Waterfalls!

Hello hello!
This update doesn't have any sad stories for all of you, and it has been a nice change to not go to bed feeling devastated for the past two nights. I am doing really well, at times looking forward to coming home, but also a little scared about how I will be coming back to my little bubble of a world. I cant wait to come home to clean water, and constant electricity, and I am honestly so grateful for absolutely everything I have back home and I hope passing on my stories make you all feel the same way.
Yesterday I got to be a tourist for the first time since being here. All 15 of us crammed into the smallest van ever, with no air conditioning, and backpacks on our laps. The drivers here are insane, they swerve pot holes going so fast and we actually ran over a crocodile which was sad, but really funny at the time, I don't know how many people can say that they have been a part of that.
The drive was supposed to be an hour, but I have learned to never trust the time limits that we are given. By one hour, they mean three, but it is really cool getting to drive through the different areas in Uganda. The poverty still blows my mind every time I see a 10 year old carrying a baby on her back, and a huge bucket on her heard.
We arrived at the most beautiful resort ever (Mom and dad you would have loved it). It was the most westernized thing that I have seen here and loved it. There was a huge rainstorm at first and we were worried that after that drive we wouldn't be able to hike the waterfall, but the sun came out shorlty and the hike was amazing. It was a little scary being warned of the cobras who live on the mountain, but luckily we didn't see any. It was sad because when we made it half way up the mountain, a few young boys greeted us and stared leading us. They would grab your hand and help you down a ledge and then ask for money. I feel really uncomfortable when people beg or ask for money, but we ended up giving them some at the end because they saved our lives several times. We stood under a waterfall, and the mist from it almost was enough to push me over. We kept hiking and at the top was a calm pool of water and looking down you could see Uganda for miles, it was gorgeous. We saw some families who lived in small mud huts on the top of the moutain who looked at us like we were aliens. They survive off the millions of banana trees all over the mountains and their steady supply of clean water because of the waterfall. It was just a wicked day.
At the end of the hike we went to give some of the boys money to thank them for their help and one of the older boys went to pocket all of the money. One of the elders came up and hit him on the hand with the stick for being selfish and made him distribute the money evenly to the other younger boys who helped us. It just made me think how 1000 shillings here (so fifty cents) back home is nothing to us, but it is so essential here that the boys were willing to fight each other for it. Things got a bit scary so we were rushed into our van and had to leave, but everyday I learn something more about myself and how fortunate I am by seeing some of the sad and scary things here.
We are not able to go back to the orphanage because of the chicken pox outbreak. If one of us gets it then we cant get on the plane to come home. We just finished two of our painting jobs and are hoping to spend some time with the older girls from the other orphanage. We are hoping to have a fun girls night with them.
We had dinner with a local family from New Zealand last night and it was amazing. We celebrated their daughters 3rd birthday and just played the guitar and sang all night with them. It was a great end to one of the coolest days yet!

Mama,
I packed pretty well, ill have some great tips for ains though for when she goes. Your clothes get so dirty so fast and washing them doesn't really help. I am going to leave most of my clothes here with some of the local kids who really need them, and already know the little girl who is going to love my running shoes!
I am honestly doing ok, some days are better than others, but for the most part I love it here. I get sad at night when I have down time to think about what I have seen, but everyone should get an opportunity like this. I have learned so much!
Miss you so so much and love you!
Tell ains, leight and dad I say hi and i love them!
Talk to you soon
xoxoxo
Tory