Gorillas in the light of day

Today we personally met all the members of the Rushegura family. There are nineteen members in the family and each has a very distinct personality. We arrived at 8:00 am for a briefing before setting off on the trek. Our group of eight along with a guide and three rangers (with rifles!) only travelled for about twenty minutes through the very dense jungle before we met the gorillas. They were in the vegetation but about six were plainly visible. But we met the entire family out in the open as they walked along an aqueduct that provides water to the village. For one hour we watched them. At some points several passed by, one literally brushing my pants. They are without doubt a species that gets so close to us that I don't think it's possible to be with them without having the sense of connection. The hour passed so quickly and about two minutes before our time was up, one of the gorillas, called "the babysitter" simply turned his back to us. Our guide said that he was putting us on notice... our time had come to an end. We returned to the lodge and we were sitting on the veranda when the entire family came to see us again. They spent another half hour meandering, climbing and mostly eating. Then they left. As I sit here in the middle of the afternoon, they have returned. I can't see them but I hear them. I expect I might have the chance to see them once more. Tomorrow we return to Kampala and then Entebbe where we will spend the night and then fly home. So, to all of you who bothered to read this, thanks. I'm glad I did this because this was the experience of a lifetime and an immensely full three weeks. I know that most of the processing will happen later but the blog gave me the chance to simply record events and first impressions. It was good to know that there were folks who travelled with me...