Sights and Sounds blog

This year I visited Sierra Leone for the first time in my life. On arrival at Freetown International Airport, I was amazed at the warm reception of the immigration officers, the transporters, the banking staff and everyone I met. I didn’t feel like a foreigner at all. Over the next few days that I stayed, I realised that the people of this country are seated on a tourism goldmine!

Can you believe this? In 2024, I met this man somewhere on River Nile in Uganda. He said, he was born on 18th February, some 70 years ago. His father was born on the same day and that’s how they’re born. His successor, a young man was also born on the same day.

Recently the Uganda Tourism Board led a process of branding Destination Uganda. When the brand “Explore Uganda, the Pearl of Africa” was unveiled to the world, a few people wondered exactly what was there to explore in Uganda. Some even thought that they knew the country so well that they did not have to explore anything new. But they were wrong. Uganda never ceases to amaze, and there’s so much to explore.

There is a part of Uganda that remains unknown, undiscovered and virgin in many respects.

When a British Explorer, John Speke visited Buganda in the 1860s, he commented that the country was way more civilised and organised than any other place he had visited in Africa. His comments were based on what he saw for the few months he stayed in Buganda. However, there was a lot he didn't see!

In ancient Buganda, music, dance and drama were not only used for entertainment, but also for education, communication and as a way to record history and important tales. Buganda singing follows a call and answer pattern, which ensures the participation and attention of all involved. For communication, the drum, for example, was used to play out distinct rhythms to signal joyous and sad occasions, sound alarm in case of an emergency, mobilise people for community work, and so on.

As part of our commitment to a better world, we ensure that all our visitors plant a tree, among other initiatives. Over the past eight years, focus has been on both fruit and medicinal trees. From the older trees, we are enjoying the fruits, and have been privileged to serve the same fruits to our guests.

As for all our visitors of 2022, there is good news! Your trees have started flowering!