Lake Victoria is the largest fresh water lake in Africa and is shared between Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. It is an important part of the local economy, delivering all the electricity through hydroelectric power stations, lots of fish and – famously – the source of the Nile. Well one part of it. The White Nile. The other part, the Blue Nile originates from the mountains of Ethiopia and the two come together in Khartoum to form the Nile flowing all the way to the Mediterranean Sea.
Somehow, the Ugandan people seem not to be the most ardent water sport fanatics. In fact most of my friends cannot swim and for them the idea of getting onto a boat and sail around Lake Victoria is a frightful concept.
One becomes most aware of the lake upon arrival by air. That is, because Entebbe Airport is located directly on the shores of Lake Victoria, whilst the Capital Kampala is 60 km removed from it.
Being Australian I always thought, that this was a bit odd. We tend to have this obsession with Water views. But having gotten to know the country of Uganda and the city Kampala a bit better over the years, I think it is, from an environmental point of view, a blessing that there are some 50 km between the shore line and the city. This distance contributes to the relative low pollution level around the Lake.
One of my friends, our Mum, has recently built a house for herself and hundreds of chooks very close to the lake on a little hill. An almost priceless position when viewed with Australian real estate eyes in mind.
An the Zoo in Entebbe is obviously also on the shores of Lake Victoria
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