Like many other seemingly trivial things that I would stay out late for, I had waited for what seemed like a million years to watch the sun disappear into the horizon, everything playing before my eyes in a clear montage mirrored by the sea. This, I have always imagined and when it finally happened, it was way too picture perfect it outshone my mind’s set up.
It was like that moment when you have attended the awards show so many times; clapping for friends, conceding loss but this time round, it’s your turn to walk up the stage and receive the accolade. Do I smile at pictures of the sunsets posted by strangers, yes, every day. Do I send sunset pictures to people for no reason at all other than the hell of it, all the time.
There is, however, this one picture that I had never sent to anyone, because it had not materialized yet, till August 5th, 2023.
I had visualized and wished for the perfect sunset every time I rested my head on the dusty taxi seat, watching flimsy excuses of a sunset peer through corridors between the many apartment buildings along the Najjera-Kira stretch as I went home after work. I always wished we could slow down so I could stare at it lovingly as I should, but that chance I never got for I don’t own rights to any rooftop nor do I stay by Lake Victoria.
Irrespective of the limitations, this picture of the perfect sunset never blurred however long it took to print; it stood the test of time and definitely, kept my heart smiling during odd and life’s low moments.
Don’t get me wrong, the sunsets in Queen Elizabeth National Park are stunning during an evening game drive; rushing past similar cactus tree silhouettes with the fiery red star burst peeking at you for one split second, the Savannah grasslands swaying with a uniform rustle as the wind sweeps across the vast plains- it’s all beautiful, even the pink skies with numerous shades of purple haze observed from the wooden deck at CTC Conservation Center in Butambala – Mpigi is absolutely mesmerizing, but there is one particular sunset hunger I longed to satiate.
After a day of fun island-hopping in Kalangala, I needed a good dessert to supplement the main course. Brovad Sands Lodge offered me more than a dessert — the sandy beach, calm waves and the beautiful sunset– had me spell-bound.
By 6:37pm, I had secured my spot right next to the jetty, dry sand beneath my feet, handbag with lip gloss by my side, big sweater and all, I was finally in the right place for a right cause. Legs folded like a traditional Korean boy before a dinner table, the sun, which had lost its annoying brightness, never looked this gorgeous. Its circumference was dwindling bit by bit, drawing even further into the far away horizon by the minute. It was like the outdoor cinema and the glistening calm waters of Lake Victoria displayed the sunset in the best 3D effect.
For some good minutes, my world felt complete. It was complete. And I loved each second of every minute, watching the sky turn a little red, a little purple, a little pink with a million colors of hazel. I enjoyed burying my feet in the sand, subconsciously digging deeper with my perfectly pedicured toes, listening to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, birds chirping away in the mangrove trees close by and thinking to myself, “where have you been all my life?”
By a quarter to 7pm, the sun, now a cool red golf ball, was dimming even more, going down between two hills and leaving me sooner than I wanted. It took about three minutes for the golf ball to completely disappear, but it’s luminance, I still had, could still bask in. The waters reflected hazel and grey, the waves came in a bit more slower and my existence felt a little more sweeter.
I sat by the beach till 7:11 pm, still literally unwilling to move an inch, I didn’t want to go and leave this dreamy sight to no one’s care or attention, I couldn’t imagine wasting a minute of this precious spectacle. Afterall, how many times a year do I get to have it? So, I might as well enjoy it while it lasts, and savor it I absolutely did! I found solace in Kalangala following weeks of dealing with my dispirited self over God knows what. Post Kalangala, a new dawn was at hand and to face the world with vigor, I was ready. That’s just how much a good weekend can help you reset!
“Dinner is served, Pesh. Let’s go,” another pleasant interruption. I might as well end it here, before I evoke more nostalgia.