How did you came up with Uganda? I've been asked this question 100 times.
It is true that our first thought was Africa in general. Kenya automatically came with it. For a few evenings, I shut myself away with my laptop and read all kinds of articles, discussions and posts people had written about Kenya and the local people. To make a long story short. Kenya, and by extension the Maasai, are now largely commercialized, know the value of money and are not afraid to ask for it. In contrast, Uganda, a little in the shadows, has a humble and grateful population. So the choice was obvious.
It is true that our first thought was Africa in general. Kenya automatically came with it. For a few evenings, I shut myself away with my laptop and read all kinds of articles, discussions and posts people had written about Kenya and the local people. To make a long story short. Kenya, and by extension the Maasai, are now largely commercialized, know the value of money and are not afraid to ask for it. In contrast, Uganda, a little in the shadows, has a humble and grateful population. So the choice was obvious.
The fact that Jumping® Fitness is celebrating its 20th birthday this year(!!!) is already a common knowledge. The fact that the celebrations are accompanied by the Covid-19 pandemic is given... And so our travels and spreading joy through Jumping are much harder than it might seem at first glance.
Our overall goal was, and still is, to travel to every continent in the world to introduce Jumping to the local people. Where they know Jumping, or even have it, to say hello, spend time together... And where they don't, or even don't know it, to introduce Jumping. Uganda belongs to the group where NO ONE HAS EVER SEEN JUMPING, EVEN A TRAMPOLINE ITSELF. That's why this beautiful country attracted us the most.
Itinerary:
Spending 8 days in Uganda, visiting local villages and schools every morning, introducing Jumping to kids and locals, letting them enjoy the trampoline and spend time with them. Eventually we wanted to leave trampolines in those places. We also took with us almost 100 JUMPING UNITED t-shirts, some crayons, lollipops and SNAPBACK brand caps. Then in the afternoon we had a program around Uganda where we wanted to get to know the local nature, animals and people. We sent the trampolines to Uganda well in advance so that when Mark and I arrived in Uganda, the trampolines would be waiting on the back of our car and we would go straight to the other side of Uganda where our trip started.
Reality:
We arrived in Uganda and trampolines were still in Customs warehouse. It was an interesting situation when you don't know whether to sit and wait... Or to start the journey without trampolines. If we didn't go: all our accommodation and program would be dropped, as the trip was starting on the other side and we slept in a different place every day. Finally, we went to the opposite side of Uganda. Considerably cranky and nervous. But we were comforted by the fact that the trampolines should be released from customs the day after and they were to follow us. The attitude of the local people to the whole situation was very interesting. The trampolines are ours, it's all our invention...
And the local people, the people from the organization that helped us with the trip, automatically offered that as soon as the trampolines come out, they will load them on the car and bring them to us on the other side of UGANDA.
But it must be pointed out that they really mean the other side, on roads full of holes and dust, when you get out of the car after almost 10 hours, hopping like a hamster and tired as a kitten. The locals appreciated our act of taking just about anything to the local poor people so immensely that it was touching. Uganda was impressing us every minute. You can see how it all went, how it all turned out and what we saw and experienced in Uganda in the VIDEO. Words can't describe it, nor can the camera capture how beautiful and powerful it really was. Uganda made an incredible impression on us and I left convinced that I will definitely go back again. Ironically, I didn't feel that I was "bothering" the people in the village and the animals in the rainforest by my presence there, but that I was "helping".
Well, watch the video :-)
