilots prepared for takeoff, recorded the coordinates of the airfield, and plotted the course, I lay dozing happily by a window in the 8seater cessna caravan. Fast forward one hour later and the pilot says we're coming up to the airstrip... actaully thats a generous description it was more of an overgrown plateau with no more sign of civilization than a wrecked plane on one side. So following bush pilot procedure we circled twice to clear out the game and landed, mowing the lawn on the way. There were supposed to be two armored cars meeting us so my dad's bodygaurd jums out and calls to find that they are at the other airfield, the one that is currently in use.

Just as we decide to wait for the cars to come a truckful of soldiers drives up and establishes a perimeter about the plane... and us. Thankfully they were ugandan military who had seen the plane land and came to investigate. As I waited for my heart to slow a little I noticed two men about 100 meters off running away from us... now there should never be 2 men alone in the bush with lions about, especially not running away from us. We pointed them out to the commander and he said that they weren't his men... meaning they mustve been from the LRA... We were quickly whisked back onto the plane, but just before firing the engines we heard the cars drive onto the airfield and decided to go with them and enjoy our vacation. You may think it was safer to get out of there on the plane, but the cars are armored against RPGs so... Anyway it was a nice two days, with many bloated hippos and hunting lionesses, and on the way out the pilot's buzzed the waterfalls in the park. All in all, I've had worse experiences with terrorists I suppose... but I didn't shit for two days after that one.

mr_mcrafe · 01-20-2004, 05:36 PM

dude, that's pretty scary (by the sounds of it). is this what all Uganda is like or just the area you were in?

Zamunda · 01-20-2004, 06:02 PM

no, no, not at all... Uganda is a pretty safe place, or at least in the capital... when you venture down south you run into the congolese jungle and possible guerillas and when you go up norht you meet the nomadic Karimojjong tribe which just sit in teh desert naked with AKs and shoot cars (we took a six car armored caravan to drive through there, but no problems). Oh but I forgot to to say that we later found out that those two guys in the bush were actually ugandan soldiers, the commander just didnt know them. Anyway, those are rebels, not quite as scary as terrorists gunning for you and you specifically... I've been followed to work by unmarked cars and thats much scarier than this

01-20-2004, 04:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
Zamunda Tilted	when terrorists attack So, this happened to me a few summers back when I lived in Uganda... Our family was planning a trip to Queen Elizabeth game park, and we were all psyched because there was a cessna chartered by the embassy available for our use (1 hour flight or 9 hour drive... you do the math). Amidst preperation the day before, digging up cameras, malaria pills and cigars, we got word that the LRA (Lords resistance army), a rebel army, had moved into the park and were advised not to travel. Fun. However, soon afterwords the Ugandan army moved in to neutralize the situation and we decided to go anyway. As the pilots prepared for takeoff, recorded the coordinates of the airfield, and plotted the course, I lay dozing happily by a window in the 8seater cessna caravan. Fast forward one hour later and the pilot says we're coming up to the airstrip... actaully thats a generous description it was more of an overgrown plateau with no more sign of civilization than a wrecked plane on one side. So following bush pilot procedure we circled twice to clear out the game and landed, mowing the lawn on the way. There were supposed to be two armored cars meeting us so my dad's bodygaurd jums out and calls to find that they are at the other airfield, the one that is currently in use. Just as we decide to wait for the cars to come a truckful of soldiers drives up and establishes a perimeter about the plane... and us. Thankfully they were ugandan military who had seen the plane land and came to investigate. As I waited for my heart to slow a little I noticed two men about 100 meters off running away from us... now there should never be 2 men alone in the bush with lions about, especially not running away from us. We pointed them out to the commander and he said that they weren't his men... meaning they mustve been from the LRA... We were quickly whisked back onto the plane, but just before firing the engines we heard the cars drive onto the airfield and decided to go with them and enjoy our vacation. You may think it was safer to get out of there on the plane, but the cars are armored against RPGs so... Anyway it was a nice two days, with many bloated hippos and hunting lionesses, and on the way out the pilot's buzzed the waterfalls in the park. All in all, I've had worse experiences with terrorists I suppose... but I didn't shit for two days after that one.

01-20-2004, 05:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
mr_mcrafe Banned Location: auckland, nz	dude, that's pretty scary (by the sounds of it). is this what all Uganda is like or just the area you were in?

01-20-2004, 06:02 PM	#3 (permalink)
Zamunda Tilted	no, no, not at all... Uganda is a pretty safe place, or at least in the capital... when you venture down south you run into the congolese jungle and possible guerillas and when you go up norht you meet the nomadic Karimojjong tribe which just sit in teh desert naked with AKs and shoot cars (we took a six car armored caravan to drive through there, but no problems). Oh but I forgot to to say that we later found out that those two guys in the bush were actually ugandan soldiers, the commander just didnt know them. Anyway, those are rebels, not quite as scary as terrorists gunning for you and you specifically... I've been followed to work by unmarked cars and thats much scarier than this