Monday June 12, 2am (Queen Elizabeth National Park) - erin

My Night of Horror:

(this is directly transcribed from my journal as the night enfolded ? think Blair Witch Project)



The scariest thing in the world just happened. I woke up to what I thought was a lion?s roar, which isn?t as far fetched as it sounds because we were told they roam around here at night as well as hippos which are even more dangerous than lions. We didn?t know this last night and were on our way for a walk up to check out the fancy lodge when Chandra jokingly asked a hostel staff if we?d get attacked by a hippo. She told us very seriously that we shouldn?t walk and that we do so at our own risk! Gee whiz, you?d think there?d be some warnings somewhere. So tonight we ate dinner down the road but it took so long that it was 8:30 by the time we were done. We were told it was still early enough to be safe but it was still a scary walk.



Anyway, this animal noise wakes me up at 1:30am and I realize I have to pee really badly. I was contemplating going to the bathroom which is right next door and really wishing there was a window at the front of our room when I heard the most awful sound. I thought it was a woman screaming and that she was being eaten by a lion (no joke). My heart stopped, I have never been so afraid in my life. By the second scream I realized it was not human but was probably some kind of animal being eaten by a lion. Then the third scream, I went to the window at the back of the room and Chandra finally wakes up and warns me to not open the door. Well, no chance of that! We figure it?s probably just a normal animal noise but it was blood curdling to us. It happened one more time, louder and longer and then it stopped. But then another sound started that is actually still continuing. It almost sounds like a human breathing really loud and wheezy. Then all of a sudden there was another really loud scary weird noise.



Then there was some weird bird noise that was kind of like a constant woodpecker pecking, that went on for a few minutes and another bird took over constantly with a strange chirp for another couple minutes that felt like forever. It?s happening again now. Sounds to me like a warning call. There are some hippo grunts too that sound really close. The snoring grunt has finally stopped but every once in a while there?s a rustling or other noise that scares me. I am so relieved that it wasn?t a human scream that I feel like crying and I?m a bit nauseous. I was scared to eat my banana but Chandra assured me that lions do not care about bananas. I sure wish we were given some protocol about what to do if a lion comes to our door! And why would there not be a window by the door for us to see if it is safe! So stupid! I don?t know how Chandra is able to get back to sleep, I?m still scared and keep hearing noises outside. There?s birds here that chirp all night, they can?t sleep either! It?s not just me. I will try to think happy thoughts.



Okay, so I?m not so good at the happy thoughts thing, my leg just went numb and I?m wondering how I?m going to run if I need to. And then I pictured our door popping open and me jumping into Chandra?s bed. I?m never getting back to sleep. Plus our cell phones are now on emergency only?isn?t this an emergency? But who would we call anyway? We could text Carli and Jen our last requests?please tell our families we love them. Ok, I gotta stop. I think I need to go look out the window because there?s crackling in the bushes. I take back the thought of it being cool to see a male lion.



Okay good news is I think the rustling is actually just water dripping from the rain earlier, well that?s what I?m telling myself. The interesting thing about here is that the sky stays fairly light out. I just knocked over my water bottle on the cement floor waking Chandra. Seriously, how can she sleep? The warning bird has started again and I still hear hippos. The grunting noise has started again too. Okay, I?m less scared?there?s a possibility of me lying down again but I?m not putting my earplugs back in. I?m so glad I?m not Nasser and Chris sleeping in the van! Reminds me of when Nick and I slept in the car on Salt Spring Island and I swore something was rustling in the bushes and walking back and forth behind the car. Great I?ve scared myself again. Next to tonight, that was my scariest moment. Ok animals, go to sleep now!



Happy thoughts, happy thoughts?